The Awakening's Series
by Sethanon
Summary: Introducing to you the brilliant first time Xena/Gabrielle saga written by Hunter Ash. Posted with permission. F/F, M/M, F/M
1. 01 A Visit Home

**Author: **Hunter Ash

**Posted by: **Sethanon

**Disclaimers:** the usual rundown - I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo or Gabrielle's family. This story is written for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended. Don't bother suing me - it really wouldn't be worth it.

**Sethanon' Disclaimer: **No I did not write this story Hunter Ash did. Yes I have Hunter's permission to post this story here.

**Sex/Subtext:** yup and it's between two consenting adults of the same gender. If this is illegal in your state or country, or if you are under 18 years of age, leave. Wait until you're older or change your laws.

If this type of story bugs you, sorry, find something else.

**Violence:** nope, just thoughts of throwing someone through a window but our warrior is patient for once.

**Summary:** A "first time" story with Xena and Gabrielle visiting Gabrielle's family and the relationship between them being forced to the surface.

**Feedback:** definitely! Please! Beg, beg!

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**Visit Home**

Gabrielle had finally broken away from her mother and her endless questions. The bard was tired and irritable. She and Xena had been at Gabrielle's home for two days, and nights, and the bard was more than ready to leave.

As she slowly walked around the house, heading for the barn, she stopped. The little Amazon realized that she was more than ready to leave, in more ways than one. Gabrielle stood looking at the barn door, as if trying to make a decision. The bard nodded to herself and changed direction, heading for the pen that held the goats, picking up the food bucket, as she moved.

Unknown to Gabrielle, her mother Hecuba was standing at the kitchen window, watching her daughter, reading the young woman's body language with a frown. The older woman was well aware that Xena was in the barn attending to her horse, Argo and now Gabrielle was moving away from the barn.

The last two days had been tense and it was tearing at Hecuba to see her daughter withdrawn and obviously upset. No matter what questions the worried mother asked, she wasn't getting any answers from her daughter. The bard's mother could sense that Gabrielle was at a crossroads.

Gabrielle was also wondering the same thing, as she fed the goats.

The bard would have also used the description of a crossroads to describe her thought process. It just seemed time for decisions and Gabrielle was not thrilled with any of the choices or paths. The blond unconsciously brushed a hair back from her forehead and reflected again on how tired she was. Countless nights of fitful sleep, long days spent feeling tense, were beginning to take a toll on the small woman. She was tired and she was tired of being tired.

She was also tired of being frustrated.

If Hecuba was a little closer she would see a familiar setting of the bard's jaw. The bard replaced the bucket and headed for the barn.

Argo nudged the warrior when Xena's hand stopped brushing the horse, the warrior lost in thought. Xena smiled at her horse and continued the brushing and talking.

"It's probably a good thing you can't talk back, girl. You'd probably tell me I'm an idiot too. Gods, this is hard." Xena leaned her head forward and buried her face in Argo's mane for a moment.

She hated visiting Gabrielle's family. Gabrielle's father barely tolerated the warrior and the bard's mother kept trying to play matchmaker for her runaway daughter. Lila, Gabrielle's little sister, was filled with questions, almost as curious about things as her older sister. Each family member seemed determined to drive the usually stoic warrior out of her mind.

Gabrielle had finally suggested that Xena see to Argo for awhile so she could help her mother with lunch. Xena had quickly seized the opportunity and almost dashed out the door, leaving the bard to fend for herself and now Xena was feeling guilty about that too.

Gabrielle opened the door slowly and slipped inside, not surprised to see her best friend Xena tending to Argo. Earlier the bard had given the warrior an easy out by suggesting that Xena look in on Argo and escape the bard's mother's endless questioning.

Gabrielle was surprised that Xena hadn't heard her come in; this was highly unusual, and the bard decided to take advantage of it, standing a moment, watching Xena brush Argo's coat and mane. The bard felt a familiar heat beginning in her loins and spreading throughout her body, as she watched the warrior's muscles rippling with each long brush stroke. Gabrielle quickly fought her heartbeat back to a more regular rhythm.

"Gods, Argo, I have to be more patient. I can't strangle her father, I can't strangle her father, I can't strangle her father." Xena whispered, resuming her brushing.

The fierce warrior spun around rapidly on her heels, face blushing bright red when she heard a giggle behind her. She tried to stammer something out when she caught Gabrielle's green eyes laughing at her. The young bard was holding her ribs, trying not to fall to the floor laughing. Xena tried glaring at her friend and that only succeeded in making the blond laugh even harder. Gabrielle finally caught her breath and closed the barn door.

"Gods, Xena. Don't you think I feel the same way!" she giggled, watching the warrior resume brushing the horse with a scowl on her face. .

"I know, sorry I left you alone in there." Xena mumbled.

The battle scarred warrior was surprised but pleased when Gabrielle's arms circled around her and she found herself in a tight hug.

"It's okay, I figured I had to get you out of there before you threw him through the window." the bard giggled again.

Xena was very aware of how hot she suddenly was. As her breath began to quicken, the warrior found herself closing her eyes and leaning back into the embrace.

Gabrielle leaned into the warrior, relishing the scent that was uniquely Xena: leather, soap root, and musk. With a start, the bard realized she was rubbing her face against Xena's leather top and holding the warrior tight. A roaring filled her ears and she felt her entire body flush with heat.

The warrior suddenly realized that she was about to turn and take the bard in her arms and kiss the small woman. She straightened up and felt Gabrielle's arms leave her.

Gabrielle quickly backed up out of the hug, trying to catch her breath.

Xena kept from whimpering but only from years of self-taught control. Then, when she thought she could face Gabrielle, she turned.

Looking deep in Gabrielle's eyes, the warrior almost lost all that control but managed to hold firm. Gabrielle seemed just as lost in the moment as both seemed frozen in place.

The barn door slammed open, breaking the spell between the two women and both blinked in the sunlight and intrusion. Lila rushed in with a frustrated look on her face.

"There you two are! Lunch time!" and she was gone again.

Xena noticed Gabrielle blushing, eyes downcast and stammering. "I... we should go in."

"Uh huh." Xena agreed. Gabrielle quickly turned and was gone after her sister, leaving a stunned warrior holding a brush with a puzzled look on her face.

"Argo," she whispered, "what just happened?"

Lila grabbed her older sister's arm, stopping the bard, looking back at the barn door and realizing that Xena wasn't stepping through immediately, Lila turned to Gabrielle.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Well what?"

"Did you tell her how you feel?" the youngster snapped.

"No, of course not! I've told you, she doesn't care for me like that!" Gabrielle snapped back, beginning to walk back to the house again. Lila caught up with her sister.

"Looks like it to me!" Lila protested.

"We sleep under the same blankets every night, I'm in her arms every night, we eat together, bathe together, sleep together and she hasn't shown any interest in me sexually. She thinks I'm a kid." Gabrielle complained.

"I think you're both hooked and won't admit it to each other!"

"Glad you think so, I'm the one living with this!" Gabrielle stopped dead in the middle of the common yard and glared at Lila. "It's torture, Lila. My body and soul ache just to touch her. I almost just kissed her!"

"Do it! What can you lose?"

"My best friend and I couldn't live with that." Gabrielle whispered.

Xena kicked at a non-existent pebble as she walked back towards the family home. She was confused and that always made her grumpy. She hated not being in control and the one thing she was NOT in control of was her feelings towards her best friend. Xena didn't know when she had fallen totally in love with the bard but she had finally admitted it, at least to herself. To no one else, of course. Well, Argo didn't count, she thought with a sarcastic smile.

The problem was that she knew the bard wasn't interested in women sexually and only thought of Xena as her best friend. It was beginning to drive the warrior crazy. With the cool fall weather they were spending every night under the same blankets, the bard in Xena's arms. The warrior had lost count of how many nights she had lain awake with the blond sleeping peacefully in her arms. Xena didn't know how many times she had leaned down and kissed the bard softly on the hair, the forehead and finally the lips, careful not to wake the young woman. Every muscle and fiber of her being wanting to take the bard and make love to her.

It was becoming more and more of a distraction. Xena found herself thinking of the blonde every other minute. Gabrielle's hair shining in the sun; the movement of Gabrielle's well toned body as she dried her hair and body after a swim or bath was enough to almost bring tears to the warrior's eyes in frustration; Gabrielle's muscles rippling as she practiced with her staff; the thoughts of the bard's hands as the young woman slowly removed her boots at night; the contented sigh she always gave when she settled into Xena's arms. Xena smacked a house pillar, hoping to distract herself, somehow.

'Some self-punishment streak,' the warrior decided, admitting that she was torturing herself slowly.

No one seemed to notice that Gabrielle was quiet during lunch, something really unusual for the young woman. Her mother had noticed the dark circles under her daughter's eyes and had commented on it several times with a disapproving click of her tongue, eyes glaring at the warrior.

Gabrielle clenched her jaw, the familiar setting that warned most anyone who knew her that she was tense and her infamous stubborn streak was about to show itself. The bard looked over and saw Xena concentrating on her food, her jaw also clenched. Gabrielle was confused. At times, Hecuba questioned her about the men she met, wondering if there were any she was interested in and then her mother would turn around and ask detailed questions about Xena, as if sizing up a potential mate for Gabrielle.

The bard knew that her father could barely stand having the warrior around but tolerated her so that he could see Gabrielle. The bard knew that he still blamed Xena for his daughter running off to the road, following the warrior woman and pursuing the dream of being a bard. Hecuba was more receptive of the warrior, but uncomfortable at the same time. Gabrielle wanted to scream.

Xena clenched her jaw again. She too had noticed Gabrielle wasn't sleeping well lately and had done everything she could think of to help her bard but she was at a loss as to what to do and having Gabrielle's mother point out her failing didn't help Xena's mood any.

"Are you sure you're all right, Gabrielle?" her mother asked again.

"I'm fine!" the bard snapped.

"Hey, don't talk to your mother in that tone, young lady!" Herdoctus threatened, pointing a finger at his oldest daughter.

"I'm just worried about you," Hecuba said softly.

"I'm fine, Mother."

"You could visit your mother a little more often! You act as if you don't care about her feelings. Leaving here with only a brief note!" Herdoctus' voice began to rise.

"Traveling around, putting yourself in danger, of course she's worried!"

"Stop it, both of you! I'm fine, I'm doing what I want to be doing! Can't you let it alone?" Before tears could escape the green eyes, the bard had jumped up and rushed out through the kitchen.

Xena knew that visiting her parents had been bothering Gabrielle but now she could see it was also wearing on the bard's nerves.

Lila kept her eyes fixed on her food and Gabrielle's parents faces were bright red.

Xena stood up slowly, "I think I'll take Argo out for a ride, excuse me." she carried her dishes to the kitchen and looked out the back door. She frowned when she didn't see her bard anywhere in sight. She sighed, hoping to find the young woman in the stable, knowing Xena would follow but she was disappointed not to find Gabrielle there.

Xena began feeding Argo an apple and tired to sort things out, especially her feelings.

Gabrielle hit the back door running, and didn't stop until she was through the fields and running by a stream. The bard finally collapsed beside a familiar old oak, gasping for air and trying not to cry.

The bard sank further to the ground with her back to the tree, welcoming the shade and the soothing sound of the water rushing by over the rocks. She crossed her arms over her knees and rested her head. It was then that she finally let loose and began crying.

After awhile the tears had finally slowed down and she leaned back against the tree. She closed her eyes and let her body relax.

"You know you were always my favorite tree when I was a kid," she said simply to the tree behind her. "You always listened and you never told another soul of my doubts, my dreams, my fears or my pain. I'm glad you're still here, old friend."

"Gabrielle?" a tentative voice questioned.

The bard opened her eyes and smiled at her younger sister standing nearby. "Hey," she answered and motioned her sibling to sit down with her.

"Hey," Lila sat down looking around. "I come here when Dad gets angry."

"Was my favorite spot when I was home." Gabrielle said with a smile.

"Want to talk?" Lila picked up a rock, and tossed it into the stream.

"Yeah, I need to talk to someone." Gabrielle hesitated, "I'm leaving tonight."

"I didn't know you two were leaving until tomorrow."

"I'm leaving alone." the bard whispered.

"What? Without Xena?" Lila demanded, and saw Gabrielle's eyes filling with tears.

"Yes, I can't take it any longer!" Again the bard's control broke and Lila took her bigger sister into her arms and held Gabrielle while she cried once again. "I love her so much but I can't keep going the way it is and I can't stay here!"

"Where will you go?"

"Athens, I was accepted into the Academy there once, they'll have me again."

"You can't leave Xena, you two are just right for each other." Lila protested.

"I can't live like this!" the bard cried and Lila held her close.

Xena had only taken Argo out for a short romp through the countryside, taking it easy on the horse. The warrior knew if she released her feelings and translated them to the horse they might end up in Athens before Xena could think straight again.

She had come back before dusk, knowing the family would be expecting her for dinner and discussion afterwards. The last thing she wanted to face was another meal and discussion with Gabrielle's family but she didn't want the bard to think Xena was avoiding her as well. Again she had frowned when Gabrielle wasn't in the stable or nearby waiting for Xena. Usually the bard sought her out when she needed comforting but lately the woman had been withdrawn and more quiet than usual.

Xena was wondering if Gabrielle was changing her mind about leaving the road. Was her parent's arguments getting to the bard? She had left Xena once for marriage, for a simpler life and the warrior wondered if the bard was craving that again but struggling against her family's overbearing wishes.

The two sisters made their way back to the farm when it started getting close to dinner time. Lila hurried off to feed and water the pack horse, while Gabrielle started towards the kitchen to help her mother with final dinner preparations.

The bard was puzzled to find the kitchen empty and voices, from the common room. She moved across the room and started to open the door and stopped at the tone of her father's voice. She knew that tone and it chilled her to the bone. If Gabrielle had been fifteen she would have crept back out the door and headed right back to her favorite oak tree, maybe to even spend the night in its welcoming branches, but she wasn't and she was determined not to be afraid any longer.

"She can't leave here again! It's time she settled down and gave us grandchildren!" he snapped.

Gabrielle moved closer to the door and opened it a crack, listening with her jaw beginning to clench.

"You can't keep her here, Herdoctus. She's not a farmer and she's a grown woman." Hecuba protested.

"You going against my wishes?" he hissed.

"No, of course not!" her mother's voice held a familiar tone: fear. Gabrielle almost opened the door to throw her father through the window, but held tight.

"I thought this mess was behind us when she married Perdicus, but, not! Because of that damned warlord bitch, he goes and gets killed and our daughter takes up with that war-bitch again!" he yelled.

"It wasn't Xena's fault he died! It was that madwoman, Callisto."

Gabrielle's head was roaring and her eyes were hazing over with red. She could feel her body trembling with the rage that was building inside of her.

Xena had decided to enter through the kitchen, the door being the closest to the barn area when she stopped suddenly and ducked back out the door as she spotted Gabrielle standing by the door separating the kitchen from the living area of the house. Xena dared a glance around and saw her bard was listening at the door and Xena held her breath. The body language of the younger woman was readable even in the twilight. The bard was furious.

Gabrielle's fists were clenched, one at her side and the other on the door jam as she listened at the door. Xena was surprised to see the bard's body trembling and she recognized the stubborn set of Gabrielle's jaw. Whenever Xena saw that familiar clenching she knew that she was in for an explosion or an unbending bard. Xena knew people called her stubborn but most of them had never gone up against Gabrielle once the smaller woman had set her mind to something. Xena smiled to herself, even the Conqueror of Nations gave in before her little bard.

Xena's curiosity was more than intense and she quietly left the doorway and made her way around to the window on just the other side of the doorway of where Gabrielle was listening. She wanted to know what was causing Gabrielle such distress.

"I still say it's not right!" her father was saying loudly, Xena presumed to Gabrielle's mother.

"I agree. Who will have her when she finally decides to settle down? After traveling with that she-demon! We were fortunate that Perdicus still wanted her, but he had been a soldier, after all." the voice of Gabrielle's mother reached the warrior and she found herself seeing red.

Then Xena sagged against the wall and sat down with her back to it. She could still hear everything but her strength seemed to have fled.

Were they right? What man would want to settle with Gabrielle after being with Xena, one of the most feared warriors in the land. One of the most feared women warriors of the land? Was she cutting off Gabrielle's future?

"You know what they are saying about our daughter?" her father demanded.

"Don't," her mother's voice pleaded.

"You know what that stupid merchant said last week? Before he knew who I was?" the father's voice was loud and angry.

"Please don't, I don't want to hear it. We hear good stories about them, too." her mother protested.

"Oh yes, the good that they do, rescuing people, doing good deeds but this is about the two of them together!" he raged.

"Don't!"

"They actually think our daughter lies with that demon!" he ranted.

"Stop it!" her mother's voice went shrill.

Gabrielle felt a growl beginning in her throat.

"I agree, it's time to stop this!" Gabrielle threw the door open and stormed into the common room, facing her father and mother, hands clenched and jaw muscles twitching. The bard felt like she could spit fire, at the moment.

Xena's head snapped up at the sound of her bard's voice, sharp and calm but Xena could hear the tension undertones, but the warrior didn't dare risk a glance through the window, Gabrielle was probably right in the doorway across from her.

Xena's heart skipped a beat and she nearly died when Lila crawled around the corner. Then the little sister signaled the warrior to keep quiet and crawled along the walkway to join the warrior. She smiled and placed a finger on Xena's lips and pointed to the window. Xena understood what Lila was saying, she did this often. Xena blushed a deep purple at having been busted spying on her best friend's family and then having Gabrielle's sister join her in that spying.

Gods, this was complicated!

"Gabrielle, please, we ... we..." her mother's voice stammered.

"Yes, I know, just discussing my future and your concern for me." Xena could almost see Gabrielle's clenched jaw and she saw Lila's eyes were wide and curious. "Yes, mother, I know. What you both need to get through your heads is that I am where I want to be! I don't care what anyone thinks about me! I don't care what they whisper! And I especially don't care what some idiot farmer thinks about my marriage potential!" Gabrielle's voice finally rose to a shout.

"But you'll want to marry someday!" her father protested.

"I want to get married now!" the bard snapped and wished she could take back the words. This was not where she wanted the conversation to go but now it was too late.

Xena's heart sank and her head dropped forward.

"You do? To whom? Do we know him?" her mother's voice was excited.

"Yes, you know who I want for my bond-mate but it's not going to happen." Gabrielle muttered, trying to fight back tears. Xena and Lila barely caught the words.

"What? Why not? Aren't you good enough?" her father demanded.

"It's not like that, Father. I am in love, so deeply in love that no one else will ever touch my heart like this again, ever."

"Oh, Gabrielle, then what's the problem?" her mother wailed.

Lila rolled her eyes at her mother's tone and Xena growled. Who could Gabrielle be talking about? Not Perdicus, could she? Was she still silently grieving that much?

"She doesn't realize it." Gabrielle said simply and steeled herself for the next blow, whether physical or verbal.

"She?" Gabrielle's father, mother and Xena all asked in the same moment, fortunately Xena had whispered her question. Lila's eyes were as wide as saucers. Xena's heart began to pound almost loud enough to keep her from hearing the rest of the conversation.

"What! It's true? You do bed that demon!" her father demanded.

"That's enough! Right now! You say another word against Xena and you'll never talk to me again! No, I don't have sex with her. I sleep with her but we only share the same space but that doesn't mean I don't want to!"

"Gabrielle, you want..." her mother's voice broke and Xena could hear the woman begin to cry. Xena herself was stunned. Gabrielle wanted her? Was she hearing right? Was this a weird nightmare sent by Morpheus?

"Yes, Mother. I want her. Not just sexually but... oh gods, talking relationships with your parents is not my idea of a good time." the bard muttered. "I love her, do you understand? I want her as my mate, totally - emotionally, spiritually, physically, everything. She doesn't want me in that way, though." Gabrielle wiped an angry tear away.

"I can't believe this! You want to travel around, fighting all the time, putting yourself in danger just to bed a woman?" her father demanded.

"No! I travel with Xena not only because I love her but because of the good we do. I will be content to spend the rest of my life with her and not touch her, if necessary! She is the best person I've ever met, damnit!" Xena heard Gabrielle smack her hand on the table with a frustrated growl.

Lila was looking at the warrior with wide eyes. "You didn't know?" she whispered.

Xena shook her head and dropped her eyes.

"You love her like that?" Lila whispered and Xena nodded.

Lila reached out and hit the warrior on the arm, hard. Xena looked up.

"That's for making her wait." the young teen hissed and then cocked her ears to listen.

"Why doesn't she want you?" Gabrielle's mother asked.

"She doesn't, all right." Gabrielle muttered.

"You haven't told her?"

"What do you mean, asking her that? You approve?" her father's voice was shrill and Gabrielle wanted to shove him through the door.

Xena resisted the urge to rush in and grab the man by the throat and throw him out the window.

"I don't know. I want her to be happy." her mother protested.

"Happy? How can she be happy with a female warrior? How can she be happy fighting for her life all the time? Just traveling with Xena will get her killed. You know what we've heard. How many times have you been attacked, just traveling the road?"

"None of your business!" Gabrielle snapped. "I would spend an eternity in Tartarus just to be with her!"

"Gabrielle, don't say that!" her mother's voice was horrified.

Xena was stunned, surprised at the depth of the feelings the bard was voicing about her.

"It's true! She came back from the dead for me and we aren't even lovers." Gabrielle fought back from having her voice break, from the tears that were filling her eyes.

Lila started to ask questions but Xena held a finger up to her lips.

"I forbid this! It's not natural! It's not right!" her father yelled.

"Oh shut up, Father. Who says it's not natural, even the gods share their beds with someone of the same sex." Gabrielle suddenly felt weary. She could sense that her father was losing his steam of anger, and she felt hers draining away as well. The bard was also wondering why she was arguing with her parents about this and explaining everything? She wouldn't be with Xena, soon anyway.

Xena could hear the weariness in Gabrielle's voice and ached to hold the young woman in her arms, anything to comfort her.

"Family, how can you have a family with her?" Xena sensed that the bard's father was losing his hold on the argument and searching for any ammunition to use.

"Who says we can't have children and we can't raise them? Besides, all that assumes that we're lovers. We're not and it's killing me!" Gabrielle's voice cracked and Xena heard the kitchen door slam and then the outer door. Xena sat against the wall, still stunned.

Lila punched her in the arm again and motioned for Xena to follow her. When they had gotten away from the house Lila turned and punched the warrior again. Xena's eyes narrowed, she had let the teenager hit her enough, thank you.

"You two are so damned stubborn!" Lila yelled at her and looked like she was going to hit the warrior again. Xena held up her hand warningly.

Gabrielle had grabbed the travel packs she'd hidden in the barn earlier that morning, and started out the barn door, when she heard Lila's irritated voice just outside.

"She told me last time you were here how she felt, I thought you two would have settled this by now. Do you know she's planning on leaving?" Lila demanded, hands on her hips, the same stubborn set to her jaw.

"No, I thought we were staying another night."

"No, not with you," Lila shouted. "Without you!"

Xena's heart stopped and a chill came over her body. "Without me?" she whispered.

Could Xena care whether she stayed or went, Gabrielle wondered.

"Yes, she can't take it any longer. It's killing her to be near you and not touch you. She thinks you don't want her because she's not in your league."

"What? I'm the one that isn't good enough!" Xena protested. "After everything I've done, how could she want me?"

"Beats me, I think you're okay." Lila shrugged with a smile. "She thinks you're from the gods and would do anything for you but she's dying inside."

Gabrielle was considering killing her young sister for telling Xena all of this. The bard wanted to crawl under the ground somewhere and hide. Xena would know everything! She wouldn't want the bard, she wouldn't want her around anymore!

Then Gabrielle listened to the warrior's words.

"She's light itself!" Xena continued to protest. "Anything I am today is because of her!"

"Then tell her, not me." Lila snapped. "Adults! You make it so complicated!"

"Wait till you fall in love," Xena snapped back, "and see how easy it is."

Love? Gabrielle thought her heart had stopped.

"You love her, right?" Lila demanded.

"Yes, with all of my being. I don't think I can live without her." Xena whispered.

Without thinking the bard opened the door. "Xena?" a voice called, softly.

Xena and Lila spun around to see Gabrielle in the doorway of the barn, her bags in her hand.

Xena and Gabrielle found themselves caught in another frozen moment of time. Both losing themselves in each other's eyes. Lila finally broke the moment by shoving the warrior and bard back through the barn door and shutting it behind them.

"You mean it," they both asked at the same time, both breaking into smiles and relaxing finally. Gabrielle sighed and sat her travel bags down, walked over to a hay bale and sat down. She brushed a lock of hair from her eyes and Xena once again found herself wanting to do that for the young woman, to touch just her hair would be enough.

Then heat spread over the warrior and she thought that maybe just touching Gabrielle's hair might not be enough anymore. They had both heard too much to go back and she knew Gabrielle sensed that too.

The bard sat for a moment, trying to think rationally and couldn't find a way to make any sentence hold together. She swallowed deeply and risked it.

"I love you, Xena." Gabrielle said quietly, not lifting her eyes up.

Xena moved slowly and carefully, kneeling in front of the bard. Tenderly she lifted Gabrielle chin up until the green eyes were looking into her deep blue ones. Tears were filling both their eyes.

"I love you, so very much, Gabrielle. I've been in love with you for so long." Xena said softly.

"Oh, Xena!" Gabrielle threw her arms around the warrior's neck and grabbed her in a tight hug, tears falling.

Xena, feeling tears falling from her eyes as well, welcomed the bard into her arms and held the other woman tightly. The warrior felt months of tension easing out of her muscles and a healing of her soul beginning. She pulled back slightly to look Gabrielle in the eyes.

"I..." the warrior stammered. "I love you so much, I've never felt like this before." Xena took the bard's hands in hers. Gabrielle kept quiet, watching her warrior struggle with the words. Getting Xena to talk about emotions was like pulling a tooth from a horse, almost impossible, the bard knew.

"I've had lovers, many of them, but not like I want you. Not even Borias, it's different with you. If you want me I'm yours but it has to be a commitment. If you let me love you it will be forever."

Tears flowed freely from both women as the warrior struggled with the words.

"I love you, Xena, more than life." Gabrielle whispered.

"You are the other half of my soul and I know if you love me that we'll be together for eternity. I don't want just sex, I want to marry you." Xena managed to stammer out.

Marry me? the bard questioned in wonderment quietly.

Gabrielle was so quiet for a moment that a feeling of fear began to grab at the warrior's heart and then the bard grabbed her again in a bone-crushing embrace.

"Yes! I love you totally and completely. I've wanted you as my mate for so long!" Gabrielle whispered.

Both women held each other for several moments before Xena pulled out of the embrace. She held a finger up to Gabrielle's lips to indicate silence. She slowly stood up and unlaced her chakram and placed it at Gabrielle's feet and then did the same with her sword and the dagger hidden between her breasts. She knelt on one knee in front of the bard and Gabrielle thought that her heart would stop forever.

"I offer you my sword and my life. I will love you forever if you'll have me." Xena pledged.

Gabrielle wiped tears of joy from her eyes. She knew this warrior's pledge was the ultimate pledge Xena could make and was touched beyond words.

"I love you, and I accept your pledge and your love, warrior Xena. I pledge my love and trust in you and promise to love beyond time itself. I know that not even death will separate us from this point on." Gabrielle pledged and pulled the warrior up to her lips.

The kiss was meant to be soft and gentle but the electric shock that passed through both women at the first contact sent both of them backwards.

"Wow." Gabrielle whispered, touching her lips in wonderment.

"Wow? I'll say." Xena agreed and sat back up, reaching for her bard when angry voices brought her to her feet, chakram at the ready. Gabrielle reached up and placed a reassuring arm on Xena's arm.

"It's all right, it's my father, not an army." the bard grinned and Xena lowered the chakram, blushing that her warrior instincts had won out again. Gabrielle knew that Xena's heightened senses and warrior instinct had only lessened slightly all the months they had been on the road together. Gabrielle had come close several times to being knocked unconscious by the warrior, when the bard had accidentally startled Xena. She didn't think Xena would ever be totally relaxed and without those highly toned and trained muscle instincts.

Lila's voice was shrill and answered by an angry shout from her father. The door of the barn slammed open and he stood in the doorway, obviously fuming.

Gabrielle stood up angrily. "What, Father? Expecting to find me rolling naked in the hay with her?" She certainly wasn't going to tell her father that's what she had been hoping for, just a moment before.

Xena blushed, that was what she had been intending with the bard as well but wasn't going to say that to the girl's angry father.

"I want her gone!" he demanded.

"We were just about to leave." Gabrielle snapped back.

"You're not going anywhere this time! You're still my daughter and I won't have you become the laughing stock of Greece because you sleep with her!"

Gabrielle quickly grabbed Xena by the arm as the warrior growled and took a step forward. The bard reached out and eased the chakram out of the warrior's hand and Xena let her, trying to calm her breathing and the roaring in her head. She fought against the raging anger building up.

"If you keep this up I won't be your daughter any longer!" Gabrielle threatened. Lila stepped into the barn, holding her cheek. Her eyes were red from crying. This time it was Gabrielle who growled. "You hit her?" she demanded.

Her father's jaw clenched and his eyes narrowed. "You are not leaving here," he hissed.

"Don't threaten her," Xena growled back, stepping a half step in front of

Gabrielle.

"What will you do, warrior?" her father sneered. Gabrielle's head was spinning, this was happening too fast and everything was out of control. With a moment of clarity she knew that Xena was about a moment away of injuring or killing her father and her father was going to push the warrior into it. And there was a good chance of Lila or of Gabrielle getting in the way.

Gabrielle quickly pulled Xena back and stepped in front of the warrior, the bard placing her hands behind her back to keep bodily contact with Xena.

"Father, calm down! Both of you! I love you both!" Gabrielle pleaded and felt Xena relax slightly behind her. Her father scowled but didn't move any closer. Gabrielle almost screamed in frustration when her mother peeked in the doorway and entered.

"Fine! Everyone come in and let's settle this!" she muttered. Her mother crossed over to Lila and began to examine the girl's cheek.

"Xena has just asked me to bond with her, to marry her and I have accepted. What that means to us is more than just a simple bonding ceremony like I had with Perdicus. If Xena agrees, we will be bonded in an Amazon ceremony. I've already pledged my soul to her and plan to spend eternity with her. Accept this or lose me." Gabrielle said simply.

"I love you, Gabrielle. I don't understand but if she makes you happy then you'll both be welcome here." her mother said quietly and Lila nodded enthusiastically.

"I forbid it!" her father shouted.

"Oh shut up, Herdoctus." her mother snapped and he looked at his wife, stunned.

"She's our daughter and all that should matter is that Xena is a good person now and Gabrielle thinks that she will be happy with her. Accept it, I'm not going to lose my daughter because of your pride!" She approached her husband in a fury and he backed up quickly, surprised and stumbling. She poked a finger in his chest and he took it.

Gabrielle and Lila's eyes were equally wide with surprise.

"Don't you ever lay a hand on either Lila or Gabrielle again or you'll never wake up again!" her mother shouted and then spun away from her husband. She approached Gabrielle and Xena slowly. With a hesitant smile she gathered her daughter into a hug and Gabrielle grinned, hugging her back. Lila, unable to resist the moment, rushed over and joined in. Xena was grateful they didn't try to include her in the family hug although Gabrielle's mother did hug her awkwardly after detaching herself from Gabrielle.

"Make her happy, please." she said to the warrior.

"I will spend my life trying." Xena promised.

"We're leaving, Mother." Gabrielle stated.

"I know. Let me pack your food bags before you go." None of them were surprised to find her father had slipped out of the barn. "Don't worry about him, he'll fume for awhile but settle in once you two are gone." her mother reassured them. She turned to her other daughter. "Lila, go and pack Xena's bags, I'm sure she doesn't want to run into your father right now. They need some time to cool off." Lila hugged her sister again and then surprised Xena by hugging the warrior and then dashing off quickly.

"Xena, could I have a moment with Gabrielle?"

"Of course, I'll saddle Argo." Xena retrieved her chakram from the bard's hand and bent to retrieve her other weapons with panther-like grace. Gabrielle was unaware of the desire on her face as she watched her warrior move. Her mother, however, knew the look and smiled, it was just awkward to see that type of look on your daughter, she thought. She's still my little girl. She then touched her daughter's arm and they moved outside the door.

"Gabrielle, I love you and I'd like to you to visit again." her mother brushed a tear away from her weathered face and Gabrielle hugged her mother again.

"We will. Just give us a little time, this is new for us too."

"Gabrielle, your father..." her mother stammered and they moved to sit on two hay bales by the door. "I think he's always sensed something about you and has fought against it since you were a baby."

"That I prefer women to men?" Gabrielle asked, puzzled.

"No, something else. If anything happens to him or me I want you to go to your Uncle Harpalion in the next village, he has a parchment for you."

"What is it, Mom?"

"I can't tell you right now. Just know that it might answer some questions you've had during your life. It may even answer some of the questions I've been asking you. Is she your soulmate?"

"I think so. I just know that I couldn't go on without loving her totally and I can't live without her." Gabrielle hesitated. "What's in the parchment, Mom?"

Her mother smiled and held up a hand to cut off any protests. "I know your curiosity, Gabrielle. Promise you'll wait."

The stubborn jaw was well known to the mother but she continued to stare sternly at her daughter.

"All right, I promise."

Lila came running out of the house with the packs. "I'll go and pack your food bags," her mother said with another quick hug.

Lila grinned at her big sister. "Finally got your warrior, huh? How far did you get?"

"Lila!" Gabrielle shrieked.

"Xena?" The warrior was surprised and more than a little cautious when she turned and found Herdoctus standing near the stall. She slowly walked out from saddling Argo and faced her love's father. He dropped his eyes and when he looked back at the warrior she was stunned to see tears in his eyes.

"Can I talk to you before Gabrielle comes back in?" he asked softly.

"Sure."

"I'm... I'm not a good father." the man began to pace and Xena waited for him to continue. "I try, I just don't know how to handle emotions and feelings. I swore to the gods when Gabrielle was born that I would never lay a hand on her like my parents did me but... I've failed both her and Lila." He looked over at the warrior. "I've heard things about you, can you understand the rage?"

Xena nodded, softening a little. She had been fortunate, her mother and her brothers had been a good family.

"I swear I will never touch Lila again." he swore passionately. "I'm sorry about earlier. You asked her to marry you?"

"Yes," Xena nodded.

"You mean it, you won't just use her and then tire of her?" Herdoctus stopped, looking deep into the warrior's eyes.

"I've told Gabrielle that I've had many sexual partners, most of them have been one time encounters. Gabrielle is different, I intend to spend my life with her."

"You've not been with her yet, have you?"

"Herdoctus!" Xena growled.

"No, please, don't misunderstand me. It's just that, how do you know you'll stay with her?"

"How does anyone know? She is my soul, I can't live without her any longer." Xena shrugged and Herdoctus nodded.

"Swear to me that you'll try and make her happy."

"I've already sworn that oath to Gabrielle."

"Then that's enough. I'm sorry, warrior. She deserves better than me for a father." Herdoctus complained.

"You're attempting to change, Herdoctus. So am I and with Gabrielle's help I'll make up for my past. It's up to you to make up for yours with your family. Go talk with Gabrielle and tell her you're trying."

"No," Herdoctus shook his head. "It's too soon, she won't believe me."

"Yes, she will. She has a talent for seeing only the good in people, she'll believe you." Xena insisted.

"Next time, warrior." Herdoctus promised and was out the door before Xena could protest further.

"Damn! Stubbornness must run in the family!"

Xena was grateful that Gabrielle had agreed to ride on Argo when they left the village. They were late in getting started, later than Xena liked but she knew that Gabrielle didn't want to spend another night in her family home. Xena hadn't been able to convince either father or daughter to talk to each other. Gabrielle was still angry and hurt over his words and he was too ashamed to take them back yet.

Gabrielle had been puzzled by Xena's actions; up to the point when they left, the warrior kept trying to convince the bard to talk to her father. Gabrielle's jaw had taken on that familiar clench and the warrior had to concede defeat. The bard was just too angry to talk to her father right then!

Gabrielle had been pleased but surprised when Xena asked her to ride in front of her on Argo but didn't understand why. Until Xena slipped her arms tightly around the bard and began to nuzzle her neck from behind.

"Oh, no fair!" the bard protested with a moan as Argo walked steadily along once they were out of sight of the village.

"All's fair, my bard." Xena whispered and began to nibble on Gabrielle's earlobe.

Gabrielle leaned over and back, Xena finally was able to kiss the bard like she had wanted to in the barn. Gabrielle's arm circled around the warrior's neck and held her tight in the embrace. The kiss was everything both women had been dreaming about. Gentle and tender at first but quickly turning into something very passionate. Xena was surprised to find that her inexperienced bard was a bundle of energy and passion, her tongue demanding entry past Xena's lips and Xena moaned with the contact. The she felt Gabrielle's hand tighten in her hair, holding her prisoner at the bard's lips. Both tongues began a fight for dominance that left both women breathless. Xena pulled back laughing.

"Must remember to breathe," she muttered.

"Oh, Xena," Gabrielle reached back and grabbed her warrior by the thighs, welcoming the growl she received and delighting in the warmth she could feel her hands causing in the taller woman's body.

Xena's lips moved down, trailing her tongue along the bard's neck, sending shivers over the blonde's body. The lips settled on the bard's neck and the warrior's teeth began to lightly nibble on Gabrielle's neck, causing her moans to increase, the bard's hand's beginning to move seductively between Xena's thighs.

Argo stopped dead in the road with a snort, drawing the women out of their haze.

"I think we need to find a place to camp." Xena suggested.

"I agree totally, my warrior." as a hand crept up between Xena's thighs and Gabrielle was delighted with the gasp from her warrior as her fingers began to struggle past the undergarments.

"You keep that up and we'll never get off this horse and that is not how I intend my first night with you!" Xena lightly slapped at the hand.

Gabrielle giggled but withdrew, leaning back into her warrior.

"Hmmm, doesn't look too inviting around here, we'll move on a bit."

"Okay." Gabrielle settled back into her warrior's arms and let the motion of the road lull her into a light sleep.

Xena was pleased with the trust the bard gave her, always trusting Xena to keep her safe, even on the back of a moving horse. The bard hadn't been sleeping lately and the visit with her family had been emotionally exhausting for everyone. All Xena wanted to do was get somewhere safe and secluded for both of them to rest, heal and discover each other as well as what this new development meant for them. Unfortunately the landscape wasn't cooperating very well. Poteidaia may have been a small village but the surrounding land was well developed farm land and wasn't offering much in the way of secluded campsites. Xena frowned.

It was well into dusk when Xena finally found a site that would do. She moved Argo carefully through the brush and almost thanked the gods when the horse worked her way unerringly to a good sized creek, tumbling over lots of boulders and creating mini waterfalls and pools. The clean water promised fish and bathing and relaxing in the morning.

Xena managed to dismount Argo and pulled Gabrielle down into her arms and cradled the bard, softly carrying her to a fallen log. Gabrielle mumbled and started to blink. "Stay here," Xena ordered. "Just rest, I'll make camp."

The bard started to protest but Xena stopped her with a light kiss. The bard smiled and leaned against the log. Xena smiled and quickly went about setting up camp. There was a chill in the air and she wanted a fire going as soon as possible. They were both tired and their cold tolerance would be low. Xena wrapped the bard in her traveling cloak and a blanket and set about starting a fire. Within a candlemark she had a fire roaring, food cooking over it and their sleeping mat and blankets set up. Xena was a little worried, Gabrielle had curled up next to the log and had been tossing in her sleep again, although she quickly slipped further into sleep when Xena would touch and whisper reassurances to the bard.

Moving to the log with their dinner she sat next to her bard.

"Come on, sleepy-head, time for food." Xena lightly shook her bard and was pleased to see Gabrielle smiling at her.

Gabrielle felt familiar hands shaking her, and the most wonderful voice in the world talking to her; and she sat up, blinking.

"Smells good, you actually cooked." The bard sat up, rubbing sleep out of her eyes, looking around in wonderment. "Wow, I must have been out."

Xena smiled. "Yup, you've been tired and today wasn't easy."

"That's an understatement!" Gabrielle took the plate of food and began to eat with an appetite that Xena was glad to see return. "Gods, I can't believe we went through that today!"

Xena frowned, "Any regrets about us?" she whispered.

"Not a chance!" Gabrielle lightly hit the warrior on the arm and leaned against the taller woman. "Now that I've got you I'm not going to let you go." the bard promised. "I'm just glad I overheard you before I left. Thank the gods for Lila."

Xena grinned in agreement. "I think that stubborn streak of yours runs in the family."

"Hey! What stubborn streak?" the bard protested playfully. Her eyes beginning to droop a little. "Whoa, did you put something in the food?"

Xena laughed and took the plate from Gabrielle's hands. "No, little one. It's just all catching up with you and me."

Gabrielle looked up and saw the weariness on her warrior's face. "You too?"

"Yup, neither of us have slept decently for weeks. We've been driving ourselves crazy with our feelings and hiding them that we've been a bundle of nerves. Then the scene with your family wasn't exactly relaxing."

"You're right." Gabrielle agreed, her head beginning to drop forward and she snapped it back up with determination. "This isn't how I wanted the night to be like," she complained.

Xena knelt down and placed a finger over the bard's lips. "Quiet, little one. Get ready for bed. We've got the rest of our lives and I don't want to rush this." Xena held out her hand and the bard was stunned to see it shaking.

"Xena?"

"I'm nervous, I'm so scared of loving you and I'm too tired to think right. I want to hold you tonight and convince myself that it's real. Am I making any sense?"

Gabrielle reached out and held the hand to her lips, kissing each fingertip and then the palm. "Yes, my love. Perfect sense. I want it to be special too."

"Let's sleep, little one."

For the first time in months they both slept soundly, Gabrielle laying curled against Xena, their fingers intertwined, Xena's arm over her bard, both dreaming of the coming day and their future together.

Gabrielle was very surprised when she opened her eyes and found the sun was all ready up. She was almost in shock when she realized that Xena was behind her and still asleep. This was such a rarity that the bard lay there, fingers intertwined with the warrior's, enjoying the moment, relishing the feel of Xena nuzzled at her neck.

They had been spending many more nights under the same blanket since fall had began but Gabrielle had never felt this connection before. After months of agonizing over her feelings for the warrior Gabrielle now felt peaceful, nervous, calm and excited. She wanted nothing more than to turn over and begin loving her warrior, but she wanted both of them awake and coherent when it happened. With a twinge of fear, the bard realized she wanted to really be sure that's this is what Xena wanted between them.

Careful not to make too much noise or movement, the bard got up and grabbed a towel from their travel packs. Xena had mentioned a stream nearby and Gabrielle wanted some time to herself before the warrior woke up.

With a grin, she left the other towel over a tree branch, grabbed clean clothes and her staff, and headed for the water.

The water was cold but refreshing and Gabrielle felt like months of tension was falling from her body as she streaked through the water in the pools and currents. Feeling like a river otter without her clothes on in the water, the bard delighted in the sensation of the water and the sun beating down on her skin. It promised to be a warm day for fall and she was grateful. With a smile she crawled up onto a rock on the opposite shore and stretched out along the rock, letting the sun begin to warm her body.

Xena was surprised to find her arms empty when she woke in the morning. She frowned, Gabrielle almost never beat her up, preferring to sleep as long as possible. Xena looked around and realized that the sun had been up for over a candle-mark.

"Wow, I must have been tired." she mumbled and then smiled. "And content."

Xena noticed a towel hanging on a tree branch near her and grinned. Taking the hint she left her armor off, content to just carry her chakram with her down to the river. When she spotted Gabrielle the warrior thought her heart had stopped.

Gabrielle reflected on her mother's question: Was Xena her soulmate? The bard certainly thought so, and probably had since the first time she saw the warrior. Gabrielle hadn't known the total depth of what feelings she would come to have for the former warlord, but she had been drawn to Xena since the beginning. It felt like she was waiting her whole life to meet the warrior.

Why had she resisted all her parents' attempts at marriage? Every girl in the village was usually married by fifteen, except Gabrielle. She remembered the long fights her mother and father had over it; he insisting she find a suitable mate and her mother holding him off. Gabrielle had always been puzzled over that. It wasn't often that her mother stood up to Hedoctus but when it came to Gabrielle's dreams of something beyond Poteidaia, Hecuba had always been encouraging.

When Xena had saved Gabrielle and the other village girls from the slavers, the bard had seen fear in her mother's eyes and hatred in her father's. Her mother had always puzzled her, she reflected. She had been grateful to Xena for saving Gabrielle's life but had also been very thankful when the warrior had moved on.

Gabrielle's parents hadn't counted on the bard following on her own accord.

It was almost like Hecuba had been waiting for someone to sweep her daughter away, and had feared that was Xena. Now, Gabrielle grinned to herself, it had been.

The bard was breath-taking. Xena couldn't find the words. Gabrielle had already been in the water and was now on a smooth rock, leaning back on her elbows, letting the sun dry her beautiful skin. Xena hadn't seen the bard look so relaxed in forever. Xena felt her heart pounding as Gabrielle lay back on the rock, her naked skin shining in the sun. Xena grinned and stripped out of her nightshirt and left the towel and shift on the bank as she slowly entered the water, trying not to make any extra noise. She almost yelped at the cold water though but gritted her teeth.

She ducked under the water and easily swam the short distance across the current and, with absolute silence, slid out of the water and up onto the rock where Gabrielle was sunning herself. With the grace of a stalking tiger, the warrior moved slowly and carefully up close to her bard and then, with an evil grin, shook her head quickly, sending cold water flying all over the bard.

"Xena!" Gabrielle shrieked, sitting upright in a flash only to be captured by the warrior's waiting arms. A muffled protest was cut short by Xena's lips and hands traveling over the bard's back. The bard let the warrior lower her back to the rock slowly, keeping a firm hold around Xena and refusing to break contact with the woman's lips. Again the kiss was passionate with tongues exploring, tasting, and reveling in the different textures and feelings the kiss was invoking. Gabrielle's hands, no longer restricted by Xena's leathers, moved along the taller woman's ribs, feeling the soft skin covering the firm muscles underneath. Xena's head moved down, kissing every inch of skin between the bard's lips to her nipples and back again. By the time Xena's lips seized one of the nipples, Gabrielle was gasping for air and running her hands through her warrior's black hair.

"Oh gods, Xena."

Xena continued her exploration of Gabrielle's body with her tongue by kissing and licking away the remaining water off the bard's skin, sending shivers of delight over the young woman's body, her hands replacing her lips on the bard's nipples. Gabrielle was squirming and gasping, her hands in the warrior's dark hair, unconsciously encouraging Xena's head lower. Xena smiled and eagerly slid down the length of Gabrielle.

Xena looked up as Gabrielle moaned, green eyes meeting blue. The warrior had never seen such unmasked desire on anyone's face like this before and she moaned with the intensity of Gabrielle's eyes.

"Xena, please... I've waited so long!" Gabrielle pleaded, raising her legs, her hips bucking, begging the warrior with her body as well as her voice. Xena moaned again and gently parted the bard's lower lips, lovingly exploring her lover, causing Gabrielle to growl and toss her head back. "Xena! Now, please!"

Xena groaned at how wet the bard was and knew this wetness wasn't from the water. With ease she slipped two fingers into her lover and began her explorations of the bard's sexual lips with her tongue. Within moments Gabrielle was rocking, matching the rhythm of Xena's fingers, which were entering slowly and backing out, teasing the small woman into a frenzy. The dark haired woman's tongue reached out and began a slow teasing of the bard's clit, bringing forth cries of passion from the small woman. Xena felt her own body responding to her lover's building orgasm. Her attention to Gabrielle's body increased in speed and roughness. Xena was rewarded with hearing the bard screaming the warrior's name again and again as Gabrielle's muscles began contracting, waves of her orgasm overcoming her, again and again.

When she could breath again, Gabrielle found herself in Xena's arms, being cradled and rocked.

"Hey, you okay?" Xena was asking. In response Gabrielle hugged her lover fiercely.

"Gods, I never thought it could be like that!" she whispered.

Xena felt herself blushing and held her love tight. "I love you."

"By the gods, I love you more than life itself, woman!" Gabrielle grabbed the back of Xena's head and pulled her down for a rough kiss, moaning at the softness of the lips and the taste of her own passion on those lips.

Xena looked down at her lover, her fingers lightly tracing Gabrielle's lips. "You scared me for a moment."

"Hmmm," the bard muttered and began nuzzling Xena's neck, causing the warrior to shiver. "You literally took my breath away, my love."

"I'll take that as a compliment." Xena grinned.

"You have no idea! Let me show you."

Xena found herself on her back on Gabrielle's towel with the bard attacking her neck with renewed energy and the warrior found that it was her that was breathless, gasping with the dancing energy shooting through her body. Gabrielle moaned in Xena's neck as her hand found one of the warrior's nipples. She moved from the neck to Xena's lips with a rough kiss that again took the warrior's breath away and then moved back to her neck.

"Remember the bacchae cave?" Gabrielle whispered as her hand began to dance lightly across the warrior's ribs and around her breasts. Xena felt her body arching under the bard's hands, her body being played like a fine instrument. The warrior wasn't sure if she was in any kind of control over her body any longer and was surprised to find that she didn't care right at that moment.

"Yes!" she hissed.

"You have no idea how many nights I've dreamed of biting you again." Gabrielle's voice was low and husky and brought forth a moan from her warrior.

"Yes!" Xena's hands found the bard's hair and then her shoulders, grabbing on almost painfully, as if needing something to center on. Gabrielle smiled and continued the downward trek of her fingers, playing in the dark triangle of Xena's hair, causing the warrior to growl with need.

"Gabrielle, please!"

"Begging, my warrior?" Gabrielle whispered and then bit down a little harder. Any reply Xena might have had was lost in her cry as her body began to shake. The younger woman sensed that her lover needed her and quickly. She knew there would be time later for the soft and gentle loving that she suspected the warrior was capable of but for right now they needed each other, almost with a sense of desperation. Having denied themselves for so long had taken a toll and their bodies demanded satisfaction and their souls demanded connection on all levels.

Xena felt herself giving over all control to the fierce little bard in her arms. Never had she given up so much to a lover. The warrior had always struggled to stay in control, never leaving herself open, especially her heart and now she found she was lost. She couldn't control her body and its dance of delight under the bard's roaming fingers and talented bite. She couldn't control her emotions any longer, Gabrielle had totally possessed her heart and soul and now was claiming her body. Her body had never responded like this, not with anyone, not even Ares, with all his godly charm.

Gabrielle was amazed, as the warrior's body responded to her every touch, and then felt a shock pass through her own body as it responded to Xena's moan. Gabrielle whimpered with the intense feeling racking her body, matching her warrior's rhythm.

The bard had never felt anything like it before, not even on her wedding night with Perdicus. Gabrielle also knew she would never feel like this with anyone else, again. She willingly gave her heart, soul and body to the tall woman writhing beneath her hands and teeth.

Gabrielle thought she was going to go over her own edge, as she entered the warrior with her fingers. The feeling was so incredible that the bard lost all coherent thought. She whimpered as the warrior's body responded, muscles contracting to try and capture the bard's fingers and expanding, demanding more. Again the warrior cried out at the new sensation, as Gabrielle's thumb found her sensitive spot and began stroking the warrior's clit.

Xena's hands grabbed the blonde's shoulders, her fingernails beginning to dig into the soft skin, and Gabrielle moaned in response, her own passion lost with the warrior's.

Xena wasn't sure which sensation was causing her body to rock and her soul to soar higher, the fingers dancing inside her, the thumb over her swollen clit or the teeth that seemed to have a talent of finding the most erotic spot on the warrior's neck.

Xena's hands grabbed the blonde's shoulders, her fingernails beginning to dig into the soft skin, and Gabrielle moaned in response, her own passion lost with the warrior's. Gabrielle could feel the connection, her soul to Xena's - body to body. Sensations she was pulling from the warrior, causing her own body to tremble.

The bard sensed the build up of energy in Xena as well, as within herself and glanced up to see the warrior's body arching, every muscle standing out as sweat covered both their bodies. Gabrielle could feel the edge for both of them, she felt Xena's body shaking uncontrollably and saw a tear escape from the warrior's closed eyes and heard a small whimper.

Xena found herself approaching a point of no return and realized something that startled her, she was afraid to step over that point. She had never gotten this far with anyone, her need to be totally in control at all times having stopped her before this point. She whimpered with all the feelings running through her body and soul.

Gabrielle looked up from her nibbling and saw a tear escape the warrior's closed eyes and felt Xena's muscles tightening around her fingers and the warrior's nails almost breaking the skin on her shoulders. The bard felt the shaking body and understood.

"I love you, Xena. Let go." she whispered and bit down again.

Xena screamed a primal scream and then the bard's name. Wave after wave overcame the tall woman.

This time it was the warrior being soothed, held safely in her bard's arms. She reached out and held close to Gabrielle, tears flowing softly.

"It's all right, Xena. I'm here. I'm never letting you go." Gabrielle quickly drew the warrior into her arms, softly holding the gasping and sobbing woman, stroking the dark hair. The bard kept repeating this over and over again, until she felt Xena responding.

"Sorry, don't know where that came from." Xena tried to sit up but the bard caught her lips again.

"Don't apologize, damnit. All I know is that something incredible happened between us. I love you."

Xena smiled and reached up to caress her lover's cheek. "I love you, marry me."

Gabrielle grinned. "I thought I already said 'yes'."

"Amazon wedding?"

Xena grinned at the surprise and hopeful look on the Amazon Queen's face and sat up to face her lover.

"You mean it? A bonding ritual?"

"I'm already your champion, let me be your mate." Xena leaned forward and kissed the blond again.

"Yes, yes, a thousand times, yes!" Gabrielle threw herself into the warrior's arms, both of them laughing and kissing.

It was only minutes before Gabrielle found out that Xena could, indeed, be a gentle lover as well as a tiger.


	2. 02 Discovery

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo - etc etc etc. I am only borrowing them for my own entertainment, and hopefully, yours. This story is written for entertainment only and no copyright infringement is intended. Warning to anyone wanting to sue: don't bother, it wouldn't be worth it.

**Alt Fiction/Sex:** Yup, and it's between two consenting adults of the same gender. If this is illegal in your state or country, change your laws or move. If this type of story bugs you, leave now, I can only say I hope the sex scene is intense.

**Violence/Language:** Hmmmm, this does have some hurt and comfort aspects of the main characters. Also, one bad word. Rated R

**Storyline:** This story answers a question put forth in the story "A Visit Home, An Awakening." I hope the story stands alone on its own but you might want to read A Visit Home first. I hadn't intended on starting a series of stories but, there it is. It happened and I hope you like 'em.

Gabrielle learns some truths about her past and some surprises.

**Feedback:** Yes, please! beg beg Don't worry, I don't bite. Wait, that's not right, I do bite. Okay, I promise not to bite hard.

* * *

**Discovery**

Gabrielle stood up from the small table in the room and began pacing again, parchment and pen discarded on the table. She knew it was going to be another sleepless night and it wasn't the first one of the week either.

Once again she cursed the bandits who were causing all the trouble for her and her mate, her beloved Xena. The bandits had attempted to take over two villages and Xena had spent her time running back and forth between the villages, building defenses, training the villagers and tracking the bandits for over a week now.

Gabrielle had barely seen Xena in all that time and never overnight. The bard was beginning to get a little more than irritable from worry and lack of sleep. She also felt helpless and that made her even more irritable than usual. No matter how often it happened she just couldn't get used to being left behind when Xena left for battle.

The bard looked out the window at the stars, lost in thought. It wasn't that she wanted to fight, the bard knew herself well enough to know that she couldn't kill. It was just being left behind by Xena that was bugging her.

The reddish blond woman smiled to herself. How many times had she and Xena fought over this very issue? How many times had she disobeyed the warrior? Then she smiled ruefully to herself, how many times had she gotten into trouble because of it?

She had reluctantly agreed to stay out of the way this time. The bandits were hitting in several places at once and no one knew where they were going to strike next. Xena hadn't wanted to worry about her and everyone else at the same time. Adding to the danger was that these bandits were slavers, a chill ran down any woman's spine at the thought of being captured by this lot.

The bard practically flew across the room at the soft knock on the door. She cautiously opened the door, hand on her staff and looked into the hallway.

The dark haired warrior had knocked softly on the door and was pleased that it opened almost immediately. It was late and she was afraid the occupant would be asleep and she didn't want to go pounding doors down looking for the small figure that opened this door.

She smiled and pulled back the hood of the cloak she was wearing to let the woman see her face.

"Xena!" Gabrielle exclaimed and dragged the warrior through the door. The bard quickly removed the wet cloak from her tall mate and gasped. "Oh gods," she muttered. Gabrielle had seen her mate after battle before but it was always a shock when Xena came in from the field. The bard's eyes quickly took in the torn leathers, dented metal, and slashed bracer. She gasped at the vicious looking slash across the warrior's thigh that was bandaged with what looked like a two day old bandage. Blood was still trickling from a wound on the warrior's sword arm and her left eye was swollen and beginning to turn black and blue.

"Come on, love" Gabrielle coaxed the warrior into a chair and began removing the dented and cut leather armor. After the smaller woman removed the upper armor, Xena leaned back in the chair.

"Missed you," she said softly, closing her eyes.

"I missed you too, my love," Gabrielle responded, kneeling down before the warrior and began to tug at the knee protectors and laces of the warrior's boots. With a little more encouragement she got the warrior to stand and was able to remove everything but the leather shift from the tall woman. Xena barely opened her eyes as she let the bard lead her to the bathing room.

Gabrielle quickly barred the door and pulled the leather off her warrior and gently guided the battered body into the tub. The bard was frowning as Xena sighed with pleasure at the warm water. Gabrielle made a mental note to find and thank whoever had the foresight to fill the tub when they saw the warrior come in. Xena's head dropped forward almost immediately as Gabrielle grabbed a sponge and began rubbing the tired body in front of her.

"Can't let you stay in too long, my love," Gabrielle said softly.

"Don't want to open those wounds any more than they are."

"Hmmm," Xena mumbled.

Gabrielle frowned. It wasn't like Xena to relax this much anywhere except maybe in a barred room in the arms of her bard. Gabrielle couldn't say that she had ever gotten used to Xena's heightened sense of alertness, brought about by years of being a warrior and a target, but she knew it was in the warrior's nature now and for Xena to drop off like this was unusual and worried the bard.

A knock interrupted her and she carefully unbarred the door to find the Captain of the Guards standing there, helmet in hand, looking about as grime covered as Xena had been.

"I wanted to make sure she made it here. It's over, the bandits have cleared out and both villages are safe. She rode very hard to get here," he told the bard.

"Thank the gods, can you send for the healer, she has a bad cut on her leg," Gabrielle asked.

"Of course, I'll get her personally. Both villages owe you both a great debt," Misenus replied with a smile.

Gabrielle waved off his thanks. "Don't worry about it, it's what we do."

With an answering grin he was gone and the bard turned back to getting a nearly unconscious Xena out of the tub and dried off. With another curse about bandits she got the warrior back to their room and into bed.

Within a candlemark the warrior had her leg stitched up and both arm and leg bandaged and was sleeping sounding in the bed. Gabrielle was worried though; Xena hadn't even awakened when the healer began stitching the leg. Both Gabrielle and the healer looked at each other and the healer moved up the bed and felt the warrior's forehead. The bard was instantly by her side when the young woman swore under her breath.

"What's wrong?" the bard demanded.

"Fever. It may just be from exhaustion. Get her to take some of this herb with her tea and get some food and other liquids in her. Rest is the best thing right now," the healer ordered.

"Then she'll get rest." Gabrielle promised and the healer recognized the stubborn set of the bard's jaw. The healer knew the fierce reputation of the former Conqueror of Nations but she had a feeling that this smaller woman in front of her was just as stubborn as the warrior.

"Good. No roughness, no fighting, no traveling. Her body needs rest."

Gabrielle thanked the healer and was surprised when the woman refused payment. "The village Guard Captain said the village would pay for all your keep and Xena's care."

Once the healer left, the bard felt overwhelmingly tired. It had been a long week for both the warrior and bard. She pulled off her clothing and changed into her night shift. With a sigh the bard crawled into the bed next to her warrior and wrapped her arms around the taller woman. For once Xena slept soundly in the bard's arms instead of the other way around.

Xena woke up and groaned. Her body hurt everywhere all at once. With experience of a hundred battles she assessed her condition, feeling the bandages on her leg and arm and bruises everywhere. She took in her surroundings and was glad to find herself in a solid room with a solid bed. The warrior sighed; she began remembering making it back to the village and to Gabrielle.

Another moan escaped her lips as she attempted to sit up. Xena smiled a painful smile when the bard entered the room with a tray in her hands.

"You shouldn't be sitting up!" Gabrielle scolded.

"Why not? I'm not out of bed. I have a feeling you're not going to let me out."

The bard smiled and placed the tray over Xena's lap and then sat down on the bed beside the warrior. She frowned and felt the tall woman's forehead.

"Still a little warm, you are definitely not getting out of bed today," the bard announced and Xena grinned.

"Does that mean you'll be joining me?" she invited and Gabrielle laughed as she suddenly darted out of reach of the warrior.

"None of that, my Princess. The healer said you were to rest and rest you shall have," Gabrielle giggled at the frustrated look on her mate's face.

"At least kiss me," the warrior complained and the bard quickly agreed by removing the tray and lavishing kisses all over the warrior's face, neck and almost to the warrior's breasts. Xena's breath became rapid and shallow.

"Keep that up and you won't get out of this bed either," she growled and the bard danced out of her reach again. "Gabrielle," the warrior threatened.

With a slight shake of her head, the bard moved further away and stood by the bed, trying to catch her breath.

"Nope, rest you will have." The small woman couldn't resist an evil grin at her mate. Then the bard sat down on the bed again, replacing the tray of food, encouraging the warrior to eat.

"Seriously, how bad was it?" she asked and her quick green eyes didn't miss the look of pain that passed over her lover's blue eyes. Xena's smile disappeared and she looked tired again.

"We lost a lot of good men. They just wouldn't give in and it turned brutal at the end."

"Brutal?" Gabrielle whispered.

"You don't want to hear this," Xena protested.

Gabrielle felt a wave of love for her mate; Xena was always trying to protect her. She placed her hand over her warrior's.

"Yes, I do. You're wounded, exhausted and probably came very close to being killed several times. I want to hear that it worked out."

"It did, but not before they hanged several of our men that they had taken prisoner. They hanged them right in front of us."

"Oh gods," the bard whispered. Gabrielle was sorry on several levels, she realized. The young bard closed her eyes as she pictured the scene and felt the overwhelming sorrow that the villagers must have felt. She was also angry, it was all so damned senseless! For the men who died, for their families who watched and for Xena who had to lead those men. Gabrielle feared what that might have done to her battle scarred warrior's darker side.

"Yes. We finally broke them. The remaining leaders will probably face those same ropes when the villagers have tried them."

"You didn't..."

Xena smiled at the unasked question. "No, I didn't give into the darkness, even when that happened."

"I love you, Xena."

"I love you, my bard," Xena suddenly looked frustrated. "For crying aloud - hand me my pack from last night. There was a reason I was riding like demons were after me and I fell asleep instead!"

"You were feverish, exhausted and in pain," Gabrielle countered as she handed the warrior the pack with a puzzled look on her face. She started to ask questions but Xena held up a hand for silence while she rummaged through the pack. With a worried look she pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to Gabrielle.

The bard turned over the folded paper several times, it had been sealed with wax but bore no impression in the wax and no writing on the outside.

"A messenger came yesterday with that from your family. I figured I could move faster than he could after the battle."

"My family?" the bard whispered. A look of concern overcame the bard's lovely features and she unconscious pushed a lock of hair out of her eyes. Green eyes sought out the blue ones of the warrior.

"You won't know until you open it, little one," Xena encouraged, feeling the same dread grip her own heart. Families like Gabrielle's didn't hire messengers for simple letters to relatives. It had to be important.

With a sigh the bard broke the wax seal and unfolded the parchment.

The little bard read the writing twice, blinking rapidly. It wouldn't sink in. What?

"No!" she was trying to think. Father?

With a cry she threw the parchment down and went to the window, looking out at the rain. Xena carefully removed her breakfast tray and picked up the parchment.

Dearest Gabrielle, Patronius, the healer is writing this for me. I hope this finds you well. I must tell you that your father suffered an accident two days after the Spring Full Moon and is gone. I do not know if this will reach you in time for the funeral but it would be good of you both to come home for a few days. I love you and you are both welcome. Lovingly, Hecuba.

"Oh gods, Gabrielle, I'm sorry," the warrior, ignoring the advice of the healer, was out of the bed in an instant and took the bard into her strong arms, letting Gabrielle finally break down and cry.

The words finally sank in as she felt Xena's arms grab her and turn her around. She slid into her warrior's arms as the tears began to fall. With the last bit of confusion and strength she let Xena lead her to the bed and let herself be enveloped into the warrior's strength. She finally let go as she realized the impact of the words her mother had written.

Her father was dead.

After awhile the tears had slowed down and Xena began to make out words.

"Xena, I was so angry when we left! He thought I didn't love him!" Gabrielle wailed.

"No, little one," Xena stroked the lovely, reddish blond hair and held her little bard tight against her body. "We talked before we left, he loved you very much."

Gabrielle was confused. When they had left Gabrielle's home her father had been in a rage.

"You talked? After all that shouting and ordering you out? You remember his face when he found out I loved you!"

Xena smiled, she did remember his face. She also had a pretty good idea what her own face had been like when he had ordered her gone, Gabrielle to stay and challenged the warrior. Fortunately, Gabrielle had stepped between them and calmed everyone down. Xena was now grateful she hadn't thrown him through a window like she had wanted. Gabrielle wasn't sure if her father ever realized how close he had come to being thrown through the closed barn door that day. Or killed.

Herdoctus had come to her later and apologized for his behavior and for the way he had treated Gabrielle and Lila growing up. He was willing to try and change. Xena cursed his stubbornness now, he hadn't wanted to approach Gabrielle and tell her that just yet. Now it was too late to say it himself.

Xena told this and everything else to her bard as she held the younger woman. The warrior tried to comfort as best she could, she knew Gabrielle both loved and sometimes hated her father. Herdoctus had been quick to use his fists too many times on his daughters for Xena's taste and the thought of anyone hitting Gabrielle could bring the warlord back to the surface instantly, but she had tried to be understanding for Gabrielle.

Gabrielle listened, stunned. Her father apologized for his behavior?

Xena went on to tell her that he admitted he hadn't been a good father sometimes and regretted it. The warrior also blushed when she told her mate how Herdoctus had questioned Xena about her love for Gabrielle and how he made the warrior promise to make his daughter happy.

"Why didn't he tell me?" Gabrielle whispered, tears beginning again.

"He was too stubborn. He thought it was too soon after the fight and he promised to tell you the next time we visited," Xena again held the bard as she began crying again.

Finally, Gabrielle felt like the tears had stopped, at least for awhile. "I need to see my mother," she whispered.

"Of course, we'll leave immediately."

Gabrielle frowned and sat up on the bed, looking at her mate. With careful eyes she noted the haggard look of her mate, the thinness, the bruising and the flushed feverish look. "What are we going to do, you can't travel with those wounds and fever."

"I'm not staying here!" Xena protested right back. "There's still bandits out there."

"You can't go right away either!"

Xena began muttering. Then she threw her drinking cup across the room with a scowl. She knew Gabrielle was right, her leg was in incredible pain just from crossing the room to the bard and she felt as weak as a newborn.

"Feel better?" the bard asked with a smile. Xena scowled as Gabrielle began packing her things. "I'll take a horse and you can follow in a couple of days. It's a short ride and it's in the opposite direction of the fighting."

"I am not amused!" Xena growled.

Gabrielle felt her heart grow heavy with the thought of leaving Xena, of being separated again so soon and crossed over to the bed. She reached out and gently stroked Xena's cheek and Xena nuzzled the hand.

"I know, but I need to get to my mother and Lila. I also have to stop in the next village and see my uncle. My mother left a parchment for me to read if something happened to either her or my father."

"Parchment? What about?"

"I don't know, she said it would answer some questions I had growing up and why my father sensed something different about me," Gabrielle moved back to packing.

"Why didn't you tell me?" Xena questioned, her own curiosity awakened.

"I didn't want to think about it. You know how curious I can get, I figured if I forgot about it I might be able to resist wanting to know what it was. That and I didn't want to think about reading it soon," Gabrielle turned and fought back another round of tears. To read that parchment meant that her father or mother was dead.

It was too soon!

"For once I need to leave you behind, my love," the bard said.

The irony was not lost on the warrior, it was usually Xena who left Gabrielle behind at some inn for up to a couple of weeks at a time to settle some war or bandit problem, especially when she needed to move fast. Gabrielle's reluctance to ride a horse often meant her staying behind. The bard continued packing.

"You hate to ride," Xena mumbled.

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed simply.

"You'll be careful?" Xena's voice suddenly sounded small and the bard turned from her bags and threw herself into her warrior's arms, both crying.

# # #

Gabrielle did hate traveling by horse. She hadn't grown up around horses and they made her nervous. After several disasters with Argo, Xena had finally been able to teach the young bard how to care for Argo but Gabrielle still hadn't gotten used to riding. Now, as she approached her uncle's home she was feeling it all through her body. Fortunately the stable owner had given her a very gentle mare and Gabrielle had been grateful during the day's ride. Now, she just wanted off the horse and a warm bed for the night.

The bard frowned as she stopped the horse outside the door of the house. It was getting close to dark and there weren't any lamps lit inside and no smoke coming from the fireplace. Gabrielle dismounted cautiously, staff in hand and ready for any potential trouble. No one answered her knocks and she entered slowly.

After a quick scan through the house she realized that no one was home and hadn't been all day. She lit a lamp and went back to the horse and retrieved a piece of blank parchment along with her pen and ink.

She had decided to leave a quick note to her aunt and uncle and continue onto the next village for the night. She didn't want to impose on her uncle's home without permission.

# # #

Xena reluctantly stayed in bed for two days, having promised Gabrielle just that. That didn't mean she was happy about it and on the third day she was ready to travel before the sun came up. Argo, picking up on her master's energy, stomped her hoof, ready to be going as well.

Misenus met her at the stable door as she mounted Argo.

"Thank you, Xena. Any time you need anything you just have to ask. I'll always be in your debt."

"Call it even for the healer, Misenus," she smiled and grabbed his arm in a warrior's handshake.

The young man shook his head with a grin. "Can't call it even yet, warrior. My little sister was one of the women you saved from those bandit slavers when you snuck into their camp by yourself and freed them. Don't think that I don't know what risk you took for that one."

"We'll call it even if you don't tell Gabrielle exactly how many times I risked my neck," she grinned back.

"Nah, but I agree. Farewell, Xena."

# # #

Movement caught Gabrielle's eye as she walked out the door and she instinctively flung her staff up over her head in time to catch a sword blow. She felt the broken staff catch her cheek and blood beginning to flow. She ducked back through the door but it crashed inward before she could bolt it. She felt the table against her back and grabbed for the lamp as her attacker was framed in the doorway. With a growl she launched the lamp at him and was satisfied but horrified at the same time when the fire caught his clothing. The man screamed and fell back out of the doorway. Gabrielle ran to the door to see him rolling on the ground, attempting to put the flames out.

"Damn you, Gabrielle!" he cried out, batting at the flames.

Gabrielle stood stunned, looking at the man. A memory flashed to the surface, her wedding.

"Mens?" Perdicus's brother? "What?"

"You're dead, bitch," he muttered as the last of the flames went out.

Gabrielle looked in his eyes and saw the light of madness in them. She quickly flashed on several decisions and tore at the necklace around her neck, letting it drop beside the broken staff at her feet. Then she bounded onto the horse, sending the poor mare flying down the road.

"Gabrielle!" Menestratus screamed after her.

Gabrielle suddenly wished she were on Argo.

# # #

Xena made good time and was pleased to be entering Poteidaia by the next evening. She had taken it easy on Argo and the horse had kept up a good steady pace. She directed the horse directly to the house where, just four months before, she had discovered the exact nature of Gabrielle's feelings for the warrior and had wanted to toss Herdoctus out the window. Fortunately because of the family confrontation, both the bard and warrior had been forced to admit to each other the depth of their feelings and had bonded immediately as mates.

Lila greeted her knock at the door and surprised the warrior by hugging her tightly. "Whoa, little one. What's wrong?"

"We were worried, the messenger said that he had reached you and when you didn't get here a couple of days ago we began to get worried," the teenager said, pulling the warrior into the living area of the house where Hecuba rose from her chair and hugged the warrior as well.

"Didn't Gabrielle tell you I was following behind?" Xena asked.

"Isn't she with you?" Hecuba whispered.

"What? She left me two days ago," Xena said as Lila grabbed her and pulled her over to a chair, noticing the stunned look on the warrior's face and the heavy limp.

"She's not here and we've had no word," Hecuba said softly, looking to the warrior for answers.

"She said she was going to stop and see her uncle and then come here for the funeral," Xena told the two women. She stood up quickly and winced at the pain in the leg. "Where does your brother live?"

"Two villages over to the east. His name is Harpalion and he's the baker. Hurry, please."

"Don't worry, I'll find her," Xena promised, heading out the door.

Lila followed her out. "Let me come with you," she pleaded.

"No, your mother needs you here and I'll travel faster alone," Xena quickly mounted her horse and leaned down and touched Lila's hair. "I'll find her," she promised again and urged Argo off at a gallop.

# # #

Gabrielle entered the village slowly, leaning over the poor mare. Both looked and felt exhausted. She had taken the road leading to Poteidaia and then backtracked, as she had learned from Xena, hoping to throw Mens off from her trail. So far, she hadn't heard him following behind her for a couple of hours. The bard wasn't going to count on that though, Perdicus' brother was a soldier and hunter. She was sure he could pick up her trail, if not in the dark then at first light.

She had kept riding, having to slow down for the poor horse. The bard spotted the welcome lights of an inn and hitched her horse to a post outside.

Gabrielle entered the tavern carefully, just as Xena had taught her, she thought. She felt a familiar longing in her heart and soul, a longing and fear. She really wished Xena was with her. Even when under attack she was rarely afraid with Xena around, now she was being chased by someone who said they wanted her dead and she was unarmed and without her mate.

Seeing only local farmers and such the bard moved slowly to the bar and smiled a tired smile at the barkeep, a middle aged man getting around on a pair of crutches.

"Can I help you?" he asked. "I have excellent rooms and my cook is wonderful."

"No, thank you. I need to trade my horse, she's done in and I'm in a hurry. It's very important."

"I'm sorry, young lady, but I don't think so," he frowned.

"The stablemaster?"

"I own the stable too," he seemed to be looking Gabrielle over and frowned again. "You need a bed, food and rest, not another horse," he commented.

"You're right but I don't have the time nor the option, thank you. Listen, do you trust the word of Xena?"

"Yes, totally."

Gabrielle was pleased and surprised, Xena's name could bring a lot of reactions out of people and they weren't usually positive. She was pleased that she had taken the chance with this man. She was also determined to change those other opinions of Xena someday.

"I'm a friend and she should be a couple of days behind me. I swear before all the gods that she'll make up any difference in the value of any horse you want to trade me. Please."

The barkeep frowned and then nodded. He began moving down to the other end of the bar and around it. He stopped for a moment to talk with a very large woman serving drinks. Then he joined Gabrielle at the door.

"What demon is after you, girl?" he asked as he looked over her horse and began pulling the saddle and bags off.

"I need to get somewhere quickly."

"Listen, I'm not a fool. You've a cut on your cheek that hasn't been attended to. You've been riding hard for quite awhile, your clothes, hair and horse show it. You're on the run from something or someone."

Gabrielle fought back the tears that threatened to spill out of her eyes. "Someone wants to hurt me and I'm going somewhere safe."

"Until Xena can find you? Or is it Xena that you've pissed off?" he asked with a grin.

"What? No, nothing like that. She's my friend."

"I'm Timicus," he said, extending his hand.

Gabrielle let her instincts take over and smiled at the man, returning his handshake. "I'm Gabrielle," she responded.

"The bard that travels with Xena."

"Yes," Gabrielle was surprised when the large woman came around the building leading a large horse. Timicus smiled at the young woman's surprise.

"Xena's a friend of mine, too. You need to travel fast and this guy will do it."

Gabrielle swallowed. "Okay."

"You should stay, you'll be safe here. My word as Xena's friend that I'll protect you," he said seriously.

"Thank you, Timicus. I don't know if Mens is alone or not, I know he's a bandit and there might be others with him. Where I'm going it would take an army to reach me. I just have to get there in time."

"All right, I'll watch for Xena and you can trade horses when you come back this way. You'll also find a pack of food on the big guy."

"Timicus, I can't..."

The bar owner held up his hand, cutting off her protests. "Don't worry about it. You're always welcome here. Orithya, help her onto the horse."

Gabrielle blushed but accepted the larger woman's help up into the saddle. Timicus reached up to shake her hand again.

"He's a good horse and not stubborn. Just ride straight there and he'll fly."

"Thank you both."

Gabrielle let the horse have his lead and he began to fly and the young bard felt a ray of hope as she hung on for dear life.

# # #

"Where does Harpalion live?" Xena asked in the tavern later that night. She was dusty from the road and her voice was stern and short.

"I'm Harpalion, you must be Xena," a voice said next to her. The warrior turned and found a middle-aged man standing at the bar. She could see the family resemblance between him and his sister.

"Yes, is Gabrielle with you?"

"No, please come to my house, I think I might have something for you."

Once inside his simple but well kept house he sent his wife to bed and came back from their bedroom with Gabrielle's broken staff in his hands. Xena's heart sank as she took the pieces in her hands.

"What? How?"

"My wife and I were away to her family for a wedding. When we returned I found this note," he handed the warrior a parchment.

"Dearest Uncle Harpalion, sorry to come in while you were gone. Mother told me about the parchment you had for me if something ever happened to my father or mother. I don't know if you heard about my father's accident but he has died and I came to retrieve the parchment. I will come back and get it after the funeral, I am going home now. Love, Gabrielle."

"I found the staff just outside the doorway, that's what is puzzling me. The staff and this," he handed the warrior a necklace of beads, bones and feathers. He frowned. "That's Amazon, isn't it?"

"Yes, it is. She never made it to Poteidaia. Something's wrong and she's telling me she heading for safety with the Amazons."

"Find her please, warrior."

"My word on it, Harpalion," Xena pledged as she slipped the necklace over her neck.

"Here, take this with you, I know she'd trust you with it," he said, handing her a small pouch. "Inside are that parchment and a bottle of something that her mother left with me."

"Thank you," Xena frowned at the pain when she mounted Argo again. She looked down and saw the bandage on her thigh was bloody. She cursed under her breath and urged the horse down the road.

Xena was more than a little worried. It had to be something very serious for the Bard to be fleeing to the Amazon nation and to miss her father's funeral. Especially serious for the bard to put off finding out the answers to a mystery. Xena smiled to herself, Gabrielle seemed to be born with an innate curiosity that could drive Xena crazy upon occasion. Keeping secrets from Gabrielle was almost impossible, especially when she got her teeth into a mystery.

# # #

Gabrielle allowed the horse to slow down a bit as she approached Amazon territory, beginning to think that she might make it to safety. She stopped the horse to take a drink from a waterskin when a crossbow bolt shot past her head. With lightning speed she found herself holding another bolt in her hand, having caught it on instinct. She looked down the road and saw Menestratus reloading his crossbow. With a snarl she urged her stallion back into a run and headed across the meadow, heading for Amazon territory, clinging to the horse.

As her horse broke through a line of trees Gabrielle heard a challenging bird cry but didn't stop her horse until she was across a clearing and in another tree line. She fell off the horse and dashed behind a tree, raising her hands and clasping her wrists together in a sign that she was unarmed.

She heard Menestratus break into the clearing on his horse, looking for her.

"Stop there or die!" a harsh voice shouted out from the trees.

Gabrielle peeked around the tree and saw the man stop his horse, looking puzzled. With a snarl he began to move the horse forward again only to pull up suddenly when several arrows penetrated the ground in front of the horse.

"You are entering Amazon territory and you are not welcome. Leave or die," the voice ordered.

"Send the girl out! She's not one of you!" he demanded.

Gabrielle sensed movement and turned to see several Amazons drop from the surrounding trees, weapons at ready. They went to their knees immediately upon seeing her face.

The lead border guard spoke, "My Queen, do we kill him?"

"No," Gabrielle glanced back at Menestratus. "Tell him you have granted the bard sanctuary and to leave," she instructed.

The lead border guard shouted that at Menestratus who glared about him, obviously debating whether to risk it.

"Let me kill him, my Queen," one of the Amazons demanded.

"No, put an arrow over his head. Part his hair," Gabrielle smiled grimly.

The Amazon grinned and took careful aim. The Amazon Queen had no doubt in the archer's ability, even shooting at a target on a horse shifting on its legs. Menestratus cursed and turned his horse at a run when the arrow clipped his ear.

The border guard leader turned to her Queen, noting the exhaustion and the cut cheek. "My Queen, I'll send a runner ahead to announce your return. Menthia will ride behind you and escort you to the village. I'm going to double the guards on the border."

Gabrielle nodded as one of the guards bounded onto the horse and then helped the bard into the saddle. By the time they reached the village Gabrielle felt her head dropping forward and the Amazon behind her discreetly put her arms around the small bard, holding onto the reins and keeping her Queen from falling out of the saddle.

Gabrielle was barely aware of reaching the village, hearing anxious and demanding voices. Not really listening as the runner and her escort told the Regent Ephiny what they knew of Gabrielle's presence there. She was aware of being helped down off the horse and into someone's arms.

"Xena?" she whispered.

"No, my Queen. I wish she were here to explain this, though."

Gabrielle smiled at Ephiny's voice. "She's safe," she whispered and closed her eyes again.

# # #

In the next village Xena finally got some partial answers from an old friend.

"Xena?" the older man hobbled out from behind the tavern bar on crutches to shake the warrior's arm. "I don't believe it! How are you? What brings you here?"

"How are you Timicus?" she asked, letting herself be led to the bar.

"Better than you, I think," he commented, looking her up and down. Xena merely shrugged. "Orithya, bring my guest food and port!" he called to the barmaid.

"I don't have time, Tim."

"Yes, you do. When was the last time you ate?" he demanded, pulling a chair up to a table for her. "And when was the last time someone changed that bandage? "Orithya, the healing supplies too! And clean water!" he shouted.

"I really don't have time, I need information if you have it."

"Then you'll have it while I change that bandage and you eat," the barmaid completed the delivery of all the items her boss wanted with several trips and then helped Timicus in changing the bandages. He whistled when he saw the wound. With a shake of the head he poured healing herbs on it and followed that with salve. Xena hissed as he rebandaged the leg while Orithya bandaged the arm.

"That wound is not looking good, warlord."

"I'm not your warlord anymore, Tim. I'm not anyone's warlord," Xena said between bites.

"I know, thank the gods," Tim grinned. "I couldn't afford to lose another leg."

"Tim, I'm sorry about that..."

He held up a hand and laughed. "Enough! We've been through this. Losing that leg was the best thing to ever happen. Got me out of your army and soldiering and into this bar. I'm married, got four kids, money set aside, good employees and I'm happy. How about you? I hear you've changed."

"Yes. Tim, I don't have time, I promise I'll be back and we'll catch up."

"All right, finish eating and tell me between mouthfuls what brings you here," he sat back in his chair after whispering to his barmaid.

"Have you seen a bard traveling through, probably in a hurry. She's small, reddish blond hair, small but wiry build."

"Yes, named Gabrielle."

"Yes! You've seen her?"

"Yes, two days ago. She came in here and offered to trade her horse for a fresh one. I wasn't going to trade but she asked if I trusted your word. I told I trusted you with my life and she said you'd pay any difference between the animals and that you'd probably be following. I asked her what devil was after her. I mean, Xena, she was scared. Her hair was messed up and she was dusty from the road and she drank two goblets of water real quick like. She told me to tell you that someone is after her and she's heading for the Amazons. I made her grab some food and she was off immediately."

Xena was nearly frantic but Timicus held up his hand to stop her.

"Finish your food. It won't do her any good if you fall out of your saddle."

The barmaid came back with a pair of saddle bags and handed them to Xena. "Filled with travel food, my friend," Tim answered her questioning eyebrows.

"You were always a good man, Tim," Xena stood and winced at the pain and wiped her forehead with the back of her hand. Tim looked concerned and reached forward slowly to feel her forehead as well.

"You're burning up, my friend," he scolded.

"I've got to go, Tim."

"You need rest, you're friend is either safe or dead by now."

"She's not dead, I'd know that. I've got to get to her as soon as I can," Xena threw the saddlebags over her shoulder.

"Is it true then, warrior?" Tim smiled and Xena hesitated at the door.

"Is what true, friend?"

"That the mighty Conqueror was conquered?" he grinned and then laughed when Xena began blushing. "Go and come back this way, I want time to meet her."

With a sheepish grin the warrior was back on the road.

The closer Xena got to Amazon territory the better she felt about Gabrielle. She hadn't found the bard yet and hopefully that meant she had out rode whoever was after her and Xena was confident in the ability of the Amazon's to protect their Queen.

With her arm wounded the warrior wasn't as fast as normal and it cost her. Xena found herself coughing in the dust of the road, wincing in pain from the arrow sticking through her shoulder and from landing hard. With a growl she rolled off the road and drew her sword as she regained her feet. She was limping heavily and the pain was clouding her eyes. The warrior barely even caught a glimpse of the butt end of a crossbow before it hit her.

# # #

Gabrielle moaned as she opened her eyes, her body felt like it had been under the horse and not on top of it for the last two days. She rose up on her elbows, looking around and taking in the familiar sight of the Queen's hut. She sighed with relief, barely remembering making it to the Amazon territory.

Ephiny rose from the chair she had been sitting in and sat on the bed next to her Queen.

"I hope you don't mind me watching over you," the Regent smiled.

"Not at all, my friend." Gabrielle looked around again. "How long was I asleep?"

"Twelve hours," she grinned at the bard's shocked expression. "I figured from your condition and how tired that horse was that you've been riding hard for at least a day and night."

"That's my second horse," Gabrielle confessed with a smile. She groaned again as she tried to move. "This reminds me why I prefer walking," she complained.

Ephiny grinned and stood up, helping the bard to her feet. "Get dressed and we'll feed you. You can also tell me what's going on."

Gabrielle did explain from the point of leaving Xena behind in a village and getting attacked at her Uncle's home by her ex-brother in law. Ephiny looked as puzzled as Gabrielle felt.

They sat down in the eating hall with food. Gabrielle welcomed the sight of food, having eaten little for several days. She hadn't been eating well when Xena was gone and she had been on the move and then on the run for days after that. Ephiny frowned at the sight of her Queen, too tired and too thin, she decided.

"I don't get it," Ephiny complained. "Why would he want you dead?"

"I haven't a clue!" Gabrielle complained right back. "And I don't know what to do with him!"

"What can we do? If he's determined to kill you then he has to be killed," Ephiny said simply.

"No, you know how I feel about killing."

"Gabrielle, my Queen," Ephiny placed a hand over the bard's. "I know how you feel but it's sometimes not an option. Either we kill him or Xena does."

"Xena, any word from her?"

"Not yet. You said she'd be three days behind you, it'll take her some time to get here."

"Maybe I can talk to him and find out what is going on," Gabrielle suggested.

"No! I approached his camp last night while you were asleep and asked that very question," Ephiny said slowly.

"And?" Gabrielle demanded, her jaw taking that stubborn set. She felt really frustrated and irritable. Much like her warrior, the bard hated not being in control like this.

"He refused to say why he wanted you, only that we should send you out and soon. I told him that you were under our protection and he wasn't happy about it."

"What in Tartarus could he want?" Gabrielle snapped.

"I don't know. I've got scouts watching him. He's staying just outside of our territory, waiting for you."

"I need a bath," Gabrielle muttered.

"And something to hit too, I think." Ephiny grinned and ducked Gabrielle's playful swipe at her head.

"Gods, I wish Xena were here," the bard muttered.

Ephiny watched as her young Queen crossed the common grounds towards the Queen's Hut. "So do I, Gabrielle. I've got a feeling you two are even closer than ever and that you really need her right now."

Gabrielle, feeling the same, let her tears fall into the bath water. Crying for her father, her family, her lover, and herself.

She also cursed Menestratus, whatever his reasoning, he was keeping her away from her family, her father's funeral, and her mate.

# # #

"This is not my week," the warrior muttered to herself as consciousness began screaming at her. Once again, her trained mind took over and assessed herself and her surroundings. She muttered another curse. The warrior was blindfolded and that always presented extra problems when you didn't know where you were and you weren't ever sure when you were being watched.

Xena took several deep breaths and extended her senses. She felt manacles on her wrists attached to chains; arms outspread, holding her body weight up. She stood up to relieve the stress on her arms and wrists, especially the wounded shoulder which was feeling like a hot poker was being prodded into the wound right then. Bird and other animal noises reached her as well as the scent of forest. She hadn't been taken far then, she thought. No sunlight but it was still warm, not night-time yet, that meant she hadn't been unconscious long.

Personal assessment: head hurt like Tartarus, thanks. The leg was throbbing and felt swollen and that was not good. The wrists hurt, of course, but the major pain was the shoulder wound. Xena moved slightly and it felt like the arrow had been removed but the shoulder wasn't bandaged.

All in total, the former Warlord summed up: not good. Manacles would be extremely difficult to get out of, especially blindfolded. Not bandaging the warriors wounds probably meant her attacker didn't mean to keep her around. Kidnappers usually wanted their captives healthy until they got their money. She didn't think this one wanted ransom.

"I know you're there," Xena said simply. "What do you want?"

Further movement told the warrior that her armor had been removed and so had the dagger between her breasts. Damn!

"Your death," a male voice answered, in a simple conversational tone.

"Terrific, stand in line."

The male laughed and Xena felt him approach from in front of her. Then Xena's head was rocked back and she could taste blood in her mouth and felt it flowing from her nose from the punch she had just received. 'I hate being blindfolded,' she thought to herself again.

"I think I moved to the front when I caught you. Although your wounds probably helped slow you down." Xena did scream this time when she felt fingers jammed into her leg wound and quickly bit her lip.

"That's better," the voice approved of the sound.

"Who are you and what do you want?" Xena demanded. It was hard standing on one leg for any length of time but it hurt too much to put weight on the other leg. She didn't want to drop and let her wrists and arms take the weight of her body either, that would set the shoulder bleeding, not to mention the pain. This was not a good situation, she decided again.

"I told you what I want, your death."

"What for? Who are you?"

"I am Menestratus, brother of Perdicus."

"Why in all the hells of Tartarus would you be stalking Gabrielle, your sister-in-law?" the warrior demanded and was surprised when her head rocked back and forth from the force of the blow from Menestratus' fist connecting with her jaw. The warrior knew if she could see it would be only stars for the moment. She shook her head and moved her jaw around, testing its movement. She spit blood at where she had last heard his voice.

"She is no sister of mine!" he hissed, this time in her ear. She hadn't heard him move while she was still reeling from the blow. He was now behind her. Xena felt the familiar sensation of a blade at her throat. She hadn't been on the receiving end of that kind of threat often but she knew how a blade felt.

"Because of both of you my brother is dead."

"Gabrielle loved Perdicus."

"And now she loves you. The only good thing in my life is dead. She talked him into giving up his sword and your creation, Callisto, killed him. Gabrielle took something away from me and now I'm going to take something away from her," While ranting Menestratus left a small and shallow wound along the warrior's throat, just enough to sting and draw blood.

"This isn't going to bring Perdicus back and it won't help you. Listen to yourself, you've become just like Callisto, the one who murdered your brother in cold blood," Xena said calmly.

The warrior gritted her teeth as she took several punches to the small of her back. The blows managed to knock her leg out from under her and the full weight of her body was snapped up by her wrists, arms and shoulders. As lightning hot pain shot through her body from her shoulder the darkness claimed the warrior again.

# # #

Gabrielle was wrapping leather around a new staff when Ephiny ran from between some huts and skidded to a stop in front of her.

"Gabrielle! My Queen,"

Gabrielle quickly stood up and grabbed Ephiny's arm. "What is it?" she demanded.

Ephiny swallowed visibly and then brought up a familiar shiny object. Gabrielle took it in her hand, staring at it, stunned.

No one else had a chakram like this, no one but her mate.

"Xena?" she whispered.

"Menestratus told the border guard that he has Xena and that you are to meet him in a clearing five marks from here at sundown or she dies," Ephiny said through gritted teeth.

"No," the bard whispered and Ephiny placed a hand on the young woman's arm to steady her.

"Gabrielle, you can't do it," Ephiny growled.

Flashing green eyes met the Regent's. "I won't let her die!" Gabrielle hissed.

"And I won't let either of you die!"

"Then let's get her back," Gabrielle said simply, heading for the main hut. "Bring the scout and guard leaders in. I want the best archers we've got ready to leave in half a candlemark."

"Yes, my Queen," Ephiny dashed away to get the instructions out before joining Gabrielle in the hut.

"Hesione," Gabrielle called out to another Amazon as she walked.

"Yes, my Queen!"

"Tell the Healer to be prepared," she ordered.

"Yes, my Queen!"

Gabrielle entered the hut with a curse. She had been afraid for herself, now she was terrified for her lover. She knew Xena wouldn't have gone down without a fight, which meant the warrior was probably even more wounded than the last time the bard had seen her. Gabrielle felt the stirrings of hatred beginning. She could understand just a touch of that darkness Xena had once fallen into. She was beginning to hate Menestratus.

Gabrielle followed quietly behind the scout. Traveling with Xena had taught the bard how to walk silently through the forest and through the tree tops. Having been adopted into the Amazon tribe had furthered her training. Xena had been pleased whenever they visited the Amazons that Gabrielle had taken every opportunity to train with the women warriors and scouts in addition to her studying of the Amazon scrolls.

The scout stopped and motioned her Queen forward. Gabrielle moved cautiously along the large tree branch and glanced into the clearing. The scout grabbed the bard's arm to steady her as the scout heard a growl from her Queen.

Gabrielle felt a roaring in her ears and eyes clouded over, seeing red. Then she shook her head and cleared her vision.

Chained and blindfolded between two trees was her mate, her lover, and her life. Gabrielle was close enough to see the bloody wound at the warrior's thigh and the blood seeping from a wound in her shoulder. She clutched her bow as she saw

Menestratus approach Xena and then hit her in the face, sending the warrior's head snapping back and forth. Gabrielle bit her own lip as Xena's began to bleed.

"How soon is everyone in position?" she whispered to the scout.

The scout sent out several bird calls and received several back.

"They are in place," she answered.

"Good."

Ephiny joined them. "Everyone is ready, Gabrielle. Let one of the archers take him," she urged.

"He's mine," Gabrielle said flatly.

"Scout, take a position in the next tree," Ephiny ordered and the smaller Amazon scurried through the tree and away. "Gabrielle, let one of the archers take him. Don't give into this feeling, this is what Xena fights against for you."

Gabrielle felt her muscles begin to relax and the roaring in her ears began to die down. She lowered her bow and her head.

"You're right. I couldn't even kill Callisto when I had a dagger at her throat. I can't do this," she whispered.

They both looked up to see Menestratus hit Xena again and Ephiny found herself growling along with Gabrielle. Ephiny whistled a bird call, knowing every one of the archers were pulling back on their bows as they answered.

# # #

"Are you awake yet?"

"Go to Tartarus," Xena mumbled. Again a slap to the face.

"That wasn't a nice thing to say."

Menestratus seemed to be waiting for the warrior to say something else but she refused.

"That little bitch managed to get into Amazon territory before I caught up with her so I've sent word that I have you and for her to come alone. Good thing for me those Amazons don't like to leave their territory and they won't trouble about a lowly bard. I don't know how long those she-demons would grant her sanctuary but I'm not waiting. When she gets here she'll find you hanging here like a slab of meat," he informed her.

"You're not going to ambush her?"

"No, I want her to live with what I've lived with. She can try and sleep nights with the image of you like this."

For the first time in days Xena felt the beginnings of hope, Menestratus didn't know about Gabrielle being the Queen of the Amazons. For Gabrielle they would go to the end of the earth and for her champion, Xena. They would also protect Gabrielle if they didn't arrive in time to get Xena out of the mess.

"This is not what Perdicus would want."

"That's the ironic part of this," a voice insisted. "We are so much alike, warlord. I'm a mercenary, a bandit at times. Perdicus was like light itself to me, always trying to get me to change. All he wanted was to help people and couldn't understand why I rode with warlords like you."

"Strats?" Xena whispered. "I know your voice."

"Damn you," the voice sounded tired.

"You rode with me," Xena felt sick to her stomach. She did remember him, a good soldier and an even better bandit. "You were at Cirra."

The impact of the situation made Xena's head reel.

"Yeah, I was there."

Xena's sharp ears picked up a bird call that was followed by an answering one. She turned her attention back to the man she had known as Strats.

Gabrielle saw Xena's head snap up when she heard the bird calls and felt a surge of joy; Xena knew the Amazons were there!

"Tell them to fire if he starts to touch her again," Gabrielle ordered and Ephiny called out the orders in the special code the Amazons shared.

"Damnit! You're as much responsible for Perdicus' death as I am!" Xena snapped. "You were there, you helped slaughter Callisto's family and turned her into the monster who murdered your brother. You can't blame Gabrielle for this."

"I realize that, warlord. That's why after Gabrielle finds your body I'll fall on my sword and accept my guilt."

"It doesn't have to be like this!" Xena protested. "We both made mistakes and people have paid for it. Don't make Gabrielle suffer for our actions."

"It's too late for me, warlord and now for you as well."

Xena had the feeling he was about to strike when she heard the sounds of arrows through the air and a slight grunt followed by something hitting the ground. Then bird calls and animal sounds filled the area.

"No!" Gabrielle had cried out, drawing her own arrow back. Before Menestratus could clear the space between him and Xena he was pierced through the throat with a cleanly placed arrow. Several more followed, piercing his chest from the front and behind. None of the arrows came close to the warrior woman.

Gabrielle knew she risked her neck at the speed she left the trees but didn't care. Nothing existed except to get to her lover. The other Amazons trotted to catch up.

"Xena!"

It was the sweetest sound that the warrior had ever heard.

"Gabrielle!"

She felt the bard's hands on her face and then the tender lips she had missed more than life itself. As other hands began supporting her weight and working at the manacles Xena let herself slip away, feeling safe in the arms of her bard and in the company of the Amazons.

"I love you, little one," the warrior muttered as darkness claimed her.

"Xena! No!" Gabrielle wailed.

# # #

Gabrielle felt someone lifting her up and mumbled a weak protest.

"Quiet, my Queen. You won't do Xena any good if you grieve yourself to death with exhaustion. You're going to get some sleep. I'll watch over her," Ephiny's voice carried to Gabrielle's ears and, despite whatever her mind might have wished, the bard found herself settling into the strong arms that carried her to the next hut and placed her in a bed.

"Ephiny, wake me if anything changes," she whispered as Ephiny covered her.

"Immediately," the Regent promised.

Ephiny smiled at her mate, Solori as she joined the woman outside the hut and headed back to the Healer's hut.

"You actually got her to sleep?" her mate asked.

"No, her body finally did," Ephiny smiled a very tired smile.

"I'm going to stay with Xena while Gabrielle and the healer sleep."

"All right, lover," Solori hesitated. "Do you think there'll be any change? It's been days and her fever was so high."

Ephiny closed her eyes and shook her head. "I don't know. She's strong but Gabrielle says that she was sick before that bastard got ahold of her."

"Gods, everyone is praying on this one," Solori mentioned.

"Good, can't hurt. I do know one thing," Ephiny said softly, stopping outside the hut door.

"What's that, love?"

"If Xena crosses over then Gabrielle will follow."

"What! No!"

"I think so, look at her now! She's wasting away and I can't stop it," Ephiny growled.

"Have they figured out what their relationship is, yet?" her mate asked, a note of frustration in her voice.

"I think so. If not they both need to be hit over the head and dumped in a cage for a week until they do," Ephiny said with a smile. "You know we rarely see this kind of grieving."

"I know. Go let the healer get some sleep. I'll keep watch out here."

Ephiny stroked her lover's cheek fondly. "Thank you, my love."

"You bet."

Ephiny settled in for a long night, watching the warrior sleep fitfully in a fever induced coma, the infection raging through her body. Ephiny felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes. She truly didn't know how long the warrior could go on like this.

"Come on, Xena!" she whispered fiercely. "Fight this! Gabrielle needs you!"

# # #

It was another two days and another struggle to get the bard to sleep or eat. Ephiny was also looking very worn out and the strain was getting to the Healer as well.

Gabrielle had finally settled into nightmare-plagued dreams on the fifth day since they had brought Xena in. Nightmares of blood and of losing Xena kept the young Queen tossing and turning. Her body was demanding rest but her mind and soul were refusing it. The bard knew she, herself, was running a fever from the exhaustion and had dropped even more weight. Ephiny had almost punched the Queen into unconsciousness to get Gabrielle to sleep.

# # #

Xena groaned and opened her eyes slowly. The familiar surroundings of an Amazon hut greeted her eyes. Ephiny came into her view and sat on a stool next to the warrior's bed. The Regent looked tired but was a welcome site.

"Hey," she smiled down on the warrior and lifted a cup of water to the bruised and parched lips. Xena sipped gratefully.

"Hey," she responded finally. "Where's Gabrielle?"

"Next hut over, I finally got her to sleep. Remind me not to try and change her mind about anything again."

Xena tried to smile but winced with the pain. "How long?"

"Five days." Ephiny put a hand on the warrior's shoulder as the woman attempted to sit up with surprise. "You've been sick and hurt. Fever and the pain took you the first day and we've been fighting the fever ever since."

Xena took stock of her body and wasn't surprised she felt like she had been run over by a wagon, twice.

"How bad now?"

"Not bad, the healer managed to get the infection down in your leg and the shoulder is actually healing nicely. Other stuff is minor cuts and bruises. You'll be off that leg for another week."

"A week!" Xena protested.

"That's what the healer has ordered. I'll send for Gabrielle," Ephiny started to stand up but Xena placed a hand on the Regent's arm.

"Strats?"

"Menestratus? Target practice for my archers when we found you."

Xena merely nodded at this information, it was what she had expected from the Amazons. "Thank you, Ephiny. I knew Gabrielle would be safe with you."

"Always, Xena," Ephiny stopped at the door and looked back on the warrior. "By the way, I am finally reading your relationship with Gabrielle right? You two finally got together?"

Xena grinned, "Did everyone in Greece know but us?"

"Yup, there's been running bets as to when you two would finally figure it out. When did it happen?"

"Bets? Four months ago."

"Yup," the Amazon grinned at her friend. "I lost two months ago."

"Ephiny," the warrior's voice stopped the Amazon. The Regent turned with a questioning eyebrow lifted.

"I asked her to marry me, Amazon ceremony."

The life came back to the Regent's eyes and she smiled a huge smile. "Really?" Xena nodded, smiling herself. "If you weren't wounded I'd hug the stuffing out of you! Nothing could make Gabrielle happier! By Artemis, we've a lot to plan for." The Regent was gone before Xena could ask for details.

"Terrific, I've asked for the ceremony and don't have a clue what the ritual is."

# # #

Gabrielle was awake instantly when Ephiny touched her shoulder. She sat up blinking rapidly, trying to focus both mind and eyes.

"Easy, Gabrielle," Ephiny said calmly.

"What's happened?" she demanded, fear gripping her heart. She knew Ephiny would only wake her up if there had been a change and the Healer and Ephiny had warned her that it was unlikely that Xena would ever recover up from this point on.

"She's awake," the Regent grinned and grabbed Gabrielle to steady her as the bard leaped out of bed and then swayed from the lack of sleep and food. "Easy, she's talking and alert."

"Xena!" Gabrielle broke from Ephiny and dashed out of the hut.

In moments Gabrielle was in her warrior's good arm, kissing Xena and crying at the same time.

"Shhh, Little One," Xena said softly. "I'm all right."

Gabrielle finally pulled back and sat on the stool, holding Xena's hand while the other hand ran over the warrior's body, once again reassuring herself that her warrior was in one piece.

"You are not all right, you've been out for days," Gabrielle held the warrior's hand to her cheek.

Xena got a good look at her bard's face and was dismayed. She'd never seen the bard looking so haggard.

"When was the last time you slept or ate?" the warrior demanded.

"They made me eat and Ephiny made me get some sleep," Gabrielle protested.

"Uh huh, let me guess, you've spent most of the last five days right there next to me," Xena gathered the bard back with her good arm for another kiss and reassuring hug. "I love you, Gabrielle."

"Gods, I was so worried!" Xena reached up to brush away a fresh set of tears. The bard couldn't seem to stop touching Xena's hair, face, arms.

"It's okay. Just wasn't my week," the warrior smiled.

"Hah! That's an understatement," the bard grinned.

"What about your family, they were worried sick."

"I sent a runner to let them know I was okay and that you were safe."

"I'm sorry about your father's funeral," Xena said softly.

"It's all right, just as long as you're safe, my love."

"For once you rescued me. Remind me to keep you around," Xena smiled and Gabrielle let the warrior pull her down, The bard sighed as she snuggled into her familiar and favorite position, curled in Xena's arms, head on the warrior's shoulder. She carefully placed her arm around the warrior's waist and hugged softly.

"Forever," she whispered.

She felt Xena's body relax along with her own and drifted into a nightmare free sleep.

When Ephiny came back to check on the patient she found the Amazon Queen and her warrior asleep in each other's arms. She smiled and backed out of the hut and left orders with the guards that the couple wasn't to be disturbed.

# # #

After a day of bed rest and food the bard felt better than she had in weeks and was glad to be out of the hut. She and Ephiny had a more difficult time keeping Xena down though. Gabrielle smiled at the memory of the frustrated look on her mate's face. It did help that Xena couldn't put any weight on the leg and Gabrielle kept the crutches out of reach.

After a few more days in bed regaining her strength, Xena was able to move around the village with the aid of the crutches.

# # #

It was also extremely difficult for both women to keep their hands to themselves. It felt like forever to the bard since she had touched her lover more than five minutes at a time. Her body was aching to feel Xena's touch but neither of them had recovered enough yet.

The Amazon Queen was pleased that Ephiny had sent a messenger to her family, letting them know that Gabrielle was safe and Xena was with them. Ephiny had carefully worded the message so as not to alarm the family but to let them know the Amazons had both women and would protect them.

She let Ephiny catch her up on the politics that needed tending to, what documents needed signing, and such. Then they began planning for a bonding.

After two days Gabrielle had a headache and begged off any more planning. Xena had grumbled that this was probably going to get complicated and she was right. Combining a traditional Greek wedding with an Amazon bonding, then throwing in the politics that came with a royal wedding were getting to the bard.

The bard was delighted to find herself at the practice yard and several Amazons were eager to spar with her and the bard's new staff. Gabrielle was irritated with her own body when she quickly realized that she wasn't up to her usual speed and stamina but kept at the sparring, wanting to work her aching muscles and frustrations. The Amazon Queen always delighted in the training, especially the sparring. It was very much like a dance between opponents and Gabrielle loved to dance.

In the back of the Queen's mind was the events of the last two weeks and her frustration about all of it. She didn't understand why Menestratus wanted her dead, neither did Xena. Even after talking about it and finding out that the man had been with the Warlord on her worst raids, it didn't make sense. Why blame Gabrielle for Perdicus's death?

Xena sat down on a hay bale, watching her lover spar with several other Amazon women with her new staff. The warrior was pleased when Ephiny walked up and sat next to her.

"How are you feeling, friend?" Ephiny asked.

"Better everyday, thanks to all of you. Thanks again for the rescue," Xena grinned.

"My pleasure, none of us would have been able to live with Gabrielle if we hadn't. Tell me about the man."

"Menestratus," Xena's face grew thoughtful. "He was one of my soldiers years ago. I remembered him just before you showed up. He was a good soldier of sorts but blood-thirsty, he delighted in killing anything in his way."

"Did you know he was Perdicus' brother when Gabrielle married him?"

"No, I only knew him as Strats and we never talked."

Xena pulled out a dagger and began balancing it on the end of a finger.

"I never knew. Gods, Ephiny, will my past ever let us alone?" Ephiny didn't flinch when the warrior suddenly threw the knife, embedding it into a fence post close by. With a casual grace the Regent walked over and retrieved the dagger. Xena shrugged.

"Probably not," Ephiny said simply. "You've made up for your past, and you'll continue to do so but it will always come back to haunt you, warrior."

"Thanks," Xena muttered.

"He blamed you for Callisto," Ephiny encouraged the warrior to resume the explanations.

Xena laughed a grim laugh. "That's what's so messed up! He was there at Cirra! He helped murder Callisto's family."

Ephiny thought she would fall off the hay bale and Xena nodded at the woman's shocked expression.

"Then what in Hades was his problem?" the Amazon demanded. "He helped create her as much as you did."

"That's what I told him and he agreed. I can't explain it. Maybe he thought by killing me and hurting Gabrielle he could live with his own guilt in Tartarus. He was planning on killing himself after me."

"I don't get it," Ephiny shook her head.

"Neither do I and neither does Gabrielle. Maybe it made sense in his twisted mind."

"He nearly succeeded, we almost lost you and we would have lost Gabrielle if that had happened," Ephiny glanced over at the warrior, gauging her reaction.

"I know that. When it does happen to me, I want you to take care of her. Don't let her follow me, I'd want her to live," Xena's eyes flashed.

"You don't know it will happen."

"Yes, I do. The life I lead, not much chance of a long life," Xena said with a shrug.

"I know but that wouldn't be my choice, Xena. Even if we locked her away from anything sharp or long, I think she'd grieve herself to death over you."

"I wouldn't want that," the warrior muttered.

"Live with it," Ephiny said bluntly and Xena looked surprised.

"It's something that we see with some life-bond mates when one dies. One half of a soul can't live without the other."

"You think we're life-bond soul mates?" Xena whispered. She, herself, had felt such an overwhelming amount of love for the bard and felt so empty when Gabrielle wasn't around, but life-bond soul mates were rare. It was the stuff of legends.

Ephiny looked over at the bard and back at the warrior. "Yes, I do."

With a spin Gabrielle swept the legs out from under one of her opponents and blocked a blow coming from overhead. She quickly put a foot in the other woman's stomach and pushed that attacker out of reach. She spun and blocked another parry with the staff laced along her forearm. The bard yelped and dived forward under another blow, coming up swinging.

With a laugh Gabrielle disarmed one opponent, tapped another on the head to signify a killing blow and swept another off her feet, then she found herself sitting on her tailbone rubbing her ribs where someone had tagged her with a staff. She grinned and stood up and helped up one of her sparring partners. Gabrielle was covered in sweat and dust and felt great. She had managed to work out a lot the tension and felt ready to face everything again.

Together Ephiny and Xena watched the little bard and laughed with the Amazons Gabrielle had just spared with and applauded.

She looked over at the sound of applause and felt her face blushing red when she saw Xena and Ephiny clapping on the other side of the fence.

The bard felt this followed up the blush with a huge grin at the sight of her lover. It was good to see Xena moving about the village with the aid of crutches. Her face was strained from the pain and the fever she had gone through but she looked a lot better than she had in days. Gabrielle felt hope that everything just might be turning their way.

With the familiar set of her jawline, the bard made a decision. Then she broke into a smile again seeing the love dancing in her mate's eyes.

"She's good," Ephiny commented.

"Very, you have good trainers," Xena agreed.

"Most of that is natural talent. If she ever wanted to turn warrior she could be deadly in a knife fight, maybe even with a sword."

"I hope that doesn't happen," Xena said softly.

"You know the odds, traveling the way you two do. She'll have to kill someday."

Xena frowned. "I know, I just want to put it off as long as possible. I don't want anything to touch that light of hers."

Ephiny grinned, "Not as long as she has you, Xena. I've never seen her so happy."

Gabrielle vaulted over the fence and quickly hugged Ephiny and turned to hug her mate.

"You're good out there," Xena commented, pleased with the blush Gabrielle gave them.

"Thanks, I've been practicing."

Ephiny stood up, "I've got things to attend to and a wedding to plan. Lots to do," she grinned.

"Why do I get the feeling this could get complicated," Xena complained.

Gabrielle laughed and sat down next to the tall woman.

"Probably. Ephiny says that it can get quite formal when it's the Queen getting married. There's two actual ceremonies - one for us, family and the blessing of the gods; then a public one that gets complicated and pompous," she warned with a smile.

"Gods, I should just throw you over Argo and drag you to a lonely island for the rest of our lives. I suppose you'll want me to dress fancy."

Gabrielle lightly punched Xena's arm, pretending to look annoyed with her warrior. "Can't have you scaring the foreign diplomats with your sword and chakram at the ready, can we?"

"Diplomats?" Xena frowned and the bard laughed heartily.

"Xena, mighty Warrior Princess! You'd rather face an army alone than a royal court, wouldn't you?" Gabrielle giggled.

"Yup, you bet," Xena readily agreed with a smile.

"Its just show. Being the Queen they want to put on a big production, I'm getting them to tone it down a bit. I think you'll like the private one," Gabrielle leaned her head on the warrior's shoulder. "How's the pain?"

"Better. Beginning to itch, always a good sign. The healer says the shoulder will probably hurt in cold weather from now on, guess that'll go with the other aches and pains. Are you sure you want this old war-horse?" Xena teased.

"Let me show you," Gabrielle leaned up and, with one hand behind the warrior's head, pulled Xena's lips to hers. The bard surprised her warrior by pulling the woman down into her arms as Gabrielle sat down on the hay bale. It wasn't often that Xena let the bard hold her like this, it required absolute trust, and one movement and the woman would be on her tailbone. Xena was usually more self-conscious about showing affection in public for her bard and Gabrielle knew it. Having Xena relax in the Amazon village like this was a treat for the bard.

Being a hopeless romantic and optimist, Gabrielle wanted to shout to the world about her love for the warrior woman. Common sense told her that this wasn't the safest thing to do in the world but that didn't mean she kept quiet easily.

Then Gabrielle thought about a secret she was ready to face. Xena sat up and stroked her lover's cheek.

Xena noticed a shift in Gabrielle's expression. She sat up again and touched the bard's face, pulling the chin up to look in the deep green eyes she always adored.

"What is it, Gabrielle?"

"I'm ready to look at that parchment."

"All right, go grab a bath and I'll meet you at the stable," Xena told her.

"Can you ride yet?" the bard looked worried.

"I'll use a fence to get on. Riding is easy, you can help me off when we get to the stream."

"Okay, I won't be long," Gabrielle jumped up and kissed her lover again and then dashed off. The bard marveled again at how quickly Xena had read the change in Gabrielle's expression and body language. She wondered again for the hundredth time how they could have kept their feelings for each other hidden so well. Then the bard corrected herself with a smile, not from anyone around them, just themselves. How could they have been so blind?

Xena pulled herself up and began hobbling towards the stable, thinking about the next event coming. Xena hated mysteries. She was good at solving them but she hated them. Gabrielle had wanted to wait until Xena could travel before approaching the next step. They were both puzzled. Xena couldn't put it quite into words, she knew Hecuba would never do anything to hurt Gabrielle but the contents of the bottle were mysterious and maybe a touch sinister.

Xena wasn't sure which she dreaded more: facing stuffy nobles or Gabrielle's mysterious past.

# ##

Gabrielle led Argo through the woods and along the stream until they reached a small pool of gentle water and helped position Argo next to a rock so Xena could climb off the horse without too much trouble. Feeling somewhat helpless made the warrior feel grumpy and she fought down the emotion.

Gabrielle sat down slowly on the cloak she had spread out, her face showing her concern as Xena approached, hobbling along on her crutches. Even though the warrior tried not to show any pain or emotion most of the time, the bard could see the tension in the warrior's face from the pain. Xena sat down cautiously, bringing blankets and a couple of their travel packs with her.

They had come to a small stream that flowed over many boulders and rocks and offered many small ponds.

The bard reached into her own pack and pulled out the bottle and second parchment. After Xena had regained consciousness,

Gabrielle had taken the parchment and bottle from the warrior's pack and opened it while lying back in Xena's arms. She had been very surprised to find the letter had been written by her mother while she was still pregnant with Gabrielle. The letter had instructed the bard to find a quiet lake, pool of water or a fountain, drink the contents of the flask with wine and watch the water. The letter also instructed her daughter to do this with her soulmate. Then the daughter would find answers.

Xena waited. Green eyes looked deeply into blue ones.

Gabrielle was curiosity personified but this was a little nerve wracking.

"It's okay if you're not ready," Xena said softly.

"I don't know. I'm curious as a cat with a closed bag, but this..." she spread her hands indicating the bottle and the parchment. "What could it be?" she demanded suddenly. "What could my mother tell me?"

"She said it might answer some questions you had growing up."

"Arrrgghhh!" Gabrielle sat staring at the bottle, as if it might burn her if she touched it again. Then, with a quick motion, she grabbed the bottle and uncorked it. Xena pulled out two goblets and poured wine into both from a wineskin. Gabrielle again looked deep in her lover's eyes and poured half the powder into each goblet.

"I love you, Xena."

"I love you, Gabrielle. No matter what we learn."

With a nod of the bard's head they both drank and Gabrielle positioned herself between Xena's legs and leaned back into her warrior. Together they began watching the water.

# # #

Both women found themselves closing their eyes, feeling like a fog had come over both of them. Gabrielle watched everything start to go fuzzy and felt like she was detaching from her body. Try as she might, the bard couldn't keep her eyes open and felt her head drop forward onto her chest.

After a moment Gabrielle opened her eyes and gasped, Xena quickly opened her eyes, muscles tensing. She blinked several times.

She and Gabrielle were sitting beside a lake instead of a stream. A gentle lake at dusk. A very calm and gentle lake and Gabrielle realized with a start that she knew the lake, it was near her home in Poteidaia.

Very close to them the sounds of someone running through the woods reached them. Xena reached out to grab a branch to pull herself up quickly and stumbled back onto her backside when her hand went through the branch.

A woman ran into sight and went right by them without seeming to notice them.

"Mother?" Gabrielle felt herself whisper and Xena's body jump as she, too, recognized the young woman throwing herself down on the water grass near the lake, in tears and holding her face.

It was Hecuba but a much younger Hecuba, more than 20 years younger. She was crying and shaking and she didn't seem to hear the bard.

"She can't hear or see us, Gabrielle. We're like ghosts."

"But she's younger."

"Yes, we're watching this happen back in time somehow."

Gabrielle leaned back into Xena's arms again. "Hold me, please," she whispered and the warrior gladly wrapped her arms around her love and Gabrielle grabbed onto the arms, holding tightly.

Hecuba's sobs racked her body and tore at the hearts of the two women watching. Gabrielle felt helpless, she wanted to take the young woman in her arms and comfort her, she also wanted to know why her mother was crying so hard.

Gabrielle felt a chill pass through her. "Someone's there," she whispered and felt Xena's muscles tense up again as the warrior realized the same thing.

There was a stranger with her mother.

"Why are you crying, woman?" the man asked.

Hecuba squeaked and sat up, stumbling backwards. It was almost dark and she was alone with a stranger.

"I mean you no harm, why are you crying?" the stranger sat down on his haunches, probably trying to put young Hecuba at ease.

"My husband, he... he came home drunk and..." Hecuba continued to sob.

"He hurt you and forced you," the stranger stated and Xena felt her bard's muscles tighten. The warrior held tighter.

"No, not force, just not..." Hecuba stammered.

"Not pleasurable for you."

"No," Hecuba dropped her head. "Who are you, I can't see your face," she whispered.

The stranger smiled and held up his hand and all the women were shocked when it began glowing, putting out more light than a torch. He grinned. "Better?"

"Apollo!" Xena hissed.

Hecuba went to her knees. "Lord," she whispered.

"Don't kneel, please. Just sit with me for a bit. I have a tale to tell you, young Hecuba," Apollo ordered and sat down on the grass next to Hecuba, the light surrounding them.

"You know me?" she asked.

"Yes, I came to see you," he stated.

"Why?"

"I can't tell you everything but what I can tell you is that you are going to have children. The first of them will be a girl and you will name her Gabrielle."

Gabrielle felt her head reeling and clung to the warrior's arms around her.

"Gabrielle?" Hecuba questioned.

"I like it," Apollo shrugged. "You will have others but Gabrielle has a special fate. Sometimes the gods meddle a little too much in the affairs of you humans and upon occasion some of us have to step in and counter some of those affects."

"I don't understand, Lord."

"I know. What I can say is thus; with the help of one of the gods a dark soul will fill this land and could destroy the very civilization that gives all of us life. This dark one must have a balance and your daughter will be that balance. She will be the light to end the darkness. She will be blessed by the gods and especially by me, a child of the Sun."

'By the gods, he's talking about me and Xena!' Gabrielle's mind shouted. "Blessed by Apollo?" she whispered to herself.

"Why me?" Hecuba questioned.

"Why not? You are intelligent, gentle, loving and you have a strength that she will inherit. It is her fate to shine the light of the sun on the soul that fell into darkness. It will be Gabrielle's light that saves this soul and changes the Fates of the world."

"Xena?"

"Shhh, little one," Xena's voice was strained. Gabrielle was quite sure that she, herself, was trembling.

"This dark soul, won't it destroy my daughter?"

"It might, we can't control everything. It will be up to Gabrielle and the Dark One. It is a difficult path to go from the dark to the light but a very easy one for light to fall into dark. The Dark One may drag your daughter down."

"Please take this away. I only want a simple and happy life for my children."

"The Dark One is her soul mate though their lives will be difficult. If their love prevails it will be the envy of the gods themselves. It will be a bond that will span beyond eternity."

Gabrielle wasn't sure if she was going to be sick or faint. For a bard who dealt in myths and legends all the time, this was a little too close to home for the young woman. She was trying to process the information she had just received.

Dark Soul? The world? Soul mates throughout eternity?

"You're telling me that a child of mine will change the future of the world by changing just another person?"

"No, she will touch many souls along her way, not just the Dark One. In reaching the Dark One and showing this soul love, together they will defeat the plans of some of the gods that wish to conquer the world of man to rule over them. Together they will be like the Sun and Moon, each reflecting the best of each other and sharing the same light."

"Will my child be happy?"

"If they find their way to love, your daughter will gladly go through all the hardship it will mean to be with the Dark One. She will love this soul beyond any love before, not even death will stop this bonding."

Gabrielle felt a tear escaping her eye. She had known in her heart and soul that she and Xena were meant to be but this was an overwhelming validation of that love.

Xena wiped a similar tear from her face as well.

"You send a harsh fate to my child," Hecuba complained.

"Yes, I know. My blessing will be one of the Light. She will be curious, intelligent and a dreamer. Encourage this in her, don't let her dreams die. Do not let your husband break her spirit. The talent of the God of Poetry will be hers."

Apollo reached over and touched Hecuba's face, instantly healing the black eye that was beginning to show.

"He's a good man, just a troubled spirit. Be tolerant, he'll provide well for the family, just don't let his temper rule your children."

"He was raised hard," Hecuba complained.

"The visit he's receiving from Aphrodite right now will mellow him out a bit. We can't change him totally," Apollo warned.

"He'll still fall short of a perfect husband but he will be good for you and the girls."

"Girls, I'll have more than one girl?" Hecuba gleamed.

"Uh oh, not supposed to reveal anything about the other one and you can't reveal anything about me until Gabrielle's either succeeded or failed with the Dark One." Apollo grinned. Then his smile changed and he leaned over towards Hecuba who leaned back, a slight fearful look on her face. "Relax, I don't seduce every maiden I see, no matter what the stories say," Apollo grinned and placed his hand over Hecuba's womb area.

Gabrielle, Xena and Hecuba gasped as light from his hand enveloped the young woman. When the light faded Apollo was gone and Hecuba was smiling. She reached down to touch her womb area.

"Gabrielle, you will my dreamer," Hecuba promised.

The darkness slowly filled the sight of the bard and warrior.

# # #

When Gabrielle opened her eyes again it was dark and they were by the stream. She felt Xena's arms around her and knew she was safe. The bard frowned, they were covered with Xena's cloak.

Gabrielle lifted the cloak with a question, turned and looked into Xena's eyes. Suddenly she was in the warrior's arms crying.

Both women found themselves crying.

"He was talking about us! About you," Gabrielle whispered.

Xena let the tears run from her eyes. "I know. He's right, you did save me. I would have slipped back into the darkness if it hadn't been for you."

"Wow, we are soul mates."

"Yes," Xena agreed with a smile.

After a moment the bard sat back up. "Hey, who covered us?" she asked.

"Maybe one of the scouting patrols found us and covered us," Xena suggested but Gabrielle could tell that the warrior herself thought that unlikely and was equally as puzzled.

"Maybe," The bard started to stand up and felt something fall from her chest onto the blanket. With furrowed brows the bard picked up two strands of what appeared and felt to be necklaces. It was too dark to see anything clearly. She sat back on the cloak beneath them.

"Hey, how about lighting that fire?" she asked and Xena started to move, dreading the pain that was about to cause from sitting too long in one position. Gabrielle instantly forgot the necklaces when Xena cried out, grabbing her leg.

"Oh gods, I forgot, are you okay?"

"Yeah, that's the problem," the warrior ran her hands up and down her leg, a puzzled look on her face.

"What's that mean?" the bard demanded.

"There's no pain. None at all."

Gabrielle, puzzled and suddenly feeling tired of mind games, grabbed up the travel pack and quickly got the fire started that Xena had laid earlier. She went back to her mate's side and watched closely as the warrior cut away the bandage from her leg. Gabrielle felt herself whistle and heard the warrior gasp in surprise. There was absolutely no wound at all. The leg looked like it hadn't been cut at all. With a frown of puzzlement, Xena cut away the bandage on her arm to find no wound there either.

Gabrielle's eyes were wide. "Your shoulder?" she questioned softly.

"Nothing, like it had never been touched."

"Your face is healed too," Gabrielle marveled.

Gabrielle closed her eyes as Xena touched the bard's face in return, gently. The calloused hands tenderly holding Gabrielle's face with such devotion it brought tears to the woman's eyes.

"What did you find?" Xena asked, pointing to Gabrielle's hand.

The bard blinked and then raised the objects to the light. One of them was the Amazon necklace she had left behind for Xena to find and the warrior's hands quickly found that the necklace had been removed from her neck. The other was a matching necklace. To the one Xena had been wearing a small silver crescent moon with knotwork in the center had been added and on the other one was a gold blazing sun.

"Wow," the bard muttered.

"What's the second parchment say?" Xena asked as Gabrielle handed her the necklace Xena had been wearing since Gabrielle's disappearance from her uncle's home.

"I just found out I'm the daughter of a god, sort of; I'm blessed by the gods, destined to save the world, and my soul mate was destined to destroy the world, what makes you think I want to know what else there is?" the bard grinned.

"You did save the world, my world," Xena laughed as the bard launched herself across the small space and tackled the warrior. Gabrielle delighted in the warrior's laughter, it was music to the young woman's ears. Gabrielle held Xena close, nuzzling the warrior's neck.

"I love you, no matter what the gods had in mind I would have fallen in love with you."

"Back at you, little one."

Feeling comfortable and safe, Gabrielle rearranged herself, staying on top of her warrior. She grinned and quickly kissed the lips of the woman below her and then reached for the parchment. Xena grinned and lightly tickled the bard's ribs, getting Gabrielle to giggle a little as she unfolded the paper.

The bard slowly unfolded the paper and turned it towards the light. Once again that evening the bard found herself overwhelmed with information, her mind refusing to process any more. She turned the paper so Xena could see it, her face puzzled.

A sun symbol with Xena's chakram and a parchment with pen in the center was the only thing on the paper. Gabrielle found herself trying to put together a coherent sentence while the warrior laughed.

"Wow," Gabrielle muttered, remembering what she and Xena had seen in the vision. Was she the daughter of a God? Looked like it might be. Touched by the Gods, Apollo in particular, seemed definite.

The coherent thought that the bard was trying to put together became totally elusive when Xena began kissing her, passion quickly turning the kiss from a gentle and tender one into something deeper. Gabrielle moaned and dropped the parchment as her fingers laced through the warrior's hair. Holding Xena close the bard shifted slightly on her warrior's body, bringing her thigh between Xena's legs and bringing the knee up, causing Xena to moan with pleasure.

She started kissing the bard deeply, pleased not to be in pain for the first time in a month.

Gabrielle's hands moved between them and unbuckled the belt Xena was wearing and pushed it aside, and then moved her hands under the shirt her warrior was wearing to grasp Xena's breasts and the warrior moaned. Gabrielle moaned in response and dropped her head to the warrior's neck, anxious to find the spot that she knew could drive Xena into an absolute frenzy. After they had finally become lovers, the bard had been delighted to find that Xena's neck was highly sensitive to the bard's teeth and Gabrielle was always reminded of the adventure when they dealt with Bacchus. Gabrielle had very fond memories of biting Xena with her bacchae fangs and feeling the strong warrior moaning and writhing in her arms as the erotic bite filled her veins with the call of the bacchae, of the blood. Gabrielle didn't miss being a bacchae, but she did admit, usually with a blush to the warrior, that she found the bite extremely erotic still.

Xena moaned, arching slightly as her body responded with its own heat. The warrior's fingers were busy unlacing the bard's top. Gabrielle yelped with surprise when the warrior sat up and grabbed one of the bard's nipples between her teeth and lips. The blond threw her head back and moaned in delight.

"Oh gods, Xena."

"I can't get enough of you, Gabrielle," Xena whispered, kissing the bard from her breasts, up the neck and to those lips she always craved. The warrior held the smaller woman tight in her arms while their lips and tongues fought each other, teasing and playing.

The bard, lacing her fingers in Xena's hair, held the warrior's head close and tight as they kissed roughly, tongues exploring each other, fighting for dominance, revealing in the energy passing back and forth. Gabrielle lightly nipped Xena's lower lip and the warrior answered by grabbing the bard's nipples with her fingers. The bard gasped again and found her hips rocking and moving from the lightning streaking through her body, a high point at each place the warrior was kissing and touching

Gabrielle moaned and began breathing rapidly when Xena began to kiss her way back down the bard's neck and to her breasts, first teasing and lavishing one and then the other until Gabrielle was squirming in her lap.

"I haven't been able to touch you in so long like this," Xena whispered.

Gabrielle whimpered and pulled Xena's tunic top off to reach the dark one's breasts as well.

Xena growled and grabbed the back of Gabrielle's hair, pulling her head up to the warrior's lips. They both moaned and whimpered with the kiss, neither sure who was making what sound any longer. Gabrielle brought a cry out of her warrior by tweaking the woman's nipples and Xena responded by quickly removing the bard's belt and dropping the wrap around skirt away from the blonde's lovely body.

Xena was delighted to see her lover wasn't wearing any undergarments. Gabrielle whimpered as Xena's fingers slid easily along the folds of her lower lips, teasing just at the woman's entrance and her clit, never quite reaching either destination. Gabrielle bit her lip in frustration and moaned. The bard knew she was very aroused and wasn't sure if she had ever been that wet for her lover before. Gabrielle cried out when Xena seized one of her nipples roughly with her teeth and entered the bard with several fingers.

The bard clung to her lover's shoulders, body trembling uncontrollably. Xena felt her own body begin spasming as the bard bit into her neck, Gabrielle cries becoming louder and intense.

Gabrielle whimpered and clung to Xena's shoulders, her body demanding more of the warrior with each thrust. She felt the warrior begin trembling as she bit down on Xena's neck and shoulder, her own body trembling out of control. The warrior's lips, teeth and tongue continued dashing between each of the bard's nipples and Gabrielle heard herself whimpering and moaning, her voice getting louder and louder.

All conscious thoughts fled in the onslaught of the waves that swept over the bard and she felt her head tossing back with a scream as her body collapsed over her warrior, trembling as the waves kept her body moving.

Time seemed to stand still for the lovers as passion took over their bodies. Xena was always amazed by the endurance, strength and depth of passion of her little bard. One thing the warrior was grateful, too many people seemed to underestimate Gabrielle.

Together the two fell back, Gabrielle on top of Xena, still clinging to her warrior. When she felt she could breath enough again to talk she grinned into her lover's bright blue eyes. Her fingers brushing a lock of dark hair from Xena's forehead.

"Wow."

Xena grinned back. "For a bard, you seem to have short sentences."

"Sometimes one needs to do their talking with the body and not the voice. I think I can find a use for my tongue elsewhere, what do you think?" the bard began nibbling on Xena's earlobe, causing the warrior to gasp and lose whatever complete sentence she had been trying to put together.

Gabrielle's hand danced around Xena's nipples for a moment and then slowly worked its way down to the warrior's sex.

"Yes!" the warrior hissed as Gabrielle's hand parted her lips and began playing. First entering and then pulling back from Xena and then rubbing the swollen clit of the warrior and entering again until Xena was squirming, unsure which sensation was pulling the most intensity from her.

"Gabrielle, please!"

The bard had moved down to the warrior's breasts and was biting and sucking each in turn. Xena's hands found the bard's hair and began urging her lover's head lower. Gabrielle grinned and grabbed one of the hands with her own, interlacing their fingers.

Xena groaned as her body rocked, hips moving of their own accord and the bard matched the rhythm with her hands.

The bard continued her slow path down with her tongue and lips, never losing contact with Xena's body with either.

"Oh Gods, yes!" the warrior urged.

"Patience, my love," the bard whispered and grinned when the warrior growled in frustration.

When she finally positioned herself between the warrior's legs, Xena was writhing in need and frustration. Gabrielle breathed a sigh of amazement; she never tired of her lover and could never get enough of touching her. The bard remembered when she caught herself watching Xena every chance she got and was actually fantasizing touching and tasting the other woman. She had fought against those feelings but now she couldn't imagine life without the warrior woman.

Gabrielle felt herself moan with passion as her tongue parted the lower lips of the warrior. She felt her own body begin trembling. Both Gabrielle and Xena were always amazed and pleased with this aspect of their relationship, somehow they were so connected that their bodies responded to each other's growing passion, taking them over their own small orgasmic edges along with their lover. Gabrielle slowly ran her tongue between the warrior's lower lips, never losing her rhythm with her fingers. Xena cried out, her hand painfully pulling and grasping the bard's hand, her other hand digging into the ground next to the blanket. Sweat had bathed both of them and the bard could see every muscle in Xena's body straining and standing out.

Hearing Xena's cries was something that pleased the bard immensely. Gabrielle hadn't really been surprised to learn that she was the only lover Xena had ever been vocal with. She had smiled and teased Xena about control issues and the warrior had growled that it had been for security reasons. The admission had ended in a tickle fight when the bard laughed and insisted it was a control issue for the warrior.

Gabrielle welcomed the cries of passion and used her tongue over Xena's clit to encourage more sounds from her mate.

Xena had gone beyond the point of any conscious thought and she felt herself reaching the point of losing all control. This was always a point she struggled against, wanting to give everything to Gabrielle and yet struggling to hold back slightly. An inner battle always raged in the warrior at this point, no one else had ever brought Xena over that point before the little bard. It felt very much like falling, like dying, she once thought. It had been difficult for the warrior to admit to but Xena had admitted that no one had ever taken her over that final edge of total release, of total loss of control. Gabrielle was the first to ever get her that close and the only one to get her over the edge.

Gabrielle raised her head and looked at her warrior's face, seeing and feeling the struggle. "Xena, let go. I will always catch you."

Xena screamed as she fell over that point.

# # #

Gabrielle blinked and sat up suddenly, aware of a bright light falling over her and her sleeping warrior. She was startled to see Apollo standing next to them, the light shining from his hand, just as in the vision.

Gabrielle quickly turned and found Xena sleeping soundly, arm still thrown over the bard's stomach.

"Don't worry, she'll sleep," Apollo smiled and offered his other hand to help the bard up.

With a blush she grabbed one of the blankets and pulled it around her and accepted his hand. He continued to hold her hand and they walked a few feet away from the sleeping Xena. He motioned to a place in the grass and they both sat down.

Gabrielle was grateful for whatever magic Apollo had worked on her warrior, the thought of Xena being awakened by a god after the intense lovemaking they had just gone through was frightening. The bard smiled to herself, Xena hated dealing with the gods.

"Are you my father or just had a hand in blessing the child that was all ready in my mother's womb?" the bard questioned.

"I'm your father and the other gods had hands in blessing you," Apollo said and smiled. If Xena had been awake she would have realized where the light that shined in Gabrielle's eyes and smile came from. "You were and are special, Gabrielle. Ares had gained such influence over the world at the time. Sparta was a military state, totally dedicated to his purpose, all the Greek states were fighting each other and Rome was beginning its trek towards the military might she has and will continue to become. The Fates foretold that he would influence a soul beyond all our belief and this child would grow to be the fiercest warrior the world had seen, a soul for the darkness. Some of us demanded a chance at balance and Zeus and Hera agreed."

"Why me?" the bard asked while she watched Xena sleeping peacefully, she shuddered at the thought of what might have been. Total domination of the known world and destruction.

"You were destined to meet Xena whether we influenced anything or not. We decided to give you an edge, to bring your natural light to the surface and we prayed your light would reach her inner soul and bring it to life again."

He brushed a hand fondly over her hair.

"We were meant to be without you?"

"Yes, child. Your talents are natural, Gabrielle, just as the light of your soul is. Xena has a natural fighting ability, Ares just enhanced it and brought it out in her. I brought out your natural bardic skills and the light of your soul."

"What about the other gods?" Gabrielle asked.

"They had a hand in your development as well." Apollo suddenly looked serious. "Some of that influence wasn't of the light either. It'll be up to you to find out what your blessings are and how sometimes they can be mixed with darkness."

"Be careful what you ask for?" Gabrielle smiled a grim smile.

"Yes, exactly," then he grinned at her. "Some mysteries you have to find out the old fashioned way."

"You mean stumble over them," Gabrielle said with a growl in her voice.

"Yes, exactly."

He laughed at the glare his daughter gave him at that one. Even in Olympus, the bard's stubborn streak was becoming known.

"What happens now?"

"There will be many trials, many tests of your love with Xena.

It's a hard task we've set before you, the darkness will always be there with both of you," Apollo leaned back on his elbows, watching the bard closely.

He noted the stubborn set of the jaw again.

"I knew that when I met her, we both know that. We'll meet whatever comes."

"Well said, bard," he sat up and then stood up.

"Now you plan for a bonding ceremony. I am proud of the life you've led and are leading, Gabrielle. When Xena begins to question her parentage again and discovers some aspects of herself, call on me. You have inherited certain rights from me."

"You mean like Hercules?" Gabrielle's eyes were wide with surprise.

"Yes, I do," He leaned down and kissed her cheek. "Remember, I am the God of Youth." and with that he was gone.

"Youth? Oh boy."

A voice called out of the darkness, "Don't forget to invite some of us to the bonding."

"Wow," Gabrielle stood up and looked down at her sleeping warrior. "I wonder how you'll feel about that one, my love. I know how you hate dealing with the gods." Gabrielle grinned and then snuggled back into Xena's arms.

Her mind already whirling, a bonding ceremony to plan for.


	3. 03 Amazon Bonding

**Disclaimers:** Once again, let us recite the bard classic statement: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, etc etc etc. I wish I did (some seasons would have been different, thanks!), I would also have enough money to be sued for. This story is written for entertainment purposes, not for money, and no copyright infringement is intended. Don't bother suing, haven't got much, not even my sanity.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** Yup. This story contains a loving and sexual relationship between consenting adults of the same gender. If this is illegal in your state or country, please leave - either the story or the region you live in or change your laws. If you are under 18 or 21 years (depending on who thinks you're an adult), leave and come back when you're "legal".

**Violence:** Hmmm, very little. Probably even less than your usual TV episode.

**Storyline:** This is the third story in my Awakening set. As I said before, I didn't intend on writing sequels but it worked out that way and who knows where these will end up. I hope that each story stands on it's own but you might want to read "Discovery, An Awakening II" before this one.

**Feedback:** Definitely! beg beg, wait a minute, do I beg? Yup, for feedback and behind closed doors. LOL Let me know what you think.

**Revised:** June, 2001

* * *

The knock on the door caused the warrior to yelp aloud and Solan to grin. Cyrene placed a comforting arm on her daughter's arm and smiled at the expression on Xena's face.

"It's okay, Xena." Cyrene said softly. "You'll be fine."

"Mom," Xena nervously pulled on her tunic hem. "I'm nervous," the warrior admitted.

"You're scared," Cyrene corrected.

"Okay, I'm scared," Xena admitted softly. "Why? This is the best day of my life."

Cyrene laughed again. "It's all right and expected. You're taking a very big step."

The knock sounded again and Cyrene quickly hugged her daughter and then went to the door. She motioned for Solan to join her as they opened it.

"Hercules, as Kumbada to my daughter Xena, you are welcome here and I entrust her into your hands," Cyrene said formally.

"As if I need protecting," the warrior mumbled.

Xena turned and was pleased to see her Kumbada standing in the doorway with a stunned expression on his face. The warrior felt herself blushing.

"Xena, you... you look beautiful," he finally stammered.

"Thank you," she replied. "You look great."

He did, too. In formal blue dyed leather, he was the perfect picture of a Greek God and Xena almost lost her breath. The grey leather of his trousers fit nicely and the gold wrist bands set off his brown hair well, she thought. A small circlet of gold shined across his tanned forehead. He beamed at her and extended his arm for her. With a moment's hesitation the warrior took it and they walked out of the dressing hut.

The drumming and singing stopped for a moment as the couple was caught in the rays of the setting sun. Then a cheer rose up from the dancers and singers and they surrounded the couple, each wanting to hug the warrior in congratulations and good wishes before the trek to the sacred grove. After a moment the drummers and singers gathered round the couple and her escorts of Mother Cyrene and son Solan and together the small band began to move through the village, drums and chanting setting the pace.

Solan leaned over to Cyrene. "I don't know much about a traditional Greek wedding," he admitted. "We have things a little simpler with the Centaurs and Amazons. What's a Kumbada?"

Cyrene smiled and took his arm as they walked behind the couple. "The Kumbada is usually the best friend of the groom, but in this case there'll be two Kumbadas. The rituals and ceremonies will be a combination of the traditional and the Amazon, to help satisfy the outside families like me and Hecuba. The Kumbadas will escort the couple to the sacred grove for the bonding ceremony and ensure that things flow smoothly. It's a very important role. Usually, later in the marriage, the Kumbada acts as godfather to any children," Cyrene hesitated a moment, "Can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything."

"You know about Amazon customs, right?"

"A lot, since the treaty the Centaurs and Amazons have been studying each other's ways. My father says that it's important; we'll probably have to become stronger allies in the future. Both groups aren't the most popular in the outside world."

"The enemy of my enemy is my friend?" Cyrene smiled.

"Right. What's the question?"

"Why is there an armed escort for Hercules, he is an honored guest of the wedding couple."

"Well, you may also notice that I have a shadow," he grinned and pointed to a smaller Amazon female that was never far from the young teenager. "Any male on Amazon territory is escorted by an armed Amazon. No matter who it is."

"Oh," Cyrene nodded. It had been an interesting week for her and Gabrielle's family. Not the least was Xena trying to explain Solan to her and then insisting that Solan not know the truth yet. Cyrene had argued long and hard with her daughter about that one. Cyrene felt that Solan should know his mother, especially since she had changed so much and he was obviously very fond of her. Xena had countered that it was difficult enough that Gabrielle was often used against her, she didn't' want Solan becoming a target that she couldn't protect. It was hard for Cyrene to interact with the boy without letting him know that she was his grandmother. She was becoming quite fond of him and proud of the young man he was going to become.

As they approached another hut a cheer went up from the drummers and singers surrounding that hut and the two groups merged. Xena stopped and Hercules continued to the door of the hut and knocked.

The door was opened by Hecuba and Lila, Gabrielle's mother and sister.

Gabrielle shifted nervously and readjusted her wrap around skirt for the 10th time. Her mother, Hecuba smiled and wiped a tear away from her eye. The bard spotted her and tried to smile.

"Don't you start!" Gabrielle warned. "You'll get me going!"

Lila, watching from a stool in the corner of the dressing room, giggled and the bard glared at her little sister. That only made Lila giggle even more.

The knock on the door caused all three women to jump considerably.

"Oh gods!" Gabrielle whispered, feeling her heart sink into her stomach and her courage took a quick exit.

Hecuba, looking much like she did twenty years before in her white linen, sleeveless dress trimmed in a green that matched her daughter's eyes, quickly hugged the bard.

"You'll be fine. It'll be over before you know it," Hecuba reassured her daughter.

"Gabrielle! I hear them coming!" a male voice called from the other side of the door.

Hecuba and Lila went to the door, reaching out and holding hands as they opened it.

They looked great, Xena thought. Both were dressed in traditional white linen, trimmed in green and gold. Lila had a crown of flowers and Hecuba had a crown of orange blossoms. Both wore gold bracelets and necklaces of feathers and beads. Xena looked over at her mother and thought once again that she looked just as radiant in her white linen trimmed in blue.

Gabrielle turned and saw Iolaus standing in the doorway holding a sword and belt. He started to say something and then stopped dead, beginning to stammer.

"Wow, I... uh. You're gorgeous."

Gabrielle felt a familiar feeling of blush coming over her face.

"Thanks."

Then she was across the floor and hugging the blond man tightly. He grinned and hugged her back and then moved out of her arms and began strapping the sword around her waist. He was grinning from ear to ear.

Gabrielle again reflected that he was quite handsome with his blond hair and blue eyes. He was about her height (one of the few people she knew that wasn't taller than she was) and today he was dressed in a formal leather tunic dyed green to match the trim on her skirt and sleeveless tunic. Grey trousers were tucked into fur boots and cross laced with green leather thongs. Gold wrist bands decorated his wrists, a gifting from Gabrielle's tribe and a simple gold band circled his forehead.

Hercules addressed the mother and daughter, "It is the wish of Xena of Amphipolis, to wed your daughter, Gabrielle of Potedaia. She pledges to care for her, provide for her and, most importantly, to love her. Do you accept this?"

Cyrene leaned over to whisper to Solan. "Traditionally the Kumbada bargains with the bride's family, settling the dowry and lands exchanged and all that."

"We do with open hearts," Hecuba and Lila answered.

Gabrielle swallowed visibly as the sound of drumming, singing and cheering got louder, getting closer.

Iolaus grinned. "Are you going to get sick?" he teased.

"No," Gabrielle lightly punched his arm.

"Herc did," he whispered loud enough for everyone in the room to hear.

"Hercules got sick the day of his wedding?" Hecuba asked in an awed voice. She was still getting accustomed to dealing with Amazons, Gods and demi-gods.

"Yup," Iolaus grinned. "Got so nervous that he lost his breakfast."

"Iolaus, thank you for being my Kumbada," Gabrielle said quickly as the sounds outside grew very loud.

"My pleasure."

Gabrielle was pleased as well with Hercules and Iolaus both acting as Kumbadas for the ceremony. Since this wasn't a traditional ceremony but a combination of traditional, Amazon and quite a bit of adaptation, Xena and Gabrielle had decided on each having a Kumbada for the rituals they were facing and had instantly chosen Hercules and Iolaus. The women also agreed that they couldn't find a better pick for the traditional role of best man for their bonding, nor better godfathers if there were children later in the relationship.

Iolaus, dressed the same as Hercules but his leathers were dyed green, stepped forward from behind Gabrielle's family and approached Cyrene and Solan. His blue eyes dancing with delight.

"It is the wish of Gabrielle of Potedaia to wed your daughter, Xena of Amphipolis. She pledges to care for her, provide for her and, most importantly, to love her. Do you accept this?"

"We do with open hearts," Cyrene knew that Solan also agreed, even if he didn't know it was his Mom getting married. He was overjoyed to be included as a member of the family of Xena and was beaming.

The two families then approached each other and exchanged hugs, tears and laughter. Iolaus and Hercules then exchanged the wedding bracelets that Xena and Gabrielle would use. Passing them back and forth between each other three times.

Solan looked puzzled and looked to Cyrene.

"We're not sure why they rings or bracelets are exchanged three times. Tradition," she whispered.

Gabrielle knew that in a traditional wedding, the Kumbada would be bargaining with the bride's family for the dowry, monies and land exchanges and not love pledges. She was grateful once again to her mother for holding Gabrielle's father back from insisting on marriage at a young age for her oldest daughter.

Gabrielle had always been curious as to why Hecuba had fought back against Herdoctus about marriage for Gabrielle. Now that the bard knew her true father was Apollo and she was destined to have met Xena and, the gods had hoped, save the warrior from the darkness that had consumed her. The bard had been meant to save the world.

The little bard now understood why her mother had been so surprised when she came home and announced she was marrying Perdicus but pleased. Hecuba had been hoping that her daughter had saved Xena from her dark future but had broken away from the dangerous life being with Xena would mean. Gabrielle couldn't blame her mother for that one, marrying Perdicus should have been safe. A calm and secure but hard life as a farmer and healer.

When Callisto killed Perdicus day after their wedding, Hecuba had quit struggling against what the gods had said was inevitable: Xena was Gabrielle's soulmate. Gabrielle's mother was just surprised that it took both the bard and warrior so long to figure it out. Gabrielle grinned to herself, everyone around them seemed to know it except themselves.

"Sometimes for a bard you can be a little thick," she muttered to herself.

Then her heart skipped a beat as Iolaus came back to the door and offered his arm.

"Oh gods," she whispered and went to join him, adjusting the necklace of blue-green feathers and beads.

Iolaus emerged with Gabrielle holding his arm. The crowd went silent and both Hercules and Xena lost their breath in reality.

The bard was breathtaking. Xena couldn't think of any other words. The sight of her love brought tears of joy to her eyes and she quickly wiped them away and noticed that Gabrielle's eyes were also bright with tears of joy.

The Amazon Queen was dressed in a white sleeveless leather tunic that was trimmed in gold and green, a green to match her eyes. A white wrap around skirt was also trimmed in green and fur. At her wrists were matching green leather bracers and gold bands decorated her upper arms. Around the bard's neck was a strand of blue-green feathers and beads. To complete her outfit a ceremonial sword hung at her side.

The surrounding Amazons broke into a cheer and went to their knees and bowed their heads at the sight of their Queen. Gabrielle blinked as the cheer from everyone surrounding the hut washed over her and she self herself blushing again. Then her eyes caught sight of her mate and her heart skipped a beat again and she felt her eyes filling with tears of joy.

Everyone except Xena and Cyrene went to a bended knee for the Amazon Queen. Xena and Cyrene bowed their heads as Gabrielle began to approach them.

The warrior was dressed the same as Gabrielle was but her sleeveless white tunic was trimmed in blue and gold, to match her piercing blue eyes. The wrap around white skirt came down to the top of Xena's blue dyed boots that were laced up with white leather thongs. Matching blue leather bracers covered Xena's forearms and silver bands decorated her tanned upper arms. Around the warrior's neck was a necklace of black-blue feathers and beads. The sword at the tall, black haired woman's side was a silver ceremonial sword.

Gabrielle stood in front of her chosen mate and lifted Xena's head to look into those blue eyes.

"You are so beautiful," Gabrielle whispered. "I love you."

"You take my breath away, little one," Xena whispered back. "I love you too."

Gabrielle took a place beside the warrior and everyone rose. Hercules and Iolaus went to a tray being held by an Amazon and carried two goblets to the couple. Each woman took a goblet and drank half the wine. Then, with grins, they each dropped a coin into the goblets and returned them to their Kumbada's.

"Wine, the sweetness of life and the coin represents that they each pledge to care for each other," Cyrene whispered to Solan.

Everyone cheered and the drummers began drumming again. Both families fell into behind the couple and the Kumbadas began to lead them towards the sacred grove of the Amazons.

Along the way the couple's hands sought each other and interlaced together. In their other hands they carried sprigs of ivy to symbolize the eternity of their love. Along the way the members of the tribe lined the path and tossed blossoms and grain at the wedding party.

As they neared the grove the party passed through an archway of ivy and holly and through the smoke of two smudge pots on either side of the archway.

Solan leaned over to Cyrene. "We pass through the smoke of sacred herbs to cleanse the body. Xena and Gabrielle have already gone through three days of purification. A day of sweating in the sweat hut, a day of fasting, and a day of meditation."

"Is it true that they couldn't see each other during that time?" Cyrene whispered.

"Yup, also heard rumors that Xena tried but Ephiny caught her," Solan giggled.

"I believe that of my daughter," Cyrene grinned back and she could see Xena's face begin blushing and remembered her daughter's uncanny hearing abilities and that she had heard the conversation. Cyrene bit her lip to keep from laughing at her daughter's discomfort.

As they reached the edge of the trees everyone stopped and the drummers and singers went silent. An Amazon, the shaman stepped forward, sword in hand.

Cyrene started to lean over to Solan but he put up a hand to stop her question.

Hercules and Iolaus started to move forward and Solan moved around the two women to join the men. As they knelt in front of the priestess Gabrielle felt a swelling of pride and could feel the same emotion radiating from the warrior next to her for the young man. Gabrielle had heard the argument between Xena and her mother about the boy. Once Cyrene knew Solan was her grandson she had wanted him to know that as well and get to know the boy. Xena had been firm that he shouldn't know the warrior was his mother yet. The warrior had tried to convince Cyrene that it was just too dangerous and that he was better left in the dark and with the Centaurs. That argument hadn't been settled yet,

Gabrielle knew. The bard could see where Xena inherited her stubborn streak from.

Cyrene moved closer to her daughter, curious.

The three males knelt on both knees before the priestess and lifted their heads. The priestess, not speaking, placed the point of the blade against their throats and then moved to the next male after a moment. She abruptly handed the sword to an attendant Amazon and took a bowl from the attendant. She approached Solan first and dipped her finger into the liquid and smeared a streak across his forehead and moved to repeat the gesture to Hercules and Iolaus.

Another bowl was handed to the priestess and she smeared the cheeks of the males with this liquid.

"Xena?" Cyrene whispered.

"Males aren't allowed into the Sacred Grove without being purified," Xena whispered as Gabrielle was whispering to her family by her side. "First with the smoke, then blood and finally spring water."

"The males have to be purified before entering the sacred grove of the Amazons, dedicated to Artemis, our patron goddess. First with the smoke that we passed through and then with the blood of one of the forest animals and finally with pure spring water to signify rebirth," Gabrielle whispered to her family.

The priestess nodded to the males and stepped back and into the shadows. The three rose without a word and resumed their places in the group.

"It's rare for a male to be granted the privilege," Solan whispered, awe in his voice as he leaned next to Cyrene's ear.

"Xena loves you very much," Cyrene commented and watched the young man stand even taller.

The drummers and singers in front parted to the side of the path and joined the tribe members waiting in the grove as the wedding party approached the altar and Ephiny. Xena grinned as she heard Solan behind her, "Wow!"

The warrior had to agree with the assessment. Standing on the stone platform that held the altar, the Regent Amazon looked amazing. The chestnut haired Amazon was in complete royal outfit. Her white leathers gleamed in the setting sun and the leather and feathered mask made her look somewhat terrifying. In her hand she held a sword and an Amazon stood on either side of the altar, both in ceremonial clothing and with notched arrows, symbolizing Artemis. All the tribe members were in their very best clothing and ceremonial masks.

Xena glanced over and found Hecuba and Lila's eyes wide at the sight of the fierce and almost fabled warrior women. Not many outsiders had seen an Amazon ritual before, especially a private bonding ceremony.

Two of the Amazon warriors approached the wedding party and guided the family members off to either side, Solan included.

Hercules and Iolaus approached the altar and knelt on one knee before Ephiny. They placed the wedding bracelets on the altar and waited.

Ephiny motioned for the two warriors to rise. Hercules and Iolaus moved slowly and lifted the crowns off the altar.

"The crowns represent that a wedding is a royal occasion, no matter the status of the couple. Xena and Gabrielle choose silver and gold, representing the Moon and Sun," Cyrene whispered to Solan.

Hercules and Iolaus walked around the altar platform three times with the crowns, holding them high for everyone to see. Solan looked to Cyrene for an explanation but she merely shrugged, much like her daughter would. "No one knows why three times."

Xena and Gabrielle moved to the altar and placed their twigs of ivy that represented undying love on the altar and knelt. The men approached them and placed the crowns on the heads of the women with a kiss on top of the head. After a moment of silence the men then switched the crowns. After the third crowning the two Kumbadas moved aside and faced the altar with the wedding couple. Gold for Gabrielle and silver for Xena. The Sun and the Moon.

"Tribe members! Family and friends of the couple!" Ephiny's voice carried to the far ends of the grove. "Tonight we honor two friends, two loved ones, and one of our tribe in a bonding ceremony. They have committed to each other and have faced trials together. Tonight is a ritual of something that already exists. Tonight we honor the love between Xena and Gabrielle."

Ephiny stepped around to the front of the altar and held the point of the sword at Xena's throat. Even though Cyrene knew it must be part of the ritual, still she felt her heart skip a beat at the threat to her child.

"Do you enter freely into this bonding, warrior?" Ephiny demanded, her face hidden behind the mask.

"I enter freely of my own will and desire," Xena answered strongly.

Ephiny removed the sword and placed it at Gabrielle's throat. "Do you enter freely into this bonding, bard and Queen?"

"I enter freely of my own will and desire," Gabrielle answered in a strong voice as well.

Xena smiled to herself. It had taken some explaining to Hecuba and Lila about the Queen part. Like the situation with Solan, Gabrielle didn't let too many people know that she was the Queen of the Amazons, it could lead to problems with her family. They were still in shock over the exact nature of their daughter being an Amazon. They had known that she had become a member of the Amazon tribe before, the Queen part was still a shock.

Ephiny handed the sword to an attendant and then pulled out a dagger. With a quick stroke she had cut a lock of the young woman's hair from behind the girl's neck and then quickly cut a lock of the warrior's hair.

The Regent moved behind the altar and held the hair for all to see and then mingled the locks together in her palm. "I offer this hair of the marriage couple to Artemis as sacrifice and ask that she bless this union of Gabrielle and Xena."

Xena and Gabrielle both threw their hands up and Ephiny jumped backwards as a sudden burst of light filled the altar area. Everyone went to their knees when they realized that Artemis was standing behind the altar next to Ephiny. Then with more bursts of light several new figures joined the ceremony. Xena wasn't sure whether to curse or welcome them as she took sight of them in.

Apollo, Cupid, Aphrodite, Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Persephone and Hades.

"I'm not surprised Ares isn't here," Gabrielle whispered to her lover and Xena nodded. Gabrielle knew she had to be relieved of that small favor. The warrior was still tense, just as Gabrielle would expect, Xena hated dealing with the gods.

"I thought Apollo was kidding about coming to the wedding," Xena muttered under her breath and the bard bit her lip to keep from laughing at her warrior.

The gods and goddesses took up places on either side of the area, along with the families.

"Because of the good these two have done for world and the gods, we all offer our blessings to this union and encourage their love. Know this and let all witness our proclamation, their love is destined to span all eternity and beyond this reality. The love between Gabrielle and Xena is rare and it is a soul mate bonding. I call for a blood joining if they are willing to accept their fate," Artemis announced.

Everyone was obviously stunned by the presence of the gods and the announcement from Artemis but Ephiny quickly recovered. Gabrielle was stunned, she felt Xena squeeze her hand tightly.

"As you wish, my Goddess," the Regent stood and faced the wedding couple. "Do you accept this, Xena and Gabrielle?" she asked simply.

The two women looked at each other, each sinking deep into the other's eyes. Both reached out at the same moment to caress the other's cheek. Gabrielle, with her empathic gifting, felt the love pouring from her lover and the bard felt like her heart would burst with joy. Blue eyes began to fill with tears of joy, matched by Gabrielle's.

"We do," they answered.

"Friends and family," Ephiny faced everyone. "The gods have blessed this union and have called for a blood bonding. This is a rare binding of soul mates, by binding their blood together in front of the gods they are binding their souls together. It is the ultimate commitment anyone can make, god or mortal. From this point, no matter what happens between them, their souls will be joined."

Xena and Gabrielle each squeezed their hands tighter, reaffirming their decision with each other. Gabrielle felt tears beginning to escape her eyes. She leaned against Xena's strong arm, wanting to be closer to the warrior. Xena squeezed her hand again.

The shaman priestess stepped out of the shadows and approached the couple slowly. Wordlessly, she peered out from under her ceremonial headdress, her hazel eyes piercing into blue and green ones. She drew a dagger from her belt and Gabrielle and Xena extended the hands they had been holding together, palms up.

The priestess turned back to the couple and held the dagger over their palms for a moment and then, with quick and deft strokes, sliced open the palms of both women's hands. A bowl appeared from somewhere within her robes into her hand as she caught a portion of the blood from both hands. She handed the bowl to an attendant, who also seemed to appear from nowhere, and then clasped the hands together again.

Gabrielle's breath caught in her throat at the sensation, the intensity. The bard heard Xena gasp as well, it felt like lightning was flowing through their veins. Gabrielle threw her head back with the surge of power and her body began trembling, she felt Xena's body responding the same.

Regent Ephiny knelt before the Goddess Artemis and the Goddess of the Hunt, patron of the Amazons, extended her hand over the bowl in blessing. Ephiny then stood and poured some of the blood into a wine goblet on the altar. Raising the goblet high, Ephiny chanted an invocation and blessing and then walked down from the altar to stand in front of the couple.

"Your vows, warrior," Ephiny instructed.

Xena turned to Gabrielle and took a deep breath, her eyes beginning to fill with tears of joy again. "You saved my life, my heart and my soul. They are all yours, my love. I pledge to be yours for eternity."

"Your vows, my Queen," Ephiny instructed.

"You gave me life and opened my heart and soul. They are all yours, my love. I pledge to be yours for eternity," Gabrielle said, a tear escaping her eyes.

Ephiny handed Xena the goblet. "With this wine and blood you pledge your soul and blood to each other. You will be joined beyond this life."

Xena drank half the wine readily and handed the goblet to Gabrielle. "With this wine and blood you pledge your soul and blood to each other. You will be joined beyond this life," Ephiny repeated and smiled behind her mask as Gabrielle easily drank the rest of the wine/blood mixture.

Ephiny took the goblet back to the altar and faced everyone. She held up the bonding bracelets, interwoven strands of gold and silver. "These are the bonding bracelets chosen by Gabrielle and Xena, they symbolize their commitment to each other."

Hercules and Iolaus both approached the altar and took the bracelets from Ephiny, each handing Xena and Gabrielle a bracelet. Artemis pointed her finger and the leather thong fell into pieces at their feet. The two women placed a bracelet on the other's wrist.

"You are bound before your family, your tribe and before the Gods. May you never regret this decision," Artemis announced.

"Speak total truth, Daughter," Zeus spoke up and both Gabrielle and Xena turned to him with a surprised look. "You were destined to be together whether we agreed or not. We are pleased, though and you have our blessing."

With that Zeus, Hera, Demeter, Persephone and Hades were gone. Aphrodite, Cupid and Artemis looking pleased.

"Gabrielle, you are my Chosen and an Amazon and have my special blessing. Because of your binding to her, you have my blessing as well, Xena," Ephiny was left staring at the space where Artemis had been.

"We're glad you finally worked out, girls. Catch you later,"

Both Aphrodite and Cupid were gone.

Xena breathed a sigh of relief and Gabrielle elbowed her in the ribs.

"Behave," the bard hissed with a smile.

"With that many gods around, I'm just surprised nothing went wrong," Xena smiled back.

"Friends, family and tribe, I proclaim this part of the bonding ceremony over. The families, Kumbadas and escort will accompany the couple to the wedding hut on the far side of this grove.

Beginning in the morning we will begin the reception of the delegates from surrounding cities and nations to honor our Queen, followed by a dinner tomorrow night. Then we'll send them all on their way and hold a week long festival here among ourselves and our honored guest and family members," Ephiny announced. With the announcement over she let out an Amazon celebration cry that was picked up by all the members of the tribe as well as the visiting Amazons from other tribes. Even Solan joined in the shouting.

Still holding hands the two women followed their Amazon warrior escort and their Kumbadas with their families following behind. As they approached the hut the escort broke off to take up positions on either side of the hut door. Hercules and Iolaus stopped and turned to face the two women. With wide grins they each kissed Xena and Gabrielle and hugged them.

"Thank you for choosing us as your Kumbadas," Hercules said.

"I wouldn't think of anyone else," Xena smiled.

Hecuba and Lila joined Gabrielle by her side. They were then hugged by the bard tightly. "I love you both," the little Amazon said simply.

"We love you too, Gabrielle, and couldn't be happier," Hecuba smiled and hugged her daughter again.

Cyrene and Solan also came forward to hug and kiss Xena. The warrior wiped a tear of joy from her mother's face. "I love you, Mom."

"I love you too and I couldn't be more proud of your match."

Xena looked down at the teenager and then hugged him tightly. "I love you too, squirt."

"Yeah," he said simply.

Then the families took turns hugging their new daughter-in-laws. Finally, everyone moved aside and the escort opened the door for the couple to enter the hut.

Holding hands once again they crossed the threshold.

As the door closed behind them the bard felt herself swept into her taller lover's arms for a long and lingering kiss. Gabrielle wrapped one arm around the warrior's neck and the other around Xena's waist. As the kiss refused to lessen for either of them, the bard found her knees go weak and her body trembling.

"It's been a long three days, my warrior," Gabrielle complained as they broke apart slightly. The bard began to trail her kiss down to the warrior's neck.

"Yes, it has," Xena agreed, pulling the bard closer to her by lifting Gabrielle up into another kiss.

Gabrielle took advantage of the wrap around skirt and surrounded her legs around her warrior's hips and ducked her head down to bite Xena's neck. Xena grabbed the bard's nicely shaped ass and pulled the bard tight against her as she groaned and whimpered. Gabrielle answered with a growl of her own as they fell against the wall of the hut.

The two Amazon guards outside the hut tactfully ignored the thump and the moans that were increasing in volume inside the hut. All the Amazons had been very aware of the sexual energy between the two women during their stay in the village before the wedding. Ephiny complaining to her own mate that she hadn't gotten a solid night's sleep since the two women had arrived.

Hercules and Iolaus moved into the tree line a short distance from the hut. They sat down and leaned against a tree.

"They were beautiful," Iolaus commented softly, pulling out his sword and laying it across his lap.

"Yes, very beautiful," Hercules agreed.

"Herc," Iolaus began slowly. "Do you ever regret letting Xena go?"

"No. I love her and she loves me but we're not in love with each other. She is a remarkable woman, though, and stunning," Hercules commented, almost wistfully. "How about you?"

"No, that was just lust," the smaller man grinned.

Hercules lightly shoved his friend and they settled in for a long night. Xena and Gabrielle might not be a traditional Greek wedding couple but Hercules and Iolaus were prepared to complete their roles, including protecting the wedding couple on their bonding night. Besides, Hercules was worried. Where in Tartarus was his half-brother?

Gabrielle moved back from Xena's neck back to the warrior's lips, both tongues fighting back and forth, the bard's hand lacing through the warrior's hair, holding the woman's head tightly into the kiss. Gabrielle felt Xena regain her feet and move them to the bed in the center of the room. The bard kept a tight hold on the warrior as they fell to the bed and with the agility of a cat, flipped Xena over onto her back.

Gabrielle was pleased when her mate yelped in surprise and then moaned in pleasure as the bard began tugging at the laces of the warrior's tunic. With a growl she pulled the restricting cloth from Xena's body. Tears almost sprang to the bard's eyes as she slid down the warrior's body and positioned a leg between her lover's legs. The feeling of Xena's body melding into hers felt like a melding of fire and ice, intense heat that sent shivers over her body. She wasn't sure who was moaning more or louder, herself or her mate as she took a nipple in her lips, lightly rubbing her teeth over the tender flesh. Xena's hands in her hair captured her head in place as the bard began devotions at Xena's breasts.

The last thing Gabrielle expected was to be hitting the far wall of the hut with her back and the back of her head. Everything went black for a moment as she slid down the wall. The bard shook her head in time to see someone reaching for her, grabbing her by the collar of her tunic and lifting her off the floor and high on the wall, feet nowhere near the ground.

The bard blinked, staring into intense brown eyes and familiar beard.

"Ares!" she hissed.

Without looking back he snapped a fist back and caught her mate along the jawline, sending the warrior flying backwards to the floor next to the bed.

"Hi, can't say I'm sorry to break up this little scene. I need you to disappear for a couple of days, what say we get out of here?" he grinned.

"Never!" Gabrielle hissed and the God of War smacked the bard's head into the wall in response. The bard clawed as his arm, knowing it was useless.

Both the bard and War God looked down in surprise at the blade sticking through his stomach. For a moment Gabrielle had hope that this might be over but he merely brushed aside the sword, breaking the blade off and backhanded Xena again.

Gabrielle, seizing his momentary distraction, jammed two fingers in his eyes when he turned back to her. With a howl of rage and pain Ares dropped the bard to the floor. Gabrielle quickly got to her knees and started to dive past him but was surprised with the speed of his recovery, receiving his downward fist blow at her temple and eye, sending her to the floor.

Before she could even blink and realize she was bleeding, he had lifted her up again and the bard was thrown across the room with the force of his blow to her mouth. The bard lay stunned.

As the darkness tried to claim her, the bard heard her Xena screaming in rage and the sound of blows.

Hercules and Iolaus found themselves on their feet and running before their minds had caught up with their instincts a few minutes later. They blinked as they ran, taking in the sight of the God of War sitting on his tailbone in front of the wedding hut. He was sitting on the door that someone had just thrown him through.

Before the two male warriors reached the small yard Ares had stood up only to find himself pierced several times in the chest by arrows from the Amazon guards. He snarled and broke the arrows off.

Everyone stopped when Xena bounded out of the hut, broken ceremonial sword in her hand. Hercules and Iolaus started running towards the fight again, ignoring the fact that the warrior woman was dressed only in her wrap around skirt and missing her tunic.

"Sword!" the warrior hissed and one of the Amazon guards quickly drew her sword and handed it to the Warrior Princess.

Hercules and Iolaus ran in between Xena and Ares. "Let us handle this, Xena. Amazons, see to your Queen," Hercules instructed.

"All right, enough of the games!" Ares snarled. "Either way you want it, Xena. I was just going to take the irritating little wench for a couple of days. Her absence would be enough to start some minor wars between the delegates, but since you object so strongly - I'll settle for your death or hers, either way works for me right now!"

With a flash of his hands both Hercules and Iolaus went flying backwards into the walls of the hut.

Ares and Xena met in the center of the yard, swords clashing, sending sparks flying between them. Hercules shook his head and looked up at the fighters and shook his head again. The sword strikes were moving faster than he could even follow. He stood up and helped Iolaus up.

"Protect Gabrielle, whatever you do, don't let him near her."

"You got it," Iolaus disappeared into the hut.

"No!" Hercules screamed as Ares reached behind his back and pulled out a dagger. Before Xena could counter the sword and dagger the God of War had sliced her sword arm and followed through with a sword strike that knocked the sword from her weakened hand.

A sword point at the warrior's throat stopped Hercules.

"Xena, it doesn't have to be this way," Ares said. "Come back to me, leave the wench here and everyone lives."

"I'd rather be dead," Xena answered calmly.

"Ares, you do this and I'll track you to the ends of the universe and find a way to kill you myself," Hercules warned.

"Oh shut up, brother," he turned his eyes back to his former Warlord. "You married her?" he demanded.

"Worse than that, Ares. We are blood bonded," Xena held up her hand to show him the bandage.

Ares' face turned extremely red with rage and he raised his sword with a scream and Hercules began moving again.

"Don't you dare hurt my mother!"

Xena looked up in time to see Solan launch himself from the nearest tree and land on the God of War's back. Ares screamed with rage and when he turned Xena saw a dagger embedded in the back of his neck. If he had been human his spinal cord would have been severed.

With a scream the God backhanded the young teen, sending him flying across the yard and into a nearby tree where he sank unconscious. Hercules grabbed Xena from launching herself at Ares.

"See to Solan, I'll take care of him."

As the warrior knelt beside her son, the God of War found himself grabbed by the ankles and lifted over the head of Hercules. With a yell of rage, Hercules slammed Ares right into a tree. Without releasing his hold, Hercules swung Ares over his head and into another tree.

By now a large number of Amazon warriors broke into the clearing, armed to the teeth and ready for battle. With another yell, Hercules rammed Ares to the ground. The God of War lay in the dust stunned.

"You leave Xena and Gabrielle alone or I will keep ramming your head into things until you can't even remember your own name!" Hercules threatened.

Before Ares could respond Hercules had grabbed him by the ankles again and began swinging him around and around until he had built up quite a bit of speed and then released the War God, sending him flying over the tree tops with a yell.

The large demi-god quickly ran over to where the Amazons and Xena were gathered around the young teen. Solan opened his eyes with a groan and found himself in the arms of the Warrior Princess.

"Hey, you're crying," he whispered.

"Are you okay?" she answered.

"I think so, that kinda hurt," he admitted. Ephiny and Xena helped the young man stand up and then steadied him as he swayed on his feet. Xena quickly ran her hand over the young man's body and looked in his eyes. Satisfied she stepped back and looked at him.

When the bard's vision cleared she found an Amazon warrior bending over her, checking her pulse and head and Iolaus standing right beside the warrior. Then the Amazon Queen noticed another Amazon guard standing next to her, arrow notched with two more in hand ready.

"What's happened?" she whispered as Iolaus reached out a hand to help the small woman to her feet.

"What do you remember?" he asked cautiously.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and her jaw clenched. "Ares!" She quickly shoved past her Kumbada and saw a small crowd of warriors at a nearby tree. Through the crowd the bard saw her mate bending over someone.

"Xena!" Everyone turned to see Gabrielle standing in doorway of the hut, flanked by the two Amazon warriors and Iolaus. With a smile she ran into her mate's arms.

Ephiny frowned and approached the two, lifting Gabrielle's face from her mate's chest. All the Amazons muttered or growled when they saw the black eye and the trickle of blood from their Queen's lips.

"I'm all right," she reassured them. "Ares wouldn't take 'no' for an answer." The Queen looked over at the shaken Solan, realizing that he had somehow been involved with whatever had happened with Ares. "Are you okay?"

"Yeah, a little bruised, I think," he shrugged, instantly reminding the young bard of the boy's mother, Xena.

Iolaus stepped forward and handed the warrior her tunic. She grinned at his blush.

"I thought you might like this back."

The warrior stepped out of Gabrielle's arms and slipped the tunic over her head. "Ephiny send word to our families that we're fine, I'm sure they heard the commotion. Let's have the healer take a look at Solan and Gabrielle too."

"I'm fine," both the teenager and bard said at the same time.

"For me?" blue eyes pleaded with both of them and they finally nodded. "Go on, I'll be there in a moment."

Together her son and mate began walking with the Amazons towards the healer's hut with Ephiny explaining to the bard what had happened with Solan filling some in.

The bard shook her head, realizing how close she, Xena and Solan had come to possibly dying at the War God's hands. It sent a chill down her spine for her warrior. She had no idea what Solan's or her death would do to the warrior. Gabrielle didn't want to find out.

The healer quickly looked both the teenager and her Queen over carefully and put some salve on the cut above the bard's eye and pronounced them fit. Ephiny sighed with relief and gave Gabrielle a quick hug.

Xena placed a hand on Hercules' arm. "Thank you, my friend."

"Any time," he grinned. "Go see to your mate."

With a grin the warrior was off at a trot to the healer's hut. Then she stopped dead at the door before entering. Solan had called her 'Mom.'

"Oh gods," she muttered and then took a deep breath and entered the hut, walking slowly past the armed guards at the door.

As they waited for Xena to join them Solan became very quiet and withdrawn.

After a hectic candlemark of explaining what had happened to

Ephiny and both families, having the healer check both teenager and Queen, and finally getting everyone to settle down, the warrior found herself sitting at a table in the healer's hut, alone with Solan and Gabrielle.

Solan sat with his head lowered and Gabrielle could see something different about her warrior, her new wife. What was it? Xena was nervous? The bard was suddenly very curious as to what was up.

"Solan," Xena began slowly and was surprised to see the young teen blushing.

"I'm sorry," he stammered.

"For what? You saved my life," Gabrielle leaned over and hugged the boy and he seemed to relax a bit.

"I've been practicing my stalking in the trees. When I heard the sounds of a fight I knew it had to be you," he explained in a rapid sentence.

"Of course it had to be Xena," Gabrielle agreed with a grin.

"I'll get you for that, bard," Xena threatened with an answering grin. "Go on, Solan."

"I made my way through the trees. I know I'm not supposed to enter the grove, but I was afraid you were in danger!" his eyes looked panicked and she placed a hand over his in a calming manner.

"I was," Xena said and Gabrielle knew how hard that must be for her warrior, to admit that she had been in trouble, that was quite an admission.

"I saw that man, Ares, about to strike and I didn't think." Solan dropped his eyes, as if expecting to be scolded.

"You saved my life," Xena repeated. "I might have been able to fight back, probably not."

"You certainly weren't dressed for the occasion," Gabrielle giggled. The bard was very sorry that she had missed the fight with Ares with her half naked mate.

Xena glared at her and then grinned.

"I think it did distract him for a moment. Besides, who got me in that condition?" Xena countered and then turned back to the boy. "Solan, you said something as you struck Ares," she hesitated, wanting to see what he meant by the cry he had sounded out.

Solan began blushing even more and wouldn't meet Xena or Gabrielle's eyes. Xena leaned over the table and raised his chin to meet her eyes.

"I'm sorry, I know you didn't want me to know," he whispered.

"Solan, what do you know?" the warrior whispered back.

"That you're my mom."

"Whoa," Gabrielle muttered and started to get up.

Xena caught Gabrielle's surprised eyes and motioned the bard to stay, when her mate began to stand up. "You're my mate and my family. Please stay," she asked and Gabrielle sat back down. "How do you know?" Xena asked.

"I figured it out. Dad said that my mom was a warrior in your army, who had died giving birth to me, but I felt it. Every time you were near it just felt... it felt right. And I have your eyes."

"And my stalking talent," Xena grinned and then grew serious. "Solan, I..."

"I figured it out, with Dad's talk about alliances and the treaties. You're afraid for me, aren't you? Is that why you left me?"

Gabrielle felt tears springing to her eyes and wasn't surprised when her warrior stood up and grabbed the boy from across the table, hugging him tightly. The bard knew that hug; it was the same one Xena had given her when Gabrielle had crossed back over from dying.

"Solan! I always wanted you!" Xena whispered. She pulled back from the embrace but kept both hands on the boy's arms, keeping her eyes locked with his. "I was the Warlord when you were born. I couldn't take you with me. I would have been killed and you would have been killed, as well. At the very least, someone would have hurt you or kidnapped you to get to me. I wasn't a good person and I wasn't fit to be a mother. I left you with the Centaurs because I knew they would protect you, and no one would figure it out," Xena tried to explain.

"I kinda figured that, but you've changed. You do good stuff now, why didn't you tell me?"

"The danger is still there! Ask Gabrielle how many times someone has tried to use her or hurt her because of me. I love you, but you can't be with me," Xena looked to the bard for confirmation but Gabrielle refused to answer. She and Xena had gone through that argument enough on their own. The bard had flatly refused to leave Xena, even when it was dangerous. She watched Xena brush a tear away.

"I know that, but can't you just visit a little more often?"

Again the warrior crushed her son in a hug while Gabrielle gave her a tired smile.

When the two finally separated, Xena ruffled the boy's hair. "You bet, kiddo. Now, go back to bed. I don't think Ares will dare come back tonight."

Solan reached out and grabbed Gabrielle in a hug. "This means you're my mom too."

"You bet," she agreed, her heart filling with even more love for the young teenager.

With a grin he scampered out the door, his Amazon escort close behind.

Xena ran her hand through her hair. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry about all of this. It isn't exactly how I wanted our wedding night." She ran a hand over her jaw, beginning to swell from where Ares had caught her twice with his fist.

Gabrielle laughed and grabbed her lover's hand, leading them to the door. "I know that, but I just married Xena, Warrior Princess. Am I surprised things got a little exciting?"

Xena managed a smile at that, then frowned, sadness clouding her eyes as she touched the beginning bruise at Gabrielle's eye. "I could kill him!" the warrior hissed, her eyes turning an angry ice blue. Gabrielle reached up with her own hand and stroked Xena's cheek and was pleased when Xena's eyes softened at the touch.

"I know, love, but let it go tonight." Gabrielle asked softly.

"For you, anything."

"Then let's finish what he interrupted, thank you," Gabrielle whispered as she leaned up and grabbed one of the warrior's earlobes in her teeth and lightly pulled.

Xena growled and picked Gabrielle up off the ground into her arms. The bard yelped and clung to her mate, laughing as Xena began carrying her across the village common grounds.

Ephiny, watching from the shadows of her hut, smiled approvingly. She was also cursing Ares and thanking the gods for Hercules and Iolaus being around. She knew that without the demi-god things would have gotten bloodier than they were, probably with several deaths.

She shook her head and followed behind the couple, keeping to the shadows. It wasn't like Ares to make such a bold move. To actually attack the couple? Ephiny knew he was usually more subtle. To actually be willing to kill Xena, that was new. The Regent of the Amazons realized that Xena's bonding with Gabrielle must have rattled him more than they had thought it would.

"Could he be more attached to her than he lets on?" Ephiny wondered to herself.

Xena knew the Regent was behind them but didn't mind. She also knew that warriors filled the trees along the path and around the wedding hut. For once the warrior was grateful that Ephiny was cautious.

Gabrielle spotted several Amazon warriors in the trees and knew there were many more surrounding the hut in the shadows and trees. She had also seen Ephiny following behind the couple when the bard glanced over Xena's shoulder. In her lover's arms and surrounded by Amazons, Gabrielle felt safe.

Xena grinned at the sight of Hercules and Iolaus trying to replace the door to the hut that she had kicked Ares through. The sound of him smashing through the door had been satisfying for the warrior; especially when she was seeing nothing but red. He had struck Gabrielle twice, after knocking Xena across the room.

Hercules and Iolaus spotted the couple approaching and with an exaggerated gesture, moved the door aside so they could get through. Xena grinned and bowed slightly to their Kumbadas and entered the hut. The two men attempted to replace the door as best they could to ensure privacy.

Xena and Gabrielle were quite sure they were going to be on guard, along with the Amazon warriors.

Gabrielle yelped as Xena tossed her onto the bed and then grinned when the warrior joined her, half pinning the bard to the bed.

"Now, where were we?" Xena asked and then began nibbling on the bard's neck.

"I think I had your tunic off and your breasts in my mouth," Gabrielle whispered, tugging at the tunic.

Xena groaned and let the bard pull the tunic off and arched her back as the Queen took a nipple into her teeth.

"Oh gods, I think that's about the point," Xena agreed.

With an answering moan, Gabrielle agreed. She reached down and undid the belt holding Xena's skirt together. Unbuckling the restricting leather, she tugged the leather skirt aside and pulled Xena close to her. Xena broke the contact long enough to pull Gabrielle up into a sitting position and lift the bard's tunic off. The warrior sat back for a moment, marveling in the beauty of the body in front of her. Gabrielle reached out tenderly, as if afraid to touch a dream, thinking the same thing about Xena's body. The bard could see the same emotion in her bondmate's eyes.

"Gods, it's always like I'm seeing you for the first time. You are magnificent!" the bard whispered, running her hand over the perfect breasts, sending shivers down Xena's spine. "When I look into those eyes of yours it feels like I'm falling into the sky."

Xena smiled and touched the Queen's cheek. "I'm always here to catch you," she promised. They came together for a kiss that seemed to last a lifetime, between them. Everything faded away as they lost themselves in the feeling of each other, the first true kiss of their blood bonding. Xena melted into her bard and was able to put aside the worry of Ares reappearing and Gabrielle, or her part, sank deeper into her warrior and forgot about the politics facing her the next day. Finally, nothing existed for either of them but the other.

"My Queen, if you're going to grab breakfast and bath, you need to get up now," a voice called from outside the hut.

Gabrielle moaned and threw an arm over her warrior's stomach. She muttered something about another few minutes of sleep. She and Xena hadn't slept much with the excitement of the attack from Ares, discovering Solan knew that Xena was his mother, calming the families down after the attack, and then a very long session of love making, the bard was tired and her muscles were refusing to move.

Xena opened her eyes slowly. It had been a long night and she would prefer to stay in bed as well.

"We'll be right there, thank you," she called out.

"Hmmmph," Gabrielle answered.

Xena grinned and moved her bard's arm to the side and leaned over her grumpy Queen. She began kissing the bard from the back of the neck and down the spine.

The bard's senses began waking up when she felt Xena's soft lips slowly beginning to kiss a trail up the bard's spine from her neck to her lower spine and then began working her way back up again. Gabrielle moaned in pleasure, her body stretching. The bard arched her neck as she felt Xena's lips reach it and then felt a gasp torn from her as Xena's hand reached between the bard's legs, Gabrielle's body instantly responding to her lover's touch as the talented fingers began dancing between her folds and over her clit.

"Oh gods, you definitely know how to wake someone up!" Gabrielle whispered, her body instantly responding to Xena's touch.

"I can't stop touching you," Xena whispered back and half turned the bard over to kiss her roughly, her fingers entering her lover, causing Gabrielle's body to begin trembling. Then her teeth sank roughly into the bard's neck and Gabrielle grasped the edge of the bed with a whimper, her body rocking to a rhythm with her warrior. The Amazon Queen began a series of cries that escalated with the warrior's strokes in and out, and with the thumb caressing her swollen clit.

"Gods, Xena!" Gabrielle hissed, biting into the blanket twisted under her body.

"Yes," Xena whispered and then resumed biting and working the bard's neck. The warrior's eyes were dancing with delight behind her eyelids as the bard's body stiffened and clamped down on the warrior's hand, attempting to capture her fingers totally, as she climaxed. The bard screamed out her name and then continued trembling, as wave after wave shook her body.

Xena wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, holding tight, as her mate regained her breath.

"You are incredible," Gabrielle whispered, turning over to face her mate.

"So are you, little one," Xena smiled back.

"I love you."

"I love you. I wanted you for so long, now I can't get enough of you."

"When did you realize you were in love with me?" Gabrielle asked, running her fingers through Xena's hair and down the warrior's arm, sending shivers over the warrior's spine.

"I thought you were cute from the start. I realized I was attracted to you very early. I remember feeling a twinge of jealousy when we dealt with the Titans."

"You mean, when you thought I slept with a man?" the bard asked, a teasing lilt to her voice.

"Yup," Xena agreed. "Then I had to face, it down the line, that I wasn't only attracted to you. That I could deal with; but that I had fallen for you, as well. That was a little more to deal with."

"I don't remember exactly when I realized what I was feeling for you. All I knew was that I was thinking of you all the time and my feelings were definitely beyond the friendship thing."

Gabrielle stroked her lover's arm, a frown coming over her face.

"What is it, little one?" Xena asked softly, stroking the bard's face.

"You were in love with me when I married Perdicus, weren't you?" Gabrielle whispered.

"Oh boy," Xena muttered. Gabrielle knew this was uncomfortable for both of them but she wanted the answers they had both avoided. She as feeling guilty about Perdicus' death and having Menestratus, his brother, try to kill her and Xena didn't help those feelings.

"Why didn't you say anything?" Gabrielle whispered, sinking her head down into Xena's chest.

"I thought you would be better with him and I didn't think you could be interested in me. Did you marry him knowing you wanted me?" the warrior asked softly.

Gabrielle felt tears beginning to well up in her eyes and fought them back.

"Yes," she admitted, finally giving it voice for the first time. "I didn't think you wanted me. You treated me like a kid a lot then."

"That doesn't explain why you married him," Xena muttered.

"He loved me very much and I was fond of him. I thought I could fall in love with him and we had a good start on a friendship. I thought it would be better than my parents if I couldn't have you," the bard whispered, beginning to cry.

"It's not your fault he's dead," Xena held her wife closer.

"I know and yet it is." Gabrielle insisted. "It's mine, yours, Callisto's, Menestratus' and even Perdicus himself. If I had told you how I felt maybe he'd be alive."

"He'd still be a soldier and maybe dead," Xena reminded her of Perdicus's chosen profession. "It's not your fault, little one."

"I know, it just hurts knowing I married him for the wrong reasons."

"Those reasons are better than most people have when they enter a marriage, you know that," Xena said simply.

"I know, I feel so guilty about his death! I'm sorry he's dead but it brought me back to you!"

Gabrielle felt the warrior's arms tighten around her and the bard finally let the guilt pour out. After a few moments the bard felt drained but better. Xena was stroking her head and holding her tight.

"I know, little one," the warrior whispered. "I have the same guilty feelings. I wanted you happy but I thought I would die when you left. I didn't know how to go on without you."

"I love you so much!" Gabrielle hugged her mate tightly.

"We're going to miss breakfast," Xena reminded the bard.

"For once, my warrior mate, I am willing to miss breakfast," Gabrielle grinned and began to kiss her warrior from the lips, down the chin and throat. Xena relented, rolling onto her back as the bard covered her, and slowly worked her way down the warrior's body. The tall woman found herself clutching at the blanket as well, as fingers began dancing across her stomach and nipples, while the bard's loving lips and tongue moved lower, beginning it's own dance between Xena's folds.

Gabrielle moaned with pleasure as her lips and tongue found her lover's wetness and she lovingly began a rhythm with her tongue. Moaning from the feeling of entering her lover with several fingers, Gabrielle almost missed her warrior moaning as well. The bard glanced up and saw Xena's head thrashing back and forth on the bed, the warrior gritting her teeth as her body began shaking uncontrollably.

Xena was surprised to hear herself cry out loud when the bard entered her with several fingers and her tongue began dancing around the woman's clit. The bard's other hand kept up it's dance between Xena's nipples, working them torturously until the warrior was thrashing back and forth on the bed, gritting her teeth as her body began to shake.

"Gods, yes, Gabrielle!"

The bard moaned herself as she drank in, of her mate. Again nothing existed for the two of them except each other and the sensations being aroused. Gabrielle felt herself giving over to the passion of her warrior, whimpering as Xena arched and then sat partially up to grasp the bard's shoulders. As the warrior's fingers dug into her skin the bard felt her own buildup beginning and increased the speed and intensity of her own devotion to Xena's body. The younger woman felt like she could make love to her mate for all eternity, and never get enough. Gabrielle often thought that this must be what paradise would feel like, akin to the emotions and overwhelming joy that grabbed her heart and soul and body as she made love to Xena. The bard thought this must be what true worship of a Goddess was, total connection, total love.

Gabrielle felt Xena's body stiffen and begin the strong spasms. She gasped herself as fingernails broke the skin on her shoulders and began leaving slight furrows. The bard looked up at her warrior's face.

"Let go," she whispered and was rewarded with Xena falling backward with a scream of the bard's name, her body arching and spasming, over and over again. Gabrielle moved up Xena's body and held her lover close.

When Xena regained her strength, she moved so the bard could snuggle in her arms, a comfortable and familiar position they often slept in. She frowned and brought her hand up to her face.

"Oh gods, Gabrielle!" she exclaimed, starting to sit up but was stopped by the bard. "Your back!"

"Don't worry about it, my love. I enjoyed every minute of it." Gabrielle whispered softly with a smile, pushing her warrior back down.

"You're bleeding!" Xena insisted.

"Yup, I think you marked me." Gabrielle answered simply.

"Ack!"

"Besides, my love, when you get a look at your neck, I think you'll find that I already marked you," the bard smiled a mischievous grin.

"This will look good for the delegates," Xena complained with a smile, settling back down with her lover.

"Oh well, they can go to Tartarus if they don't like it."

They both jumped at a pounding at the door.

"My Queen, I must insist!" Ephiny's voice carried through the broken door. "You just have time to get dressed before receiving your guests!"

"I guess we better get up, little one," Xena suggested with a laugh.

"Be right there, Ephiny!" Gabrielle called out.

Ephiny, meanwhile, noticed the guards wouldn't meet her eyes. "How long have they been awake?" she demanded and watched her two sentries shift uneasily on their feet.

"Uh, a little while now," one finally answered.

"Those two! I swear they can't hold off for ten minutes!" she muttered.

A candlemark later and Gabrielle was in clean clothes and sitting with Ephiny while she and several Amazon elders ran down a list of visiting delegates and small details about them. After another candlemark the bard found herself rubbing her eyes and neck, lack of sleep and politics were giving her a headache. She glanced over and saw Iolaus nodding off in the corner, almost about to fall off his stool.

She reached out and threw an unlit candle at him and tried to keep from laughing as he fell off the stool backwards, hit his head in the corner and slid down the wall. The Kumbada looked up at his responsibility and grinned.

"Go on, get out of here. Ephiny and I will be talking for a bit longer." Gabrielle ordered and the man quickly scurried out of the hut, his escort right behind him.

Ephiny grinned along with her Queen and elders. She had to admit that Hercules and Iolaus were good friends to the Queen and her Champion and Ephiny had to like them for that.

"Ephiny, remind our escorts that they should be like shadows, I want the delegates to be comfortable. The more comfortable someone is the more they talk," the bard grinned.

"Yes, my Queen," Ephiny grinned back. Over the seasons of being Queen, even an absent Queen, Gabrielle had impressed the life long Amazon. At first Ephiny had resisted the small woman, she hadn't been trained as an Amazon, she wasn't Amazon royalty and here the outsider was her Queen. Ephiny had come to respect Xena as a warrior and Gabrielle as an intelligent young woman who was up to the challenge of the office of Queen. Ephiny pitted anyone who underestimated her Queen on any level.

"Did Rome send a delegation?" Gabrielle asked, almost holding her breath.

"Yes, my Queen. A squad of Praetorian guards, led by Brutus of Rome," one of the elders answered.

"Thank the gods that Caesar didn't decide to come," Gabrielle breathed a sigh of relief. Just the sight of a Roman uniform would probably send her warrior reaching for her weapons, the bard knew.

That was one point Gabrielle didn't think she'd ever get Xena to let up on, the warrior's hatred for Caesar. The bard knew that the Roman had betrayed Xena's trust, love (or was it lust) and had the warrior crucified and her legs broken on a cross. Gabrielle knew that was something Xena wasn't likely to get over until Caesar was dead and she knew the warrior was hoping it would be at her hand.

"Ephiny, have someone keep an eye on them. Xena's not known for rational thinking when it comes to Romans."

"Yes, my Queen," The Regent called an attendant over and whispered to the young girl who was off out the door with a dash.

"I take it Xena doesn't care for Caesar?" one of the elders asked with a smile.

"No, if Caesar were here we'd have to tie her to a bed to keep her from wringing his neck," Gabrielle smiled back.

Xena had reluctantly separated from her mate for the first part of the morning. All the warrior had to do for the morning was bathe and get dressed for the long day in front of them. Gabrielle, on the other hand, had to bathe, get dressed and once again go over with Ephiny, and some of the Amazons versed in politics, which delegates were coming and little details about their dealings with the Amazons and with each other.

Xena grinned, hopefully Ephiny would take pity on her little bard and have something brought in for the Amazon Queen to eat while studying the politics and politicians. Xena felt the bruise at her neck and felt herself blushing remembering exactly how she had gotten that bruise that night and why the little bard had missed breakfast, a rarity, indeed.

Xena's thoughts were abruptly shattered into stunned silence when a Roman stepped in front of her. His Amazon guard on alert, watching his every movement.

"Brutus?" she whispered, hand instinctively reaching for her chakram. The Roman held up his hands to show he was unarmed.

"Easy, Xena. I'm a guest here," he smiled and pointed to his escort who also had her hand on her sword. "They don't let us have weapons here, remember?"

"I didn't know who they were sending from Rome or if anyone would even come to the wedding," Xena commented simply. The Roman fell into step beside her and his escort behind them.

"I got the lucky duty. I'm here with a small Cohort of Praetorian Guards from Caesar," he grinned at her expression and the darkening of her eyes. "I see his name still gets a reaction out of you."

"Caesar..." the warrior began in a low growl.

"Pax, Xena. I didn't come to trade insults or threats about Caesar. I'm here to offer Rome's official congratulations on the Amazon Queen's wedding," he continued as they entered the eating hut and followed her along the food table. A quick look around told Xena that several delegates and their parties had arrived all ready and were sitting around, eating and eyeing each other. The energy in the place was stifling. Not actually wishing to leave Brutus, Xena led them to a table near some of her favorite Amazon warriors.

"Tell me, warrior. Do you know the Queen?" Brutus asked as he bit into one of the celebration cakes being offered.

"Yes, I've known her for some time. I'm good friends with a large number of this tribe," Xena answered carefully and Brutus merely acknowledge with a nod.

"Why do they keep her identity a secret?"

Normally Xena would suspect that the Roman was trying to get information out of her but she knew that almost every delegate in the room would be asking that question sometime during the next few hours.

"The Amazons adopted that policy awhile back. Sometimes the Queen moves and travels outside the territory and it makes it easier and safer if no one knows who she is," Xena answered, biting into her own food, careful to seem unconcerned about the questioning.

"But you know her," Brutus observed.

"Brutus," Xena warned, eyes flashing.

The Roman laughed. "No, I'm not asking you to tell, warrior.

Just baiting you. I personally hate these functions. Everyone tripping over themselves to be noticed and out intrigue each other. I hate politics."

"I thought Rome was politics," Xena smiled and the Roman shrugged.

"Comes with the territory," he agreed. He looked around and then back to the warrior. "Where's your friend, Gabrielle?"

"She's around, why?"

"I'd like to see her," Brutus shrugged when he noticed Xena's questioning look. "She's nice and it's not often we get to meet nice people, don't you agree?"

Xena had to laugh at that in agreement.

"She's so unusual," he continued. "She travels with you and yet she's... hmmm, what words to use?"

"She's like the light of the sun compared to the darkness we live in?" Xena offered and was actually pleased when the Roman grinned.

"Exactly! Now don't get pushed out of shape, warrior. I know how protective you are of her, I mean no harm to her."

"I think I believe you, Brutus," Xena countered. "Because if you did, you wouldn't live long."

"I know that. What is she up to?"

"She's helping with the preparations. Gabrielle was adopted into the tribe a couple of seasons ago."

"Really? The Amazons don't take in adult females often," he whistled. "Tell me, do you know if the Amazon Queen is marrying a man or woman?" he changed the subject.

"Female."

"Thought so, then it's probably not a political marriage," he nodded to himself.

"No politics involved at all," Xena smiled.

"Good, that answers one of the questions that everyone coming today will have. You know how these damned petty tyrants get," he complained, waving his hand around to indicate the majority of the room. "Afraid that one might marry into a more powerful family, everyone has been buzzing about this all morning. Since no outsiders know who the Queen is they have no idea who she's marrying. They're all afraid that the wedding couple will come out and they'll find one of their worst enemies is marrying into a very small but powerful nation."

"Can't they figure that out by noting who's here and who isn't?" she grinned.

"Nope, some have only sent delegates, others are here themselves, but not talking. To them, it could be any of them. I'm the only one not in consideration!" he grinned.

"Why is that?"

"You know Caesar would never let me marry someone that powerful and you know damned well that he'd never marry an Amazon. You scare him enough, as it is."

Xena's eyes flashed again. "Good, let's keep it that way."

Brutus laughed. "He may be my friend but I have the feeling that you two will settle this one day and I don't think I want to be around when you do."

"Is Caesar anyone's friend?" Xena countered.

Brutus lost his smile and held up his hand. "Xena, let's not get into this, please. I was enjoying breakfast."

Xena allowed her eyes to soften. "You're right, Brutus. Pax," the warrior stood up to go and Brutus held up his hand again.

"Xena, you're well known here. Can you do something about this damned shadow of mine. Gives me the creeps to have someone half a step away from plunging a dagger in my back and I'm unarmed. I'm not here to hurt anyone," Brutus complained.

"Sorry, Brutus," Xena grinned, rising to her feet. "Even Hercules gets an escort."

"You don't," he grumbled.

"I'm female," she grinned even wider.

"Why do I get the feeling that you'd be more of a danger to their, uh, feminine natures than I would?"

Xena felt a blush coming to her face and was considering throwing the Roman through the wall. He grinned and then laughed. "Nice bruise, warrior," and he rose himself to take his dishes to the cleaning room.

Xena felt the blush complete itself and willed herself not to touch the bruise on her neck that she knew he was talking about. Xena knew that it would be obvious to anyone seeing her that day how she had spent the night. She found herself almost uttering a prayer that no one would figure out with whom she had spent the night with outside of the Amazons and her family.

After another candlemark Gabrielle called a halt to the session. She knew she had absorbed about all the information she could at that point. Ephiny grinned as the elders left and pointed to a cot alongside one of the walls.

"Grab some rest, I'm going to find out what the delegates have been talking about and send you some food. Seems my Queen missed breakfast this morning," Ephiny teased.

Gabrielle smiled in return and rubbed her eyes, looking at the cot longingly.

"Go on, I'll be back in half a candlemark, you can get some energy back before dressing for the ceremony."

Gabrielle sank onto the cot with a sigh and was asleep instantly.

Xena suddenly felt tired. When she was a Warlord she was accustomed to everyone around her being a threat and being threatened. It came with the territory, as Brutus had said. Trusting no one was the best advice anyone could give a Warlord. Xena's eyes narrowed in thought as she carried her dishes to the cleaning room. She didn't even notice the kitchen help thank her for carrying the dishes in.

Xena remembered when she had trusted someone in those days. She had ended up on a cross. She especially remembered Caesar's face and voice when he had ordered her legs broken and then left her to die. It had taken years for her to trust anyone.

Xena, still deep in her memories, walked across the common yard towards the bathing hut. The first person she had ever really trusted after that was Gabrielle. With a smile the warrior remembered how she had fought against that, too, and how she had fought against her feelings about the little bard.

"Xena!"

The warrior's head came up at the voice and smiled when she saw Ephiny heading her way. The Regent looked tired and hurried.

"Glad I found you. You were with Brutus, what did he ask?" Ephiny got right to the point.

"Basically, if I knew who the Queen was, who she was marrying and if I'd tell him," Xena grinned. "The other stuff was how terrific Gabrielle is and Caesar is his friend."

Ephiny almost dropped her mouth open. "He talked about Gabrielle and you let him live?"

"Must be getting soft," Xena agreed with a smile. "Everyone is interested in the identity of the Queen, of course. They're also dying to know whom she is marrying. Seems the delegates are all afraid it's a political marriage and one of them might end up with more power than the others through marriage."

Ephiny nodded. "That's what our escorts have been reporting. We've caught two delegate members trying to give their escorts the slip and spy on the wedding hut. Fortunately, they were caught and our Queen isn't there right now."

Xena noticed how they were both using the title and not the name of the Amazon Queen while in the open. The warrior had the feeling that they would be doing that for the rest of the day.

Ephiny shook her head. "I'll be glad when this part of it is over. I hate having all these people here!" she growled.

"Especially the men?" Xena teased and Ephiny glared at her.

"What did you tell Brutus?"

"The truth. I know who the Queen is and who she's marrying, and that I wasn't going to tell him. I did tell him that it wasn't a political marriage, it was to a female and no power was involved," Xena answered, continuing along with Ephiny towards the bathing hut.

"Good, let's hope they all figure that out soon enough. Go bathe and get dressed. Stay close to the main huts and I'll send for you when it's time to get ready for the wedding ceremony and reception," Ephiny started to move away.

"Ephiny, how in Hades are you going to keep the Queen's identity a secret? She's not exactly unknown to some of the delegates."

"The wedding couple will both be in ceremonial clothing, masked and neither of them are going to say a word," Ephiny grinned.

"The Queen not say a word? I want to see you pull that one off!"

Ephiny laughed and trotted away.

Xena found Hercules and Iolaus sparring with some of the Amazon warriors in the training yard and stopped to watch. The warrior was pleased with the Amazons, they had actually worked up a sweat on the demi-god. Iolaus was breathing very hard and looked like he had been on the wrong end of several blows.

The smaller man spotted Xena and held up his hand to stop the session for himself. With a warrior's handshake to his sparring mates, he grinned and walked over to Xena, leaning against the fence, watching Hercules with her.

"Hey," he said simply.

"Hey, how's the Queen?"

"Got a headache, I think. She took mercy on me and let me out of that damned hut. We're about to go clean up, it's getting about time for the royal stuff."

"Yup. You looked good out there," she commented.

"Yeah, sitting on my tail, mostly," he laughed. "These warriors are good."

"Yes, they are. Let's hope it stays peaceful today."

"No sign of Ares, Caesar stayed home, might work out," Iolaus grinned.

Xena spotted a runner signaling to her and quickly hugged the small man over the fence. "Got to run, I think the Queen would like to see me."

"See ya around the tables."

Gabrielle became aware of the body next to her, lightly running a finger up her thigh and under her skirt. The smell of leather was reassuring to the bard and she snuggled into the arm under her.

A frown crossed the bard's face just as a hand reached her sex. Gabrielle opened her eyes.

"Ares!" without a thought she shoved the god right off the cot, dropping him on his tailbone next to the bed. She quickly swung upright and, again without thinking, tackled the warrior, hitting him up each side of his head while he threw up his forearms to block her blows. He finally grabbed her arms and threw her back onto the cot and stood up, holding up a warning hand to keep her sitting down.

"Hey, can't blame a guy for trying!" he protested.

Gabrielle could feel that her face was an extreme shade of red. "What do you want?" she hissed, regretting that her staff was by the door, all the way across the room.

"Just a friendly discussion," he smiled, holding up his hands in a gesture of peace. Gabrielle's eyes narrowed suspiciously.

"What do you want all ready?"

"What would make you happy?" Ares asked, sitting down on the edge of the table.

"What?" Gabrielle looked puzzled.

"What would it take to make you leave Xena?"

"Oh gods, you have got to be kidding! When will you ever give up?" she demanded.

"Never and I have a long life ahead of me. Why don't you give up? You know the darkness in her is mine and that she'll eventually go back to it."

"Never! Why don't you just leave before Hercules adds some more bruises?" Gabrielle snapped.

"Careful, or I'll add some more to yours," he hissed.

"Try it!" the bard tensed her muscles for a spring, not intending on being surprised again. "Artemis is probably really pissed at you right now."

"She's always pissed at me. I'm not giving up, you know," Gabrielle blinked, staring at where he had been.

"Oh gods, why can't that god get a life other than us?" she muttered.

Within minutes, Xena found herself in her mate's arms, losing herself and her surroundings totally. The two finally broke apart when Ephiny coughed to get their attention.

"Sorry, you two, but you need to get dressed," Xena grinned and noticed her bard blushing. "Your families are already dressed and, to keep everyone safe, both mothers and Lila are in masks and Amazon clothing. No outsiders will know they aren't Amazons. Solan is with Hercules and Iolaus and no outsider knows who or where he comes from."

"Thank you, Ephiny," Xena said simply.

"Get dressed and I'll send an escort for you both. Remember, Hercules and Iolaus will do the speaking for both of you. Too many people know the two of you throughout Greece, and several kingdoms outside of that. It wouldn't be hard to figure out who the small blond and a tall dark haired warrior getting married are if they hear your voices or if you wear your traditional weapons."

Xena reluctantly stepped out of her mates' arms and loosened her chakram and handed it to Ephiny and then her sword.

"Brutus knows I'm here and I'm sure several other delegates also recognized me, won't they miss me and put things together?" Xena asked.

"I'm going to have one my tall warriors dressed in your armor and your weapons with a mask and cloak on. Hopefully, they'll figure it's you. We'll keep her away from most everyone, especially the delegates."

Xena frowned at the sight of her weapons moving away from her, but sighed and began tugging at her armor.

"Let me do that, my warrior," Gabrielle grinned, and began the familiar task of helping Xena out of her leather armor. She reached up and kissed the back of the warrior's neck, and probably would have kissed more and longer if Ephiny hadn't growled.

Gabrielle hurried, with a blush that only matched Xena's.

"You two!" Ephiny complained with a smile.

Xena hated royal functions. It was one thing that she had liked about being a Warlord. She could do away with all the fluff stuff and get right to business when she wanted to. Now, she felt trapped, and she was sure that Gabrielle probably felt the same.

They had been brought in from opposite sides of the yard by armed escorts, knelt before Ephiny at the altar, and had suffered through the speech required of the Regent. Ephiny had spoiled everyone's suspense, by stating that the wedding couple's identity would not be revealed to the outside world. Xena had resisted jumping to her feet instinctively at the rumbling of the crowd. Ephiny had insisted on silence, stating that the protection of their Queen was more important than anything else.

To help relieve the situation, Ephiny had stated that the marriage was a love bonding and not a political one. Knowing that most of the delegates and royalty in the crowd probably wouldn't know a loving relationship if it bit them, she emphasized that this was a wedding and not a political battleground.

Most of the grumbling settled down when it was announced that the wedding couple would not be exchanging lands or political/royal offices. They were told, the Queen's mate, who was already her Chosen Champion, was becoming her Consort. Ephiny explained that this role had privilege, but no political power, in the Amazon nation.

By this point Xena was getting quite tired of kneeling. Her hand reached out and found Gabrielle's hand seeking hers as well. She leaned her head over onto the bard's for a moment in reassurance. She knew Gabrielle couldn't see her attempt to smile because of the mask but trusted that her mate could feel the love pouring from her. The bard squeezed her hand in return.

Xena had been impressed with their ceremonial clothing. The feather and leather masks effectively covered the entire face, even the eyes were difficult to see and the feathers continued over the head and down the back, hiding even the hair.

Xena had been concerned about her height and noticeable black hair. She was easily recognized, especially since a large number of the outsiders had seen her before. She was a little more reassured when she knew that the only thing really noticeable about her was her height. Even her manner of walk wasn't totally unusual among the nation of warrior women.

Ephiny then turned to the couple and raised her hands over their heads. The Shamaness approached and walked around the couple, carrying a bowl of smoldering incense and spread the smoke over them. Then she sprinkled several drops of spring water over them. Then she disappeared back into the trees.

Ephiny motioned the two Kumbadas forward and Hercules stepped next to Xena and Iolaus next to Gabrielle. Together the men reached out and grabbed the crowns off the altar and placed them on the heads of the wedding couple and then exchanged them three times before leaving them. Then the two men helped the women to their feet.

Both Xena and Gabrielle drew their ceremonial swords and handed them to their Kumbadas. Hercules and Iolaus held the swords up to Ephiny and then turned to the crowd and held them aloft.

"These sword represent the power of the warrior and the spirit of our tribe members. Together this couple have expressed the desire to enter into a bonding," Ephiny spoke ritually.

Hercules stepped in front of Xena and knelt before Gabrielle, holding the sword aloft over his head in his hands and bowed his head.

"It is the wish of your Champion, Queen of the Amazons, to be wed to you and become your Consort. She pledges her life, her heart, her soul and her love to you. To symbolize this, she offers you her sword," he spoke loudly.

The Queen leaned forward and took the sword from his hands and held it aloft, over her head.

"The Queen accepts this token of love, this pledge of loyalty, honor and trust," Iolaus spoke and Gabrielle sheathed the sword at her own belt. Hercules stood and moved back beside Xena.

Iolaus stepped in front of Xena and repeated Hercules' movement. "Healer, Shaman and warrior, it is the wish of the Queen of the Amazons to become your mate and to take you as Consort. She pledges her life, her heart, her soul and her love to you. To symbolize this, she offers you her sword," he also spoke loudly.

Xena leaned forward, took the sword from his hands, and held it aloft, over her head.

"The Consort accepts this token of love, this pledge of loyalty, honor and trust," Hercules spoke and Xena sheathed the sword at her own belt. Iolaus stood and moved back beside Gabrielle.

Xena again was impressed with Ephiny's planning. By using the titles of 'healer' and 'shaman' before her traditional one of 'warrior,' the Regent was hoping that it would be more difficult for the outsiders to identify the Warrior Princess. Not many knew her roles in life as healer and shaman.

Xena found herself holding her breath for a moment when Ephiny invoked and sacrificed to the gods, wondering if they were going to make a second appearance. She finally began breathing when it was apparent that they weren't. Gabrielle grabbed and squeezed the warrior's hand again. Xena grinned under the mask, knowing the bard was thinking the same thing. The night before had been exciting enough with a large number of the Gods and Goddesses showing up to personally bless the marriage of the bard and warrior. And then Ares had shown up later to protest the bonding.

Xena reflected that not many of them had slept much.

As Ephiny chanted her prayers Xena found her thoughts drifting to the night before. Ares getting pounded into the trees by Hercules, Solan admitting he knew that Xena was his mother, and then the bliss of her lover's arms. It had been quite a night.

Finally the prayers were over and the couple held up their arms to show their bonding bracelets to the crowd.

"Last night, this couple was joined in a bonding ceremony of the Amazons and were blessed by the gods. Let it be known, that our Queen has taken a Consort."

The Amazons let out a shout of celebration and the other members of the crowd began clapping. Hercules and Iolaus escorted the two women to the wedding table, leading them around it three times and then sat on either side of the couple. Solan had looked to Cyrene for an explanation of the table thing but she merely shrugged.

"Another three thing," he whispered to himself.

For the next candlemark the couple shook hands with each delegate and their party members, accepting their congratulations. Hercules and Iolaus voicing their acceptance.

Finally everyone was allowed to begin eating. Then came the toasting and it seemed to the wedding couple that every single person, especially the delegates, had to get a toast in and didn't want to be outdone by the others.

Both Xena and Gabrielle were actually grateful after awhile for the masks, it hid their boredom, frustration, and finally their weariness.

After the toasting and the meal the wedding party was delighted when the Amazon drummers and singers took up the pace and a large number of Amazons leaped into the center of the yard and began dancing and leaping about. Traditional Greek dances were also included and quite a number of the delegates joined in the celebration. Then the area cleared and the wedding couple stood up, escorted by their Kumbada to the dance area. The drummers took up a beat that was akin to a heartbeat and which both women found very erotic and inticing. The Kumbada bowed and moved away from the couple as they began their courtship dance.

Xena wasn't much for public dancing but she knew her little bard delighted in it. The warrior found this dance different. She wasn't sure if it was wine she had been drinking, the sensual beat or the masks hiding their identities and lending an air of anonymity, but she was enjoying the dance. Gabrielle was obviously enjoying it as well and Xena found herself totally flushed with a heat that began in her loins and quickly traveled throughout her body as the Queen moved in close to her mate, bodies almost touching and then moved away, moving to the beat. Xena almost groaned in response.

Xena found her body responding and matching Gabrielle's moves until they moved as one, each dancing and teasing, drawing the other into the other's space and world. Gabrielle spun around and fell back, letting her lover's arms wrap around her, catching her and protecting her. Their bodies continued moving with the beat and Xena suddenly wished they didn't have the masks on, she wanted to nuzzle Gabrielle's reddish blond hair and nibble at her neck very badly right then. By the way Gabrielle's head arched back into her lover's breasts, the warrior knew the Queen was wishing the same thing. So did everyone else.

Xena resisted the urge to move her hands in either direction over the bard's body but it was a challenge. Then Gabrielle grabbed one of her hands and spun out of the warrior's arms and then back into them, holding her lover close as the drums slowed to a stop. The two women held each other for what seemed an eternity, each looking deep in the other's eyes through the masks.

Cheers, howls and whistles from the Amazons and guests brought the couple back to reality and they bowed to everyone, acknowledging the end of the dance.

The crowd began filling the dance area again as the couple started moving back towards the feast table. Several delegates and Amazons stopping them along the way to congratulate them again and wish them the best. Xena grinned under the mask, somehow Gabrielle hadn't spoken a word yet.

Xena was surprised when Gabrielle, still holding her hand, stopped before they reached the table. Xena turned and suddenly wished she could see the bard's face. The smaller woman was standing near the table and Xena couldn't see Gabrielle's eyes because of the mask. She was about to break her silence when Gabrielle crumbled to the ground.

Brutus, standing very near the couple, started to rush and bend over the fallen woman when a voice stopped him.

"Touch her and die," the taller of the wedding couple threatened.

"Everyone stand still or die where you stand!" a shout went up over the beginning commotion.

Xena, bending next to Gabrielle, looked up and saw Ephiny standing on the feast table, sword in hand. Xena glanced around and saw the area ringed with Amazon archers, each with arrow ready.

"Consort, your Queen to the healer's hut!" Ephiny ordered as Xena gathered the small woman in her arms. She quickly moved through the parting crowd with Hercules and Iolaus following, swords drawn.

Once in the healer's hut Xena quickly tore her mask off and removed Gabrielle's. She hissed when she saw the bard's face.

Gabrielle was covered in sweat but was deadly pale and cool to the touch. Xena's face showed her terror as the healer entered the hut, followed by Ephiny. Together the healer and warrior examined the unconscious Queen while the Regent looked on, a look of concern and fury on her face.

Gabrielle's eyes fluttered open but seemed unfocused. "Xena?"

"I'm here, Gabrielle. Can you tell us what's wrong?"

"I don't know. Everything started spinning and then went black. Everything's fuzzy." Gabrielle closed her eyes again.

"Gabrielle! Stay with me!" Xena begged, rubbing the bard's hand.

Gabrielle opened her eyes again but was having trouble keeping them open.

The healer reached out and touched the warrior and motioned for Ephiny to move closer. She held up the bard's hand so they could both see a slight scratch across the back of the bard's hand, red streaks beginning up the woman's arm.

"Poison." she announced simply.

"What kind? Can you tell?" Xena asked, turning back to find Gabrielle had closed her eyes again.

"No, not yet. Think, both of you, who had contact with her?"

"Oh Tartarus!" Ephiny cursed, "Everyone! They all shook your hands!"

"Ephiny, get back there and have everyone searched, there must be a needle in a glove or something."

"Right. They won't be happy and this might just cause a war but

I'm going to find that son of a bacchae!" Ephiny was out the door in a flash. Xena caught a glimpse of Hercules, Iolaus and several Amazon warriors standing outside the hut, weapons drawn.

The warrior wasn't surprised when both families came barging into the hut. Hercules closed the door behind them.

"Xena?" Hecuba pleaded as she knelt beside her daughter.

"We don't know. We think she was poisoned."

"No," the mother whispered, stroking the bard's forehead.

"Mom?" Gabrielle whispered and managed to open her eyes.

"I'm here, so is Lila." Hecuba tried to smile.

"Xena," Gabrielle attempted to sit up but the warrior held her back down.

"I'm here, my love."

"Is the healer here?" Gabrielle whispered, trying to keep her eyes open.

"Yes," the warrior answered.

"It's beginning to hurt. It feels like my veins are on fire, spreading to every muscle. The stomach is starting to hurt too," the bard described. Xena looked to the healer who shook her head.

"I don't know yet. We need to know what they used or if they have the antidote with them."

Xena's eyes narrowed. "Hercules!" she called.

The demi-god opened the door. "Find out if Ephiny has found anything. Poison!"

He was gone without a word.

Xena cried out as Gabrielle's body suddenly arched, pain racking her face. Her fists grabbed the blanket under her and she whimpered with pain, biting down hard on her lip. After a moment it passed and she collapsed back onto the cot.

"Warrior, something that attacks the nerves and muscles. I don't have an antidote here. You're looking for something foreign to this region," the healer told Xena.

"It'll take time for everyone to be searched. Hecuba, stay with her. I'm going to see if I can find some answers." Xena knew she didn't have to instruct the mother to stay by her daughter. Hecuba's jaw took on that familiar stubbornness that Xena knew from her mate and the woman nodded.

"Xena, your mask, your identity." the healer pointed out.

Xena stopped and thought for a moment. "Damn! As Xena I could probably terrify some answers out of someone but that might lead to more danger later."

"The danger is now, Xena." Hecuba said softly.

"Yes," Xena agreed and stepped out of the hut without her mask on and trotted to the reception area. On the way she spotted her double and quickly grabbed the Amazon. "My weapons," she instructed and the woman quickly surrendered them to the tall warrior.

Xena began strapping her sword on as she continued towards the delegates, surrounded by Amazons and being methodically searched by them before being allowed to return to the shade of the trees.

Xena ran up and joined Ephiny who took in Xena's weapons and lack of mask quickly and then nodded in understanding.

Xena jumped up on the feast table and heard several gasps of recognition as the crowd took in her wedding clothes and her identity.

"Most of you know me. For those who haven't seen me before, I'm

Xena and I'm really pissed off." Everyone went quiet. "My mate has been poisoned and I want the antidote and I want it now. My mate is also the Queen of the Amazons, so you also have them to deal with. If you give up the antidote or the name of the poison now, you'll have three hours head start before they come after you. If not, then not even the gods will save you from me or them." she said simply and waited.

Both she and Ephiny watched the crowd shift uneasily, each looking at each other but not wanting to meet each other's eyes. Xena's eyes narrowed. "Ephiny, start with the ones who would have the most to gain by a war with the Amazons and work from there. Did anyone leave the area or the territory just after the wedding?"

"I'll find out." Ephiny promised and moved away. Hercules caught up with Xena as she jumped down from the table.

"So far nothing." he said simply.

"How good are they searching?" Xena asked, watching the delegates try to move away from her.

Hercules grinned a grim smile. "Not even a gem smuggler could get past them."

A runner approached the warrior and went to one knee. "Consort, Regent Ephiny says that four members of the Roman party left immediately after the receiving."

"Brutus!" Xena yelled loudly and everyone and everything went quiet. The crowd parted and left the Roman and three of his men standing in the center of the yard.

Brutus raised his chin in defiance as the warrior and Hercules approached. Xena saw Ephiny running from another direction towards them. With a growl she lifted the Roman off his feet.

"What did you use?" she demanded.

"Not my doing, warrior!" he said through gritted teeth.

"Brutus, four of your men are on the run and the Queen is poisoned, what am I supposed to think?" the warrior dropped him and knocked his feet out from under him. His three men started to move forward in a protective stance when they found several Amazon warriors had swords at their throats. The men held still.

"Tell me, damnit!"

"I didn't do it!" he insisted.

"Hercules, bring him! Amazons, hold them!" the Consort instructed and began moving quickly towards the Healer's hut.

Inside the hut Xena found her armor on a chair and Hecuba in a chair next to the bard. The healer was mixing herbs in a mortar bowl. She shook her head discouragingly.

Hercules dragged a reluctant Brutus through the door with Ephiny right behind them. The Roman went pale when he saw the Queen of the Amazons on the cot, thrashing and sweating in pain.

"Gabrielle?" he whispered.

"Yes," Xena answered. "Now what poison did you use?"

"Xena, I swear to all the gods, I had nothing to do with this!" Hercules grabbed him by the collar and lifted the Roman off his feet again. "You know I would never harm Gabrielle!"

"You didn't know it was her when she was poisoned!" Xena shouted back.

"I do now and I still swear that I didn't do it!"

"Who are the men that ran?" Xena demanded.

"They were personally assigned to me by Caesar."

Xena's eyes narrowed and began flashing. "Caesar?"

"Yes, Xena, I swear I didn't know!"

"Put him down, Hercules." the demi-god obeyed, still holding onto the Roman's collar. "Do you have any idea what I am going to do to you if Gabrielle dies?" Xena whispered, coming in close to him.

"Xena, I didn't know and I didn't have a hand in this." he pleaded.

"Which direction would they go?" she demanded.

"Not towards Rome. Caesar said something about Egypt to one of them." Brutus answered.

"If you're lying to me or if you're wrong, I'll turn you over to the Amazons. Gabrielle is their Queen, do you think they'll be gentle with you?" Xena promised.

"Xena, let me ride with you. I can approach them and get the antidote or the name of the poison before you could."

"No, you'll slip away the first chance you get." Xena shook her head and removed her tunic, turning her back to the Roman and grabbing her leather shift. She quickly began putting on her familiar armor.

"No, I swear I won't. I want to save Gabrielle, you know I do."

"You're also a Roman and Rome comes first. Caesar has decided that the Queen of the Amazons would be a better ally if she's dead. You serve Caesar."

"I serve Rome first and I don't agree with this move. Let me help!"

"Xena, we must move!" Ephiny insisted.

"All right, but no weapons."

Xena quickly went over to her mate's side and fought back tears as the bard's body once again arched in unbearable pain. When she collapsed again on the cot the healer shook her head.

"These herbs may slow it down but you must hurry, her body is being torn apart. She's all ready lost all of her stomach contents and she can't take much more of the pain."

"Hecuba, I'll most as fast as I can!" Xena promised, looking in the tear filled eyes of the mother and Lila.

"I know, Xena. I'll pray."

The war party moved quickly through the countryside, spurred on by the enraged and desperate warrior leading them on her beloved Argo. With Amazons and the Warrior Princess tracking them, the Romans were quickly overtaken.

"Let me approach them, Xena. I can order them to turn over the antidote." Brutus pleaded.

"No, how do I know that you won't destroy it?" Xena said flatly, watching the Romans moving up and down a river, looking for a suitable place to pass with their horses. On the rocky cliff overhead Amazons and warrior watched.

"I swear I won't. Something I didn't tell you," Xena looked at him with narrowed eyes. "I thought this would be an easy assignment. One of the soldiers we left behind with the Amazons is my son. If I fail, his life and mine are both forfeit."

"Your son?"

"Yes, I swear it by all the Gods."

"All right, you have five minutes. Alcyonia, give him his sword." Xena instructed one of the Amazon warriors.

"Brutus," the Roman turned to look at Xena. "If you fail, I'll personally castrate both of you."

The Roman turned pale but nodded his understanding.

In moments he was riding up to his men. Xena couldn't hear the conversation but she was watching closely. At her signal Amazon archers had taken up positions on the cliff overlooking the Romans, ready to unleash their famed deadly arrows.

Xena watched, chakram in hand as Brutus appeared to argue with the men. The sound of shouting reaching the warrior's ears. Finally one of the men shouted something and drew his sword and the others followed. Brutus pulled his own sword and ran the first soldier through and the other two fell with arrows in their chests and throats. The fourth one dropped his sword and held up his hands in surrender.

Xena ran to Argo and quickly sped down the trail to find Brutus ripping the saddlebags off the Roman horses and spilling the contents onto the ground. Xena leaped off Argo with chakram at hand. The Roman looked up, frowning.

"Bastards wouldn't go back on Caesar's orders. It's got to be here!"

Xena joined in the search as the Amazons and Hercules rode up. Brutus let out a shout and held up a flask. He grinned and handed it to the warrior.

"Hercules, make sure they get back to the village. I'm going to move fast."

"You got it."

Xena was grateful that the border guards and scouts let her fly past without challenge. She had answered the bird and animal calls with her own and didn't slow Argo's flight any. The noises managed to beat her into the village and she found the way clear for her all the way to the healer's hut with armed Amazons lining the road and yard. Ephiny and Iolaus stood at the door with swords drawn. Xena leaped off Argo and dashed through the door as Iolaus held it open.

The healer quickly moved forward and opened the flask, with a satisfied look she began pouring the herb into her mixing bowl. "This is it, warrior. Just pray we're in time. She's very weak, it's been hours."

Xena was very aware of how long it had been and how fast poison could work. Torches were already being lit in the village. She quickly moved to Gabrielle's side across from Hecuba and Lila. Cyrene and Solan kept vigil off to the side.

"She's been unconscious since you left." Hecuba said softly.

"The pain?" Xena asked, tears flowing down her face as she stroked her bard's forehead. The bard's face was drawn and pinched with pain and her muscles continually twitched and spasmed.

"Worse. She finally stopped screaming half a candlemark ago." Lila answered with a sob, burying her head in her mother's shoulder. Cyrene walked up behind her daughter and placed her hands on the warrior's shoulders.

"Screaming?" Xena whispered.

"Yes, the pain has been bad." Cyrene answered softly.

"Gabrielle!"

The healer moved around the warrior and with the help of Hecuba, pried the bard's jaws open and forced the unconscious woman to swallow. "We can only wait. The damage may be too much for her."

"No! Gabrielle, listen to me! You fight back! I'm not going to lose you now!" Xena growled through gritted teeth and sat down on the stool next to her lover.

Ephiny entered the hut and took in the scene. "Did she get it?" she asked the healer.

"Yes, we can only wait and see if it was in time. Our Queen is very ill."

"All right. I'm sending the delegates on their way. I'll tell them the son of bacchae have been caught and are dead. I'll send runners out once we know the outcome." Ephiny tried not to choke on the last words and stumbled out of the hut.

After some convincing the healer finally got the two families to go and eat something while Xena watched over her lover. The healer knew better than to insist that Xena leave Gabrielle's side and didn't even try. She helped the warrior keep cool cloths on the Queen's forehead and wrists and helped the warrior hold her mate down when the pain racked her body once more. Xena whimpered, each time the bard was getting weaker and weaker.

Xena felt the hairs on the back of her neck stand up. She turned to the healer. "Can you get me some bread and water, please?"

The healer was surprised but pleased, she hadn't expected the warrior to even think of eating or drinking.

Once the healer was out of the hut Xena stood up and drew her sword.

"Ares!" she hissed.

"I hate how you can do that!" he said as he appeared.

"Come to gloat?" she demanded, sword at his neck. The War God merely ignored the sword.

"No, not at all." he moved the point away and moved closer to his once Chosen. "Look, I'm sorry about last night. I was upset."

"What do you want!" she demanded again, sheathing her sword.

"You," he answered simply as she turned back to Gabrielle's side.

"What else is new?" she asked in a tired voice. The bard whimpered and gritted her teeth again. Ares watched with disinterest as waves of pain ran through the small woman's body.

"Always, of course. Look, I can heal her."

"What price?"

"The usual deal." Ares shrugged.

"I come back to you like before. Total Warlord." Xena said simply.

"Yup, you bet. What do you say? We can leave her here with the Amazons and go back to how it was."

"Ares," Xena held up her bandaged hand. "We're blood bonded, if I go back to my war ways she'll die and then I'll die."

"Remember, you convinced the Furies that you and I are blood. Come back, all ready! You know I'll win in the end. The fight is in your blood. You can't deny that your blood sings every time you go into battle or a fight. That after a good fight you're so turned on that you can't stand it. Come back." He moved behind her and placed his hands on her shoulders.

Xena shrugged them off. "No, Ares. I don't care if you are my father or not, Gabrielle is my life."

"Does she answer that call of the blood after the fight? Can she understand the fury in your blood? Can she answer it? Only a warrior knows what it feels like." he purred in her ear.

"You'd be surprised," Xena managed to grin. "At what Gabrielle can do, in more ways than one."

"Humph!" Ares snorted and moved to the end of the cot. "If you are my daughter then take your rightful place at my side and become the Goddess of War!" he insisted.

"Isn't that position all ready taken?"

"Athena, who cares. She can go back to her weaving, she's not the warrior you are!" he insisted.

"No, just leave." Xena ran a tired hand over her face.

"Okay, I'll just wait till the irritating little wench is gone, then you'll be back." Ares said smugly.

"Ares," Xena's voice stopped him from disappearing. "Know this, if she crosses over that I'll follow her." Xena's eyes met the War Gods.

"No, you can't do that!" he demanded.

"Yes, I can. She's the other half of my soul and I won't lose her."

"You can't mean that!"

"Yes, I do. Now leave, all ready." Xena turned her eyes back to her lover. Without looking she knew that Ares was gone and she was alone with Gabrielle. Xena finally let herself break down in tears as she felt how rapid and shallow the bard's breathing was. "Gabrielle, I hope you can hear me," she whispered. "Don't leave me, please! I can't live without you!" Xena checked her armor and sighed to herself after feeling the dagger between her breasts.

"Hey," a harsh voice whispered.

Xena looked up, tears of joy beginning to fall instead of terrified ones. Green eyes met blue ones and Xena quickly grabbed the bard's hand and held it.

"Gabrielle!" Xena grabbed a cup and moved behind the bard to help her sit up and take a drink. The smaller woman couldn't even raise her hands to help. "Shhh, little one, drink slowly." Xena instructed.

Gabrielle leaned back into her warrior. "What happened?" she whispered.

The healer walked through the door and took in the sight of her Queen in the arms of her Consort with eyes open and broke into a grin. She quickly put the bread and wine down and ran back outside. Xena smiled when they heard a cheer outside. The healer quickly came back in and with experienced hands, began examining the bard.

After a moment she stepped back and looked at Gabrielle's tired face.

"Well?" the warrior demanded, holding her arms around her lover.

"It'll be a few days before we know if there's permanent damage or not," the healer warned.

"I'll be fine," Gabrielle insisted, her head starting to fall forward.

"Gabrielle?"

"It's all right, Consort," the healer reassured her. "She'll sleep a lot for the next few days. It's the body's way of healing."

Suddenly the room was filled with happy relatives, Amazons, and friends, all shedding tears of joy while the bard smiled a very tired smile.

After a few minutes the healer ran all of them out when Gabrielle's head fell forward onto Xena's arms and didn't' raise back up. She motioned for the warrior to lay the bard back down on the cot.

Xena crossed over to the healer's table. "Well?"

"She's very weak. We'll know probably tomorrow if there's muscle damage. It may be a few days before we know if there's problems with her stomach or nervous system," the healer warned.

"She's alive, that's what counts right now."

"Yes, and everyone is waiting outside. Hercules brought in the Roman and the prisoner."

"You'll stay with her for a few minutes?"

"Of course, she's my Queen."

Xena found Brutus and the other three Romans sitting at one of the tables, surrounded by Amazons. Brutus looked tired but pleased when the warrior approached them and sat down opposite of him. Xena knew the assassin was in the prisoner hut.

"I heard she's alive. Thank you!"

"Thank you for your help." the warrior acknowledged. "Ephiny agrees to let you go back to Rome. I don't believe you had anything to do with it or you would have run with the others."

"Thank you."

"What will you tell Caesar?" the warrior asked. Xena noticed that he didn't ask about the proposed fate of the other Roman.

"That someone attempted to poison the Queen of the Amazons but they failed and I haven't heard from his men."

"It's dangerous going up against Caesar's wishes," Xena mentioned.

"I know, that's why I prefer to count him as my friend rather than my enemy. It's either let the Amazons kill us for being Roman or tell Caesar the truth and let him kill us, my son included. I don't think I like either of those options. My son and these two will keep quiet because they know what will happen if they don't. A cross is not where I want to end up for me or my son."

"You should probably leave soon. I know it's dark but the Amazons aren't happy with any outsiders right now. It probably wouldn't turn out well if one of your men even looked cross-eyed at one of them." Xena suggested.

"You're right, of course. Will you walk me to our horses?"

Xena was surprised but agreed. Brutus fell into step with her.

"Thank you for giving me the chance to save my son and my men." he said simply.

"It was a way to save Gabrielle."

"I know, but it also saved my son too. Your identity as Consort to the Queen is safe with me, warrior. It was before she was poisoned." Brutus grinned.

Xena's eyes narrowed. "What do you mean?"

"I recognized you in the ritual and figured the only one who could grab your heart enough for a bonding ceremony like this would be Gabrielle." Brutus shrugged.

"How did you recognize us? Even our hair was covered." Xena was curious.

"Nice bruise on your neck, Xena. Also, I noticed your bandaged hand at breakfast."

"Oh son of a bacchae!" she complained and he laughed as he took his reins and mounted his horse.

"I swear by the gods that no one will know that Gabrielle is the Queen of the Amazons and that you two are bonded."

"Thank you, Brutus. It could be used as political power."

"Yes," he agreed. "but I hate politics and I like Gabrielle and respect you."

"Goodbye, Brutus. I hope we don't have to cross swords in the future."

"So do I, warrior."

When Xena returned to the hut she found Hercules and Iolaus walking out the door. She hugged both of them tightly.

"Thank you both for being here."

"Any time." Iolaus offered and Hercules nodded.

"We're going to get something to eat and some sleep. Things should be quiet tonight. All the delegates have left and Ares hasn't shown up and the Romans are gone." Hercules said.

"Ares did show up." Xena said simply.

"What? What did he want?" Hercules demanded.

"The usual, me." Xena smiled and shrugged. "He offered to save Gabrielle if I would come back to him. He was using the moment because just after I turned him down she woke up. I think he knew she was going to get better and was seizing the moment to try and get to swear I was his again."

"I'll kill him one of these days, Father's wishes or not." Hercules grumbled.

Xena hugged him again. "Thanks, you might have to stand in line for that one."

She moved past him to enter the hut and found Ephiny and both families. She moved into the room and gave Solan a big hug and then her mother. Xena turned to the healer.

"She's sleeping, not unconscious. You need some sleep too."

"I'll stay with her." Xena insisted.

"I figured that, but at least take off the armor and crawl into bed with her and sleep!" the healer said in frustration. Xena grinned a tired smile and Ephiny laughed for the first time in two days.

"She's right, Xena. I'll see to your families. Warriors will watch the hut outside."

Xena quickly hugged everyone and then struggled out of her armor. With a heavy sigh she settled down into the familiar position behind the bard and slipped her arms around Gabrielle.

The warrior was pleased when the bard sighed in her sleep and snuggled into Xena's arms. She was asleep in moments.

Xena knew the recovery would be long and hard for the bard but had no doubt of the bard's inner strength.

Xena also knew that she would be there every step of the way.

See what happens next in "Healing, An Awakening IV"

Note: I want to thank whoever invented the Internet. In researching ancient Greek wedding traditions, modern traditions and pagan handfasting rituals, my time was cut down from over a week in a library to two days on the net. I also want to thank the thousands of people who put information out there for us to find and use.

Another note: I also want to encourage the use of libraries, they are still essential, even in the day of the internet. Nothing beats a good book in your hands and nothing has fed this bard growing up more than a good story.

Hope you enjoy my stuff. Let me know what you think.

Hunter Ash

aka dana cooper-kjarr


	4. 04 Healing

**Disclaimers:** the usual rundown - I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo or Gabrielle's family. This story is written for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringement is intended. Don't bother suing me - it really wouldn't be worth it.

**Violence:** light to none actually.

**Sex/Alt Fiction/Subtext:** Nope, no subtext - it's right out there. Two of the characters are in a loving and sexual relationship of the same gender. If this is illegal where you're at: move or change your laws. If you're under 18 or 21 (depending on legal stuff), leave now and come back later.

If this type of story bugs you, sorry, find something else.

**Storyline:** Continuing in the Awakening series. Part 4

A hurt and comfort beginning. Gabrielle is recovering from being poisoned at her wedding to Xena then things get complicated after Xena drinks some special wine from a God.

**Joxer alert:** sort of.

* * *

"Xena, wake up and help me give Gabrielle some of this tea," a voice insisted, cutting through the warrior's sleep fuzzy awareness. She slowly opened her eyes and groaned. She was awake in an instant when she focused on the healer of the Amazons standing over her.

"What is it?" she asked, sitting up.

"I need to give Gabrielle some of this tea," the healer repeated.

Xena sat up slowly and pulled the little bard into her arms, holding her head up. She frowned at how heavily the woman was sleeping. The healer managed to get most of the liquid down a semi-awake Gabrielle and watched until the bard slipped back to sleep again in Xena's arms. The healer helped Xena position the bard back onto the bed. Xena carefully brushed a lock of hair out of the bard's eyes and gently stroked Gabrielle's cheek. She frowned as she felt the bard's body still twitching sporadically.

Xena got up and pulled the healer to one side.

"What's going on? What's in the tea?" the warrior asked.

"Xena, Gabrielle is going to be very sick for awhile and in considerable pain. The poison those Romans slipped her at your wedding always kills. Those convulsions she went through usually shuts down the breathing and stop the heart. Her muscles may be ripped apart inside. At the very least they're going to hurt like Hades hounds are tearing them apart. I want to keep her sedated as much as possible, the pain alone might still kill her," the healer explained bluntly, putting away some of the herbs into jars.

"What do you mean 'always kills,'?" the warrior questioned. "We got the antidote to her."

"There never was an antidote, Consort," the healer sat down at the table and motioned for the warrior to sit across from her. Xena's eyes narrowed but she sat. The warrior was suddenly cautious and she had the feeling she wasn't going to like what she heard.

"What do you mean? The Romans had it."

"No, they had charcoal in that flask you got from the bodies. It's meant to cause vomiting, probably in case they accidentally poisoned themselves with their own poison. The poison they used takes only a small amount and is deadly. The batch they had must have been old, not very potent or Gabrielle didn't eat or drink all of it. I had already induced vomiting with charcoal while you were searching for the assassins." the healer said in a very tired voice, rubbing a hand over her face. The warrior realized that the healer probably had gotten less sleep than Xena had in the last couple of days.

It had been a rough night, waiting to see if Gabrielle was going to live. Rough on everyone, Amazons, family, friends, lover and healer as they watched the bard trying to recover from the poison. All of them helpless as she thrashed in pain, occasionally screaming in the pain, mostly crying.

Xena had learned from her mother that the bard had been in agony while Xena was chasing down the bard's assassins. Her body bent over backwards, spine bending against nature and then her head and legs would bend backward while her body thrashed forward. Xena hadn't tried to stop her tears as she listened to her mother describe Gabrielle's torture. The only relief seemed to come when the small woman slipped into a coma.

At first Xena had been thrilled beyond words when Gabrielle had managed to open her eyes but then the warrior had been terrified when she and the healer realized that the slightest touch on the bard's skin would cause her to scream. The warrior wanted to scream herself, unable to touch her beloved bard and it was killing her.

"But she was scratched," Xena frowned.

"Yes, probably during staff practice the day before or something. The poison was given to her either in her drink or food, probably slipped into her wine when they shook your hands in the receiving."

"Then that might explain it, Gabrielle doesn't drink much, she didn't finish the wine."

"Yes," the healer agreed.

"What do we do for her?" Xena demanded.

"You'll not be able to touch her for probably another few hours unless she's asleep. I want to keep her sedated as much as possible for the next few days. After that, continual massage of the muscles, especially the legs and back. Keep the muscles stretched. Lots of liquid and sedated as much as possible. It may be awhile before we know if there is permanent damage to the muscles or internal organs. I'm still worried, Consort."

"When did you know what type of poison it was?" Xena suddenly asked and the healer turned her eyes away.

"Almost immediately. I've seen this type of poisoning when visiting the Northern Amazons. They call the plant Cowbane. The dilation of the pupils, excess saliva and muscle twitching comes first, usually within minutes. Rapid pulse and breathing, shaking and then violent convulsions. Coma and death follow shortly," the healer said softly.

"You knew there was no antidote?"

"Yes," the healer admitted.

"You let me chase after those damned Romans while Gabrielle could have died? What if she had died while I was gone?" Xena's eyes grew bright with anger.

"A judgment call, Consort. Once Gabrielle was unconscious there was nothing anyone could have done, she was either going to live or die. If she woke up, she'd live. If she didn't, she would have never opened her eyes again."

"I wouldn't have been there!" Xena protested.

"Yes, that possibility was very likely."

"Then why send me out on a wild chase?" Xena slammed her hand on the table.

"Was it a wild chase? It gave you something to do, a way to focus your energy, and it gave the Amazons and yourself justice."

"If she had died?"

"I would have told all of you that the amount of the poison was too high and the damage too great for the antidote to work," the healer admitted.

"You would lie."

"Yes, being a healer means caring for everyone, not just the patient. You all knew she could die, that she probably would die. The antidote gave you, the family and the Amazons hope, it also kept the Amazons from killing all the delegates in their rage," the healer smiled.

"I still don't like being lied to," Xena warned.

"I'll not make a habit of it," the healer smiled and promised.

Xena growled and went back to her bard, taking the woman in her arms as she had so many nights before. Xena bit her lip until the healer left the hut before letting her tears fall. The bard's arms, legs and head continued to twitch.

"I can't lose you, little one, you are my light," she whispered.

The healer had been correct, whenever Gabrielle woke up it was agony for the little bard. Her screams had awakened the warrior sleeping next to her and half the village.

The warrior leaping out of bed, mortified that she couldn't hold Gabrielle and couldn't seem to offer any other comfort than soothing words and singing to the little bard. The healer would quickly pry Gabrielle's jaws open and force more of the sedative tea into the twitching body. Any noise, light or touch could send the bard whimpering and crying. Xena was beside herself and the healer looked beyond exhaustion.

A large number of the Amazon women kept a vigil outside the Healer's hut, Ephiny and Solari among them. Hercules and Iolaus took turns pacing.

After another twelve hours the warrior found that she could touch Gabrielle once again and whispered a prayer of thanks that she could hold the bard in her arms once more, even if Gabrielle was still in agony. Again, the Amazon Queen woke everyone with her screams.

Xena quickly hit several pressure points and began massaging the muscles in the bard's legs. Lila had run in and followed Xena's directions in rubbing Gabrielle's other muscles until the healer had worked up another dose of sedative and got it down the bard.

Xena crawled behind her mate and held Gabrielle until the bard's cries settled down into small whimpers and then back into sleep.

The warrior looked up in Lila's tear filled eyes, tears that were matching her own.

"Healer, how long will this go on?" Xena asked quietly.

"Not long, Consort. As long as we keep the muscles stretched and massaged, the pain should ease up in a few days, getting less and less. I don't think any muscles are permanently damaged, thank the gods."

Xena held the bard close as the smaller woman's body twitched with pain, even with the pain meds.

Lila curled up beside her sister, gently massaging the blonde's arms and legs while Xena softly sang to her little bard. Hecuba came in later and relieved her younger daughter and began gently massaging Gabrielle's muscles, tears streaming down her cheeks as Gabrielle thrashed in pain.

Cyrene then took over and forced her daughter Xena to go and eat something while she and Hecuba watched over Gabrielle. After another night the Healer finally made the announcement that she thought the Amazon Queen would live but it would be days before they knew the extent of any damage to her muscles or internal organs.

With a tired cheer the Amazons keeping vigil received the news.

It was a long week for the patient and her family. Even after the pain had subsided after four days it was still agony for the bard to try and move. Even more frustrating for the Amazon Queen was the weakness that now encompassed her body. Gabrielle felt as weak as a newborn kitten and felt as if she had been trampled by a Cyclops. The Queen had been surprised at the amount of time she had spent in a drugged sleep and very surprised at how sick she had been. It took awhile to sink in how close she had come to dying a very painful death and faced an even more painful recovery.

After a week the bard was able to move stiffly for short periods of time and started the long process of rebuilding her muscles and strength.

Xena was very impressed with the strength and stubbornness of her mate. It hurt the warrior to watch the small woman struggling with just walking until sweat stood out all over Gabrielle and her body shook with exhaustion and still the bard wouldn't complain. She would just grit her teeth and struggle on until the warrior would sweep the Queen off her feet and make her rest.

Xena would share her mate's tears as Gabrielle cried from the pain and exhaustion every night until the sedative tea would send her into sleep. Between Xena, her mother Cyrene, Hecuba and Lila they were able to keep Gabrielle comfortable enough to finally get through a night of sleep without the bard waking up screaming.

Xena and the family felt like they had been under a very long siege with little sleep, constant worry and tension.

Finally after nine days the Queen was able to get through a day without the pain herbs and the families were ready to return to their homes after a good night's sleep for the first time in two weeks.

"Gabrielle, are you sure you won't come home with us?" Hecuba asked again and the small blond woman smiled and hugged her mother.

"No, Mom. I'm better off here with the healer and Xena. You travel safe," the Amazon Queen leaned heavily on the crutches that helped her get around while her leg muscles continued to improve.

"We'll send Xena back immediately," Hecuba promised and Gabrielle quickly hugged her sister and then watched Lila get into the wagon.

The Amazon Queen then turned to her mate, trying not to let the tears overwhelm her.

The sight of Xena always took the bard's breath away. The tall warrior standing beside her beloved horse, Argo, in her leathers and weapons always sent a rush of heat through Gabrielle's body. The bard reflected that she must be recovering if she was getting turned on again by her mate, she thought with a smile.

Looking in the clear blue eyes the bard became lost and rushed into her mate's arms, fighting back the tears.

"Come back to me soon," Gabrielle whispered as Xena stroked her hair.

"As soon as I can. You promise not to overdue it?"

Gabrielle looked up at her mate and attempted to smile. "Yes."

"Good," Xena bent down and lightly nibbled on the bard's earlobe, sending shudders through her body. "I have plans for that body of yours and I don't want you wearing yourself out," the warrior whispered. Gabrielle moaned and held her mate close.

"Gods, Xena, you'd better get back here quick!" Gabrielle whispered and kissed the warrior deeply.

The Amazon Queen stood next to her Regent, Ephiny and watched the wagon with Xena mother, Cyrene and Gabrielle's mother and sister leave the Amazon village.

"Gods, Ephiny, I miss them already," the bard complained.

"Come on, my Queen," Ephiny grinned. "Let's see if we can stretch those muscles of yours with some bending exercises."

Xena sat sharpening her sword while Hecuba finished cooking dinner for the small group. The warrior found herself missing Gabrielle very much. She had gotten used to their routine on the road and she found it a little weird having Gabrielle's mother and sister taking up the bard's space and chores. She also missed Gabrielle's body next to hers during the night.

Hades, the warrior thought, she just missed Gabrielle terribly. It had been a long two days and nights.

Hecuba glanced over at the warrior and found herself smiling.

The warrior woman could look intimidating enough to scare a hydra, she thought, but she had also seen the softer side of Xena. The warrior holding her daughter during endless nights and days, attentive to the bard's every need. The terror on Xena's face when they thought Gabrielle might die. The endless days of pain and feelings of helplessness.

Hecuba knew from Apollo that Gabrielle had been fated a difficult future, to be soul-mate with a dark soul. A soul that was destined to destroy the known world if her daughter Gabrielle hadn't reached into that darkness and shined a light on the warrior's lost soul.

Gabrielle's future had always terrified Hecuba and the mother had tried in small ways to fight against it.

She shook her head with her thoughts, she had thought her daughter had beaten the prediction when Gabrielle had married Perdicus only to have Callisto kill him the next day. Hecuba had accepted the Fates for her daughter when the bard rejoined Xena on the road.

Now that she had spent time with the warrior and had seen the depth of her love for Gabrielle, Hecuba was pleased with Gabrielle's life and soul choice of mate. The mother had never seen such a love before between anyone. She knew that they would die for each other if it came to that.

Xena caught Hecuba glancing at her and watched the woman's face. The warrior had been very much aware of how Gabrielle's family felt about her and was pleased when Hecuba had came to the wedding and accepted the couple. It had been a difficult few seasons for both families, accepting the warrior and bard and their futures and their past. After learning the strange events surrounding Gabrielle's conception and predicted future, Xena could understand why Hecuba had wanted something different for her daughter. Any mother would. Even Xena's own mother hadn't wanted Xena's future until Gabrielle had come along.

The only one that wanted Xena as warlord, it seemed was Ares. Xena's eyes narrowed and she frowned as she thought of the War God. Once again she found herself wishing that he would just give up on her already and leave them alone. Then the warrior sighed, she knew that wasn't likely.

Xena was on her feet, sword at ready before Hecuba and Lila was even aware she had moved. They both froze as the warrior focused on the woods, on alert. Then they both heard a rattling and someone breaking through the brush. Xena seemed to relax, which seemed strange to the two women. She smiled and resheathed her sword.

"It's a friend," she said simply as Joxer the Mighty broke into the small clearing with a goofy grin.

"Joxer," Xena said simply, suddenly feeling a little awkward. She knew Joxer's feelings for Gabrielle, how in Hades was she going to explain their wedding without destroying him?

"Xena!" the young man broke into a smile and rushed to hug the warrior. Xena ignored the raised eyebrows of Hecuba and Lila. Finally he pulled back. "I'm so glad to see you! I was headed to the Amazon Village to see you and smelled your campfire."

"Joxer, this is Gabrielle's mother, Hecuba and her sister, Lila. This is Joxer, a friend of ours," Xena turned the wanna-be warrior towards the family. They didn't notice the clinching of his jaw but Xena did.

"Very happy to meet both of you. Is Gabby with you?" he asked, looking around hopefully.

"No, she's staying in the Amazon Village while I take Hecuba and Lila home, we just dropped off my mother," Xena answered, sitting back down on the rock, pulling out her sword and beginning to sharpen it again, giving herself something to do.

"Dinner's ready, Joxer, if you'd like to join us," Hecuba offered.

"Go ahead, Joxer, she's a better cook than I am," Xena grinned.

"Okay, I'd like that," after getting a plate of food he sat down on the ground next to Xena's rock. "You're taking them home after your wedding to Gabrielle?"

Xena quickly glanced down but he refused to meet her eyes. "Yes, how did you hear?"

"I heard the Queen of the Amazons was getting married to a female. Knowing Gabrielle is Queen of the Amazons, I figured the rest out and I'm not totally blind."

"Joxer, we didn't want to hurt you."

"I know that's why you didn't invite me and you were right, it does hurt." Xena heard his voice threatening to break. "But I'm a big boy and as long as she's happy then I'm happy."

"Joxer, I love her," Xena said softly.

"Good, that makes two of us," the young man quickly got up and moved next to Gabrielle's mother, coaxing stories about the young bard from her mother. Xena let him go, letting him deal with the pain on his own. She knew there was nothing she could offer him right then that could comfort him. He loved Gabrielle almost as much as she did.

The next morning Xena found that she was grumpy. For some reason the warrior hadn't slept well the night before and her body ached, as if she had spent the night on guard duty. It was bad enough she hadn't gotten much sleep while Gabrielle had been suffering but this didn't help, she thought with a growl. She couldn't shake a feeling of unease and barely heard Joxer talking to Hecuba and Lila.

"There's an old abandoned shrine near here, near a cave behind a waterfall. I'm heading that way to make an offering in honor of Gabrielle and Xena's wedding. Xena, would you like to go with me?" Joxer waited a moment and getting no response, called again to the warrior by the fire. "Xena, want to go with me?"

"Huh, yeah, sure," the warrior rubbed the back of her neck, wondering why her hackles were going crazy. "After we drop Hecuba and Lila off at their place."

"Okay," Joxer agreed with a grin.

Within two candlemarks they had left the two women back in Potedaia and were retracing their steps back towards the river. Hecuba and Lila had wanted both of them to spend the night but after three nights on the road Xena was anxious to get back to her mate and didn't want to impose Joxer on the family any more than possible.

As they got closer to the shrine the young man became unusually quiet and Xena chalked it up to his thoughts about Gabrielle.

When the inept warrior pulled the bushes back from the carved stone niche in the cliff face Xena was impressed. The shrine had been abandoned long ago but it had once been a dedicated and active shrine. It had obviously once held a statue of some kind and a small ledge for offerings. A simple shrine but one the gods delighted in.

"How did you know this was here?" she asked.

"Well, last season I was being chased... I was chasing some bandits and stumbled onto the cave behind the waterfall. I fell climbing along the rocks and found the shrine."

Xena resisted smiling at the description of Joxer being chased into the water. She peered close at the markings on the inside of the niche and frowned.

"I don't recognize the marks," she commented.

"I do, it was a small sect dedicated to Artemis. That's why I chose this shrine for my offering, since Gabrielle is chosen by Artemis."

"Good choice," Xena agreed, keeping her thoughts to herself. Between Ares giving her grief, Apollo being Gabrielle's father, Artemis choosing Gabrielle as a favorite and half the rest of them blessing the wedding, Xena had enough of the gods, thanks.

Joxer pulled out a flask of wine and muttered something and poured a small amount over the small ledge and then left two gold coins in the niche with more muttered prayers.

He was blushing when he stood up and faced the warrior as if embarrassed by the prayers. "I know warriors don't pray but I was asking that my dreams for both of you come true," he shrugged.

Xena smiled a friendly smile. "Thank you, Joxer."

"Would you like to make an offering?" he asked, holding the flask out. Xena frowned. "It's okay, it's a special wine I brought for the occasion. Can't hurt," he grinned and the warrior took the flask.

Almost blushing herself, the warrior poured a small amount of wine over the ledge and reached into a pouch and pulled out a small but wonderfully designed carved rabbit made out of jade and shoved it into the niche.

"Say something!" Joxer encouraged.

Xena growled but turned back to the shrine. "Okay, may the spirit of this shrine offer their blessing," she muttered.

"Good, shall we drink a small drink to your happiness?" Joxer asked and took the flask. With a grin he took a very long pull from the wineskin.

"Joxer," Xena began but he held up his hand, toasting with Joxer was feeling strange.

"I'm doing my best, Xena. I want you both to be happy."

"Okay," Xena took the flask and raised it salute and then drank deeply of the sweet wine.

The warrior suddenly dropped the flask with a cough and stumbled into the wall of the cliff. She looked over at Joxer but couldn't seem to focus.

Xena went to her knees, unable to keep her balance.

On her hands and knees the warrior looked up at the figure standing over her.

"Hello, Xena," a strong voice said simply.

"Ares?" The warrior fell forward onto the ground.

"That's me, sweetheart. Welcome back," strong hands began to lift her as darkness claimed her mind.

"Xena!"

Ephiny and Solari both broke from their hut at top speed, racing towards the Queen's hut. Inside they found an Amazon guard struggling with the Queen, trying to keep the young woman still.

Ephiny and Solari quickly went to the bard's bedside, helping hold her down as she struggled out of a dream.

"Gabrielle!" Ephiny cried out. "Gabrielle! Wake up!"

After a moment the bard stopped struggling and looked into the hazel eyes of her friend, blinking rapidly. With a whimper she sank back onto the bed. Ephiny nodded, dismissing the guard.

"Something's wrong with Xena," the Amazon Queen whispered, staring at the ceiling.

"It was just a dream," Solari stroked the blond woman's forehead.

"No, it was different, something is different," Gabrielle sat up in her bed, tears filling her eyes. "The connection, something's blocking us."

"What do you want us to do, my Queen?" Ephiny asked.

"Get the shaman," Gabrielle muttered as she reached for a robe.

Xena opened her eyes slowly, and turned over quickly as whatever she last ate decided it was going to come back up. It was a few moments before the warrior was able to focus her eyes and look around from her hands and knees.

A cave, water, dark. Fire on the other side of the cave with a figure with its back to her. She knew the shape instantly.

"Ares," she said softly.

"Sorry about the vomiting, it's an unfortunate side effect of the special wine you drank," he said as he turned around.

Xena sat back against the cave wall, a surprised look on her face. "You've changed?" What happened to his long hair? What was with the fancy cut of his beard? Earring?

The War God grinned at her. "So have you."

The warrior looked down and frowned at herself. "This isn't my usual armor," she commented.

"It is these days."

Xena's eyes narrowed. "What does that mean?"

"You've lost a couple of years there, kid. I just brought you back to what you were," Ares sat down on his haunches in front of the warrior.

"Years? I don't believe you."

"When have I ever lied to you?" Ares asked, somehow keeping a straight face.

"We'll ignore that one. What happened to me, why do I feel funny?" Xena demanded.

"Well, I took your mind back to a short time before your army attacked a small village named Cirra. That tiny little village was your downfall, my love." Ares sat down, getting more comfortable.

"My what? I'm one of the most powerful warlords in the world," Xena growled.

"Were," Ares corrected. "You've got a lot of time to make up for. What do you want for your future, Xena?"

"What kind of question is that? What I've always wanted, the power to control fate itself. The ability to rule nations, what else is there for me?" Xena asked with a frown.

"Exactly my thoughts and our plan from the start," Ares grinned. "Let me tell you a story of a fallen warlord. A couple of years ago you showed weakness, you spared the lives of some insignificant villagers and attempted to punish your men for trying to wipe out that rebellious village."

"I am not weak!" Xena hissed.

"I know but something happened and you showed weakness and they forced you out of your army with a gauntlet. You barely survived," Ares looked so concerned that Xena was surprised.

"Why can't I remember this?"

"The wine was a special mixture, I'm giving you a chance to think clearly and choose your path unbiased without any outside influence," Ares shrugged.

"Outside influence?"

"The other gods have been meddling in our plan, my love."

Xena growled. "Go on," she demanded.

"You were nearly beaten to death, the first one to ever survive the gauntlet. Injured, you went back to your village to try and heal. Are you sure you want to hear this?" Ares suddenly sounded concerned again.

"Go on," she demanded.

"Your mother turned her back on you and turned you over to the unhappy villagers. They were in the process of stoning you to death when Draco arrived. You two had a disagreement about who would be Warlord and you fought, you were still injured and barely fought to a stand still. Draco let you live and sent you on your way."

Xena couldn't believe her mother had turned her away, the Warlord also couldn't believe that she had turned to her mother for help. She must have been hurt badly, she thought.

Ares moved next to Xena and pulled her close to him, extending an arm around her shoulder.

"It was then that the gods sent someone into your life, a little irritating blond bard female. With Apollo's powers she turned your head and preyed on your weakness," he continued.

"Impossible! I trust no one!" Xena protested.

"Not even me?" Ares grinned.

Xena grinned back at him. "Especially you."

"Good, keep it that way and you'll live longer."

"The bard?" she questioned.

"With help from Hercules," he grinned at her frown at the name of the demi-god. "She turned your mind away from the conquest, away from the battle. You've been traveling around for the last couple of years, fighting against warlords and bandits. Doing 'good' deeds. She seduced you with the help of Apollo and Aphrodite."

Xena snorted and leaned up to nuzzle his neck, sending shivers down the War God's body. "And where were you during all this time of my madness?" she whispered.

"Busy with the gods and their meddling. With Apollo and Artemis protecting the bard, it wasn't easy to get to you. You made a sacrifice at one of my ancient shrine and called on me, finally. I was able to get you back," he muttered as he took the warrior into his arms and slid down the wall of the cave onto his back, pulling the dark warrior with him.

"How do I get my army back?" the warrior whispered, biting the war god's earlobe.

"First you kill the bard and then the army. How about we discuss that in the morning?" he suggested as she bit down on his neck. "It's been too long, Xena," he whispered.

Neither of the warriors heard a splash of water in the twilight.

The shaman moved around the Queen slowly, chanting and dancing, filling the small and dark hut with incense as she carried the burning bowl around the room. Gabrielle bit the inside of her mouth to keep from crying out. She had pulled a back muscle during her nightmare and wasn't too comfortable sitting on the ground. She closed her eyes to concentrate on her breathing.

Gabrielle opened her eyes when the priestess sat down in front of the Queen, placing the burning incense between them, filling the space with smoke. She took a rattle and began intoning again, shaking the rattle all around Gabrielle's head and body. The Queen waited.

After a few minutes the priestess put the rattle down and took up a dagger. She gently took Gabrielle's hand, the same one she had bonded to Xena with. With a quick stroke the bard found her hand bleeding once more. The priestess let the blood drip into a bowl and then wrapped the hand with a bandage as she peered into the bowl, chanting and singing.

After what seemed like forever to the bard the priestess sat back and closed her eyes for a moment. When she opened them Gabrielle saw the woman she was accustomed to seeing around the village and not the priestess she had just seen in a trance. The woman doused the incense and poured the blood onto the ground floor.

"Come, let's go into the sunlight," she suggested, helping the bard to her feet. She noticed the wince from Gabrielle. "You've injured yourself again."

"Yes, during the nightmare," Gabrielle explained as she hobbled out of the priestess hut. She blinked against the bright sunlight and was momentarily blinded. The priestess led them to the tree line and they sat under a very friendly looking oak.

"It's not good, my Queen," the priestess began.

"I know that, it never is when I get these types of dreams."

"The dark one has lost her light and her connection to you."

Gabrielle felt a chill settle over her body. "No," she whispered.

"Yes, something or someone has stolen that light," the priestess said slowly.

"How?" Gabrielle demanded.

"I don't know, just that it's not natural and not of this world."

"Ares!" Gabrielle was suddenly on her feet shouting. The priestess was surprised at the speed with which the Queen moved but not the intensity of the emotions. "I know you're involved with this, show yourself!" she yelled, ignoring Ephiny and Solari running towards them.

Gabrielle's jaw clinched when the War God appeared in front of her. The priestess was sure the Queen would have attacked the War God if she had a weapon to hand, the Queen was shaking with rage.

"What have you done!" she demanded through clinched teeth.

"Undone your damage. She's mine," with a laugh he lifted his chin, revealing a beginning love bruise on his neck and was gone just as Gabrielle launched herself at his face with a scream.

The Amazons were stunned as their Queen lay on the ground, wincing in pain. "Damn you, Ares. I'll personally cut them off and hang them from my staff!" Gabrielle threatened.

"Gabrielle?" Ephiny questioned as she and her mate helped the Queen to her feet. The bard cried out in pain, grabbing at her back.

"Back to my hut, please," the bard hissed.

Xena was pacing back in forth in the cave when Ares suddenly appeared.

"Where have you been?" she demanded, grabbing him in a kiss.

"Had some business to take care of," he grinned.

"Now, what's the plan to get my career back on track?" Xena asked.

"First, we eliminate the power of that little irritant out of your life and then you take Draco's army from him."

"Why bother with the woman? I've got my mind right again." Xena questioned with a frown.

"Because she has been influenced by the gods, they could use her again to trick you. We get rid of her and no one can stand in your way again," he pulled out of her embrace and walked to the entrance of the cave, peering through the waterfall. "Besides, it'll help your reputation."

"What about my reputation?" Xena demanded. Ares could feel her moving up behind him, he could feel her dangerous energy but remained with his back to her.

"You're the laughing stock of Greece, Rome and several other countries as well," he said simply.

"What! I am the most feared warrior in this part of the world!" Xena yelled.

"Not anymore, babe. You fell for a bard, left your warrior ways and married her, becoming a simple consort to the Queen of the Amazons."

Ares turned in time to see Xena's face go pale and then red with rage.

"Married a bard? I was willing to be a consort and not the Conqueror?" she whispered in disbelief.

"Yup. You have no title, warrior, other than Consort to a small woman," Ares pushed verbally.

"I couldn't marry anyone!" the warrior protested.

"You did, even Caesar laughed at that one."

"Caesar?" the warrior whispered. Ares disappeared in a flash of light as the warrior lost her final control and went into a berserk fury.

It was a couple of hours before the War God approached the cave again. He was delighted with himself. He had Xena back, she would get rid of her last tie to the path she had been on and she would be his totally and forever. Maybe they would even challenge Athena to her title of War Goddess, he thought with a grin. Not only that, he grinned even wider, she was still a tiger in bed. Gods, even he couldn't' keep up with her. For a moment the War God wondered how the little frustrating bard could. Then he shook his head.

He found the warrior tired but still angry, just the way he liked her.

"Once I kill her we get back to business?" Xena demanded.

"You bet. You and me and the world for our taking," Ares promised.

"Where is she?"

"Let's go."

Gabrielle sat up wincing as a familiar figure burst into the hut and into her arms.

"Lila? What on earth?" she asked as her young sister burst into tears. Gabrielle wasn't surprised when Ephiny and Solari followed behind the teenager.

"She came riding in here at full speed on Argo," Ephiny explained all she knew.

"Argo? Lila, talk to me, what's wrong? Where's Xena?"

Everyone was wondering that one, for Argo to let anyone ride her except Xena or Gabrielle would be amazing.

The teen attempted to slow her tears down. She pulled back in the embrace and looked at her older sister and Gabrielle was shocked. The dark haired teenager looked like she had been through a whirlpool, twice. Her hair was disheveled, face covered with road grime and she looked exhausted.

"Solari, get some water and some food. Now, Lila, take a deep breath and tell me what happened," Gabrielle ordered.

"I, ... we were on the way back home after leaving Cyrene when we ran into someone named Joxer," Lila began.

"That would ruin my day," Ephiny muttered and Gabrielle glared at her with a grin.

"Xena knew him and introduced us. He suggested they stop at a shrine on their way back here to celebrate your wedding," Lila continued.

"He knew about the wedding?" Gabrielle frowned.

"Yes, I heard him tell Xena that he heard the Queen of the Amazons got married, knew it was you and that the only one you'd turn to would be Xena."

"Go on," the bard encouraged.

"Something wasn't right!" Lila wailed, pulling at the hem of her tunic in nervousness. "Xena was jumpy as a cat and didn't sleep well. She kept looking around like she was expecting an attack or something. I thought it was Joxer. He made my skin crawl."

"Joxer? He's about as dangerous as rabbit," Ephiny complained.

"I know, he seemed such an idiot but something wasn't right about him. After we got home I talked with Mom and she had the same feeling. She let me follow them," Lila whispered.

Gabrielle was stunned. Hecuba? Her mother let Lila follow Xena when it might be dangerous? Wow.

"What happened?" Gabrielle urged gently. Solari entered with a tray of food and an Amazon guard entered with fresh water and soap root. "Eat something and tell us between bites," Gabrielle ordered.

"I followed them. Xena should have heard me! I know that!" Lila looked like she was about to cry again and Gabrielle gathered the younger girl in her arms again.

"She's right, she should never have gotten near them," Ephiny agreed.

Gabrielle nodded. "See about some clean clothes for her while Ephiny gets her to eat," the queen ordered the guard who nodded and was gone.

After a few moments they managed to get Lila seated at the table and eating.

"I found them at a cave behind a waterfall. I saw Xena fall to the ground unconscious and Joxer changed," she whispered.

"Changed? How?" Ephiny questioned.

"He became someone else," she whispered, stopping eating with the impact of the memory. "Xena called him Ares."

Gabrielle surprised her Regent and little sister by swearing a string of curses that would have made a Corinth dockworker proud and then turned to her sister to continue.

"He took her into the cave and I went into the water to listen."

"What, it's freezing in the water," Ephiny was impressed with the teen's courage and tenacity.

"When Xena woke up she was different too," Lila frowned.

"How was she different," Gabrielle questioned softly.

"I don't know, her eyes were hard and her face was tight."

Then Lila went on to describe the conversation Xena had with Ares and how he had twisted the truth of Gabrielle and Xena's relationship and the bard's love for Xena. She began to blush when she started to reach the end of her tale, remembering how the warrior woman had been in the arms of the War God.

Gabrielle caught Lila's blush and remembered the bruise on Ares' neck. She clinched her teeth.

"It's all right, Lila. Ares was here and made it clear that Xena was once again in his bed," she said softly, her eyes blazing green. "Did you ride all night and day to get here?"

"What do we do?" the teenager cried as she nodded.

"First we get you some rest, they'll be about a day behind you. I know Ares, he'll take is time getting her here to twist her mind and body some more before she meets me," Gabrielle said aloud.

"Gabrielle, we can't let her near you," Ephiny said softly.

"We'll figure it out," Gabrielle countered.

"She dies before she gets near you," Ephiny insisted.

"No! There has to be a way!" Gabrielle smacked the bed she lay in and winced with the pain the motion brought.

"You can't even sit up right now!" Ephiny protested.

"I'm not going to fight her, I'm going to talk to her."

"She'll kill you before you get the chance," Ephiny said angrily.

"That's a chance I'll have to take." Gabrielle's jaw took on that familiar stubborn set.

"You're Queen of the Amazons, it's not just your life we're talking about," Ephiny pressed harder.

"I know that and I have to succeed. If she kills me and gets away, which is possible for her, then all the Amazons throughout the known world will be after her. It won't take her long to gather an army, especially with the help of Ares - we're talking a major war."

"I know that, but I can't risk you! Let me take your place here," Ephiny insisted.

"No, Ares would warn her of that. If we don't stop her here then Greece would soon be at war with Rome and the entire civilized world might fall into darkness," Gabrielle stated simply.

"Rome?" Ephiny frowned.

"Now that Caesar has control of Rome Warlord Xena would stop at nothing to bring Caesar and Rome down, even it meant every man in Greece falling in the battle," Gabrielle predicted.

"Oh gods, this could be the end of anything good," Ephiny realized and Gabrielle nodded, remembering one of the fates Xena had been destined for before she met Gabrielle.

"Ephiny take Lila and get her cleaned up. I've got some thinking to do," the Queen ordered.

Once the two women had left Gabrielle pulled out the feather and bead necklace with the sun symbol in the center. "Apollo, can you come to me?" she whispered.

A brilliant light filled the hut and the most handsome man the bard had ever seen stood before her, surrounded by light. He smiled and sat down on the edge of the bed.

"I can't answer much, Gabrielle," he warned.

"Can you help?" she asked bluntly.

"No," he shook his head with a sadness. "We thought you had won the fight for Xena's soul and the world wasn't threatened by her darkness any longer but now there's a very real possibility that she will live out her dark destiny and destroy the world and us."

"We beat that once! I can do it again!" Gabrielle insisted.

"I hope so, but we can't help. This comes under that unknown fate thing. If you succeed then your destiny becomes clear again, if not then everything is headed for darkness."

"But we had won!" Gabrielle protested. "Ares twisted it somehow, he interfered!"

"Yes, and our hands are tied because we play a little more fair. It that right? I don't know. Most of us would love to zap your mate back to her right mind and kick Ares all the way across Tartarus but we can't help," Apollo said softly.

"Can any of you help in anyway?" Gabrielle asked.

"Not that we can think of. Artemis is beside herself with anger and taking it out on target practice. Aphrodite and Cupid are fuming, the world may not see any new love for a week. Athena is planning and plotting revenge." Apollo complained.

"What about keeping Ares out of the picture when I face Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"You can't face her. He's twisted your relationship until she is battle frenzied just thinking about you. She'll see any talk as an attempt to trick and twist her mind. Xena will kill you before she lets you talk," Apollo protested.

"I have to try, isn't that my destiny?" a tear slowly fell down the bard's cheek and Apollo brushed it away with tenderness.

"We'll keep him busy," he promised and was gone.

Gabrielle allowed herself to break into tears.

Xena was more than pissed, everything was upside down in her world now. Even Argo was gone, someone having switched Argo for a simple farm horse before she and Ares had left the cave. Ares had shrugged and dismissed the incident, not quite understanding how much she loved that horse. Not even the gods would be able to help whoever had taken Argo when she caught up with them, she promised herself.

How had it gotten so confused? How had she gotten to this point? She was Xena, Destroyer of Nations, damnit! Last thing she remembered was having an army that was wiping out everything in its way. Now Ares was telling her that she had no money, no army, no power, and only a reputation as a good fighter.

It all seemed to center around the woman Ares said she had married, a private bonding and a public bonding. Xena, Conqueror of Nations, getting married to someone? Accepting the title of Consort instead of Conqueror? Xena shook her head, it didn't make sense! How had this woman twisted her up so badly? What power of the gods did she hold over the warlord?

Gabrielle, Ares had called her. A simple bard from Potedaia that had become Queen of the Amazons and conqueror of Xena.

The warrior growled, no one conquered her, not even Ares!

Ares, riding alongside Xena, noted the warrior's growl and fierce look of rage but held his tongue. He had been working hard on the warrior's mind and was content to let it all simmer and boil. Soon the irritating little bard would be dead and Xena would be lost to the light forever. The battles to come would be glorious!

"Ephiny, I want you to get Lila as far away as you can before Xena gets here, and take Argo with her. Send her to the caves and get a message to the Centaurs to get Solan to safety. We have no idea what will happen if she escapes here and is still Warlord," Gabrielle ordered.

"Yes, my Queen."

"Next, I want you to let Xena through," Gabrielle held up a hand, cutting off the protests from Ephiny, the Elders and the battle leaders. "This isn't open for debate. I have to try. If I fail then I'll attempt to kill her myself," Gabrielle's voice threatened to break and tears threatened to spill over but the Queen fought both down. "If I fail then I want you to kill her as quickly and painlessly as possible. This isn't her fault and she's been a good friend to the Amazon Nation for the past few years."

The Elders and Battle leaders nodded in agreement.

"Next, send word to Hercules and Iolaus that I'm in trouble and explain what's happened. If we can't stop her here then maybe they can."

"My Queen, she doesn't remember you and Ares won't be around, let me take your place, please!" Ephiny begged.

All of the battle leaders immediately volunteered as well.

"No, this is my destiny, or part of it. She'll know, the connection isn't broken totally, I'm counting on that," Gabrielle smiled at her Regent. "Thank you, thank all of you but I have to do this."

"My Queen," one of the battle leaders protested, "You can't even stand!"

"No, but that doesn't matter, I couldn't take her in a fight anyway. This will be a different kind of battle. Now, go, she'll be here after dark," Everyone started to leave the hut, none of them happy with the plans for the coming night.

"Ephiny, please send the healer to me."

"Okay."

A few minutes later the healer entered the hut and approached the Queen.

"I need to be able to move without too much pain. I'm not going to fight but I need to move without crying out in pain. Can you give me a light painkiller or something to block the pain?" the Queen asked.

"Yes, it will help a little. I'll try and keep the dose low enough to where you're not too fuzzy."

"That would be best."

Xena was amazed at the skill of the Amazon guards. It had taken all of her measurable skills not to be spotted by the guards and scouts. She had no hesitation about killing any of them but she didn't want an alarm raised and from observation she knew that she couldn't get into the village and out again before one of the guards or scouts was missed.

It had taken her longer than she had wanted to get to the village but she was confident she could get out again before dawn. At least Ares had been helpful enough to provide her with a layout of the village before he disappeared, cursing at Aphrodite about something. That suited the warrior, she needed to kill her former mate without the god's help to reclaim her reputation.

The warrior stopped for a moment. Mate? This woman must be incredible to have conquered the Conqueror, Xena thought. Ares had described her as "irritating" and "little." Xena was puzzled and curious.

The warrior shook it off and moved like a night demon through the village.

Ephiny, waiting in a nearby tree, shook her head. If she hadn't been watching the same spot for over the last two hours, she never would have seen the warrior enter the Queen's hut.

The Regent reflected that it was a good thing they knew the warrior was coming or they wouldn't stand a chance at stopping her. The Regent opened the hood of the lantern she carried, once and quickly. They had decided against noise since the warrior was notorious for her uncanny hearing ability and Xena probably wouldn't see a single flash of light from the hut.

Ephiny knew that a large number of Amazon warriors were moving into position. If anyone moved out of the hut without a recognition signal they would be bathed in light and arrows in the same instant. The Regent also knew that if Gabrielle were forced to kill Xena and actually succeed that the Queen probably wouldn't live long after that. Soulmates rarely outlived their mates for very long.

Ephiny found herself beginning to pray for both women in the hut.

Gabrielle felt the change of energy in the hut and quickly drew in her breath, her heart skipping a beat. The next few moments could determine the future of her and Xena and possibly the world. She took a deep breath.

"Xena, I know you're there. I want to light a lamp if you'll let me. I want to see your face when you strike the blow," Gabrielle said softly and heard a creak of leather. It seemed like forever before a voice came out of the darkness.

"All right, one wrong move and you're dead."

Gabrielle, knowing the warrior's night vision and skills, moved very slowly, sitting up carefully and reaching slowly to strike flint and spark. The bard closed her eyes against the flash of light and then opened them to light the lamp next to her bed. She carefully turned, sitting on the edge of the bed.

The bard tried to fight down the wave of fear that struck at her when she caught sight of the warrior, of her mate. Xena was in her battle gear, sword drawn, crouched like a cat very near the bed.

"You're here to kill me anyway," Gabrielle stated simply.

"Yes," Xena agreed, eyes constantly darting around for hidden dangers.

"I give you my word as Amazon Queen that no one will enter this hut until I give them permission."

"You knew I was coming," Xena stated, straightening up, keeping the sword at ready.

"Yes," Gabrielle acknowledged.

"The Gods are helping you again," the warrior spat the words out like venom.

"No, my sister followed you and stole your horse. She heard you planning to come here," Gabrielle attempted a small smile.

"That explains Argo. What say we get this over with, Queen. I've a feeling I'm going to have to fight my way out of here," Xena said with a grin that sent chills down the bard's spine.

"All right, but first I'd like a warrior's promise from you."

"What could you want me to promise before you die?" Xena questioned, cocking her head to one side. The woman in front of her puzzled her and Xena wanted out of here quickly. The one called Gabrielle was small for an Amazon, Xena reflected. Golden reddish hair and a beautiful face, lovely green eyes. All right, the Warlord thought, she's beautiful, but my mate?

The Warlord's experienced eyes could also tell the Queen had recently either been injured very badly or very ill, her face was slightly gaunt and tight with controlled pain, even though the Queen sought to hide it. Her movements were intentionally slow, as not to startle the Warlord but there was also stiffness and pain behind the movements.

Xena waited for the request before striking.

"That you'll never approach Solan or hurt him," Gabrielle said simply and noticed the warrior's rapid blinking in response to her son's name.

"How do you know about Solan?" Xena demanded, moving forward quickly, the point of the sword at Gabrielle's throat.

"We're bond-mates, soul-mates. I know about Solan. He was at our wedding and he also figured out that you're his mom and is very proud of you. I don't want you destroying that memory. It'll be difficult enough for him when he hears you've returned as the Warlord."

Xena frowned. "What should I care what he thinks? He wouldn't understand," she muttered.

"No, he wouldn't. Just like I never did and never will. I fell in love with a different Xena, so did he," Gabrielle said softly, slowly moving the blade away from her throat.

"Love? You were sent by the gods to destroy me," Xena sneered.

"No, I found my soul-mate, whether you destroyed me or not with your darkness. No matter what, I love you and won't live without you."

"You're trying to trick me with fancy talk," Xena growled and raised the sword over the bard's neck.

"No, I'm letting you know that I love you, even if you kill me now. I also want you to know that if you do this then you'll find yourself in Tartarus very soon and that I'll be waiting."

"What, to torment me for eternity? Aren't you bound for the Fields?" Xena smirked.

"Yes, I believe so but I'll choose to be in Tartarus waiting for you. Not to torment you but to face whatever eternity is your destiny, together. I'm counting on you remembering our love on the otherside," Gabrielle said.

"What?" Xena whispered.

"I told my father when he confronted me about my feelings for you that I would face an eternity in Tartarus with you and I meant it," Gabrielle said simply.

Xena lowered the blade with a frown. After a moment she raised it again with a snarl.

"You brought me down from warlord to wandering warrior, not again!" Xena growled.

"And you brought me from simple farm girl to one who has known love. You saved me and my village women from slavers. That's how we met. Did Ares tell you that?"

"You're twisting things!" Xena hissed.

"No, I'm not. Do you trust anyone?" Gabrielle stood up and faced the warlord.

"No, not even Ares." Xena admitted.

"Look at your hand, your left hand," Xena looked down at the healing wound and was stunned to see a similar wound on the bard's left hand. "We were blood bound by the gods themselves. You trusted me with your love and I gave you my heart."

Xena frowned, sword lowering slowly. Blood bond? She would never trust anyone like that, not even Ares, she thought. Blood bond? Tying together of souls for eternity?

"When we met you had been driven out of your army because you tried to save a small infant and a little girl. Your army went against your orders and killed everyone and everything, men, women, children, even the animals. They put you through a gauntlet, almost killing you. Hercules and Iolaus found you and tried to convince you to change your ways, they saw a light in you."

The bard approached the warrior slowly, keeping her hands in sight.

"Then you decided to give up your weapons, YOU gave up your warlord past. We hadn't even met yet, Xena. You were burying your weapons when the slavers attacked us. You rescued us and I followed you."

"Why? How do I know this is the truth?" Xena demanded, her head spinning.

"Because if you search your heart and soul you'll find me there. I followed you because I had to," Gabrielle shrugged. "I don't know why, truly. I couldn't stay in the village any longer, I knew I was destined for something more than that and that you were part of it. When your mother refused to believe that you were changing and that you wanted to protect the village from Draco, I helped talk the villagers out of killing you."

"Wait a minute! I was trying to convince my mother that I wasn't the warlord anymore?"

"Yes, you even left your sword on the bar and walked out of her inn."

"Never!" Xena protested.

"Yes, you were determined to prove it to her, even if took years. When Draco attacked you made a single challenge to him and won, forcing his army to leave the village alone."

"Ares said I didn't win," Xena muttered.

"If you hadn't Amphipolis wouldn't be standing. You refused the treasure wagons and moved on, satisfied when your mother accepted you once again. Then I kept following you until you grew used to me."

"I didn't take the money?" Xena finally allowed her curiosity to win out over the battle warrior screaming inside for her to simply kill the small woman and get out of there. Her mind screaming that she was falling into a trap. The warrior sat down in a chair at the table, replacing the sword in her hand with her chakram. Both Gabrielle and Xena knew that the bard wouldn't be able to take a step before the chakram could cut her down.

Gabrielle grinned. "You refused."

"You must have been annoying in the beginning, you talk a lot," Xena grumbled.

Gabrielle moved slowly to the other chair, keeping her hands in sight. "Yup, no doubt about it but you came to like my stories and we came to be friends and then partners."

"Ares calls you 'irritating,'" Xena commented.

"Want to hear what I call him?" Gabrielle countered with a grin and was pleased when Xena grinned back.

"No, not right now. You're telling me that we travel around doing good things?" Xena looked extremely doubtful.

"Yes," Gabrielle answered simply.

"Why?" Xena demanded.

"Well, you found that kicking the Tartarus out of bad guys more satisfying than picking on defenseless villagers." Xena grinned at the thought of that. "You were quite pleased with yourself when you defeated Draco that time. You leap into battle with your famous warcry and a grin on your face, this time facing equal opponents. Men and women armed and attempting to kill you or someone else. Not terrified villagers defending their homes."

Xena growled.

"When did we become lovers? How did that happen? From what you describe I don't think that I just grabbed you on the first night and you stuck around."

"No, you were patient," Xena again gave her a doubtful look and Gabrielle laughed at the warrior. "We were both so terrified of losing each other's friendship that we kept our feelings to ourselves until we nearly went mad."

"You weren't sent to seduce me?" Xena whispered.

Gabrielle blushed a beet red. "Would the gods send an inexperienced virgin farmgirl to the Conqueror?" she managed to stammer out.

"Probably not. When did it happen?" Xena was now extremely curious.

"Recently, actually. We finally figured out that the other one was feeling the same emotions and desires and finally acted on them. You asked me to marry you before we even kissed," Gabrielle said carefully, watching Xena's reactions.

"No way!" the warrior protested.

"Yes, truth. In my parent's barn. You took your chakram off and laid it, your sword and your dagger at my feet and pledged your love for me. I pledged my love to you in return and stood down my father. We became lovers the next morning." Gabrielle felt her face flush with the memory of the first time with Xena.

Gabrielle felt her breathing speed up as she closed her eyes with the memory. She let the emotion and desire flow over her, knowing Xena was watching her. Sunning on a rock after a cold swim, the warrior had surprised the bard and quickly showed the bard how much Xena desired the blond woman.

Xena's eyes narrowed as Gabrielle opened her eyes. A warrior's pledge? Xena? The warrior glanced down at her hand and the wound. The bard reached out her left hand, showing her wound.

"Give me your dagger," she demanded from the warrior.

Xena raised her eyebrows and raised the chakram.

"You know I'm no match for you. Let me see your dagger," Gabrielle insisted and the warrior carefully pulled out the dagger from her side, keeping the chakram at ready.

Xena watched fascinated as the bard slit her palm, opening the wound again, letting the blood pool in her palm. Gabrielle laid the dagger on the table.

"Are you brave enough to test whether we're connected or not?"

"Some trick of the gods," Xena growled.

"No, my word as Queen. No trick from the gods, just our hearts."

Xena frowned, no one challenged her bravery!

"You have several seasons of missing memories, don't you want them back?" Gabrielle asked. "Ares is using you. Why would he wipe out your memories if he wasn't?"

Xena sliced her palm open with her chakram and grabbed the bard's hand in hers.

Xena felt a rush that was akin to the drug induced trances Alti had taught her in the North. The warrior's head snapped back and she tightened her grip on the bard's hand.

She cried out as wave after wave of memory hit her. Xena didn't resist when she felt the chakram being gently taken from her hand, nor did she open her eyes when she felt Gabrielle pull the warrior to her feet and guide her across the room. Xena gratefully slid into the bard's arms on the bed as her body shook and her mind screamed in agony.

After what seemed an eternity the warrior became aware of her surroundings and that she was in the arms of the bard she had come to kill. The woman she had taken as soul-mate.

"No!" she cried out. Xena felt the tears streaming down her face and her body began to shake as she sobbed. Gabrielle turned the warrior over until Xena was facing her and then held the taller woman close.

"I wanted you dead!" Xena whimpered, attempting to pull away from Gabrielle but the bard held fast.

"No, the Warlord wanted me dead, not you. That's no longer you," Gabrielle argued.

"I almost killed you! How do we know it won't happen again?" the warrior shouted, sitting up, turning away from Gabrielle. The bard grabbed her from behind and held tight.

"Because he won't win. He'll never win. As long as we have our love, no one can win against us!" Gabrielle argued.

"I love you so much but I'm going to end up hurting you, I know it!" Xena cried.

Gabrielle sighed heavily and crawled out of the bed. Taking the lamp to the door she opened it slowly, letting the Amazons see her clearly and called out a bird call. She slowly went back to the bedside table and sat the lamp down. She then knelt in front of her love.

"I love you and you probably will hurt me." Xena looked up into the bard's green eyes, terrified. "We will always have that power over each other. It's hard to hurt someone unless there's deep feelings there. I love you but I accept that I might hurt you in the future. I'll chance being hurt and pray I never hurt you," Gabrielle insisted.

"I almost became the Warlord again. I WAS the Warlord again," Xena countered.

"Only because Ares messed with your memories. Let it go, he's lost and we've won. Come back to me, my love," Gabrielle insisted.

"I can't, I was a moment away from killing you!" Xena growled, resisting the bard.

Gabrielle decided to stop arguing with words and grabbed the warrior's face and pulled herself up into the warrior's lips. Xena resisted and Gabrielle fought back, following the warrior until they were laying back on the bed, the small bard on top of Xena.

The warrior finally gave into the kiss and her strong arms wrapped around the moaning bard. They broke away from the kiss when Gabrielle yelped. She leaned up slightly and tapped the armor beneath her.

"This has got to go, warrior."

Xena grinned and nodded. The bard eagerly got up from her warrior and began helping the woman remove the leather and metal covering. As the bard helped remove the armor from behind she leaned into Xena's ear.

"How much do you remember?" she asked.

"Everything, the first time together, the wedding, you being poisoned, taking my mom and your family home, everything," Xena answered, leaning back into her bard.

"Good, then you'll remember that it's been awhile since I was up to touching you."

Gabrielle reached out and bit the warrior's earlobe and found herself quickly enveloped in the warrior's arms as Xena turned and they fell back onto the bed. With a growl of impatience they both managed to get each other's clothes off somehow.

Xena quickly sought out Gabrielle's lips, almost painfully. The bard countered with her tongue and teeth, lightly nipping the warrior's lips. The bard's hands pulled Xena on top of her, grabbing the warrior tightly, working a leg between the other woman's legs. The warrior moaned and bit down on an aroused nipple, sending the bard arching her back and crying out.

Suddenly the bard felt Xena stiffen and then move away from her to sit on the edge of the bed. Catching her breath, Gabrielle sat up quickly.

"What is it, Xena?" the bard asked.

"I... I can't," the warrior whispered.

Gabrielle sighed, insight sweeping over her. "Because you were with Ares?"

"You knew?" Xena refused to meet Gabrielle's eyes and the bard pulled the woman's face around to look at her in the eyes.

"Yes, he came around to brag," Gabrielle admitted, pain showing in her eyes.

"Son of a bacchae!" Xena hissed.

"I agree. That wasn't my mate, that wasn't my Xena. You didn't even remember me, Xena," Gabrielle argued.

"I slept with him! Arrrggghhh!"

"From what I hear you didn't do much sleeping," Gabrielle grinned around her pain and was rewarded with a warrior suddenly tickling her.

"I remember now that you're ticklish," Xena warned.

"Good, then you remember you love me, not him. Come here and show me how much," Gabrielle I insisted, pulling Xena back on top of her. The warrior quickly responded to the encouragement.

"Xena!" a male voice demanded outside the hut, sending both women scrambling for weapons. In a moment Gabrielle had a spike in her hand that had been hidden in her wrist bracer and Xena had her chakram ready. Xena looked at the spike with raised eyebrows and Gabrielle merely shrugged.

The warrior wrapped her cloak around her and opened the door to the hut cautiously.

She wasn't surprised to see Ares standing in the common area, hands on his hips and a furious look on his face. He was ignoring the fact that he was surrounded by armed Amazons, each with his heart or head lined in their arrow sights.

Xena walked out of the hut, holding the cloak closed around her, pulling the cloth up over one bare shoulder. She stopped in front of him.

"Oh you are in such trouble!" he hissed.

"I usually am with you," the warrior commented easily.

"How did she do it? Talk you to death again?" he demanded. "No, don't tell me, I can see you've been doing more than talking," he pointed to her bare shoulder and Xena pulled the cloak up again.

"Nope, well, sort of. She told me the truth and I recognized it," Xena grinned.

"I told you the truth, you grew weak and lost your edge and you lost the warlord," Ares countered.

"I gave up the warlord before Gabrielle, she merely helped me find the light," Xena said simply.

"You can't deny what we have together," his voice softened.

"We had sex between us, with Gabrielle it's love," She opened her left hand, showing the fresh wound.

"This isn't over, Xena!" he promised and was gone.

"You better hope it is," she muttered and grinned at Ephiny and Solari, both holding bows with notched arrows. "Uh, I've got my memories back."

Ephiny grinned at the warrior's discomfort. "Consort, I think your Queen needs your attention."

Xena blushed and started past the Amazons who were resisting laughing at the warrior. "Xena, be careful, she pulled her back out a couple of days ago," Ephiny suggested.

"I want to ask her about that spike," the warrior muttered. Xena closed the door blushing and turned in time to catch Gabrielle in her arms as the bard leaped for her warrior.

"Some backache," Xena muttered.

"You're my cure for everything," Gabrielle whispered, beginning to nibble on the warrior's neck, sending the warrior stumbling back into the door.

Ephiny rolled her eyes at the thump and the following moans coming from the hut. Solari laughed and wrapped an arm around her mate's shoulders.

"Terrific, another sleepless night for anyone near the Queen's hut," Ephiny complained.

"I'll take this over fighting the Warlord Xena," Solari grinned.

"Any day, my love, any day," Ephiny agreed, nuzzling her mate's neck.


	5. 05 Trial of a Roman

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc etc etc. This is to help in keeping me somewhat sane and for entertainment. Don't bother suing me, I'm government property and have no money.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** there is a loving and sexual relationship between characters of the same sex. Nothing graphic in this one but if this is illegal where you are or bugs you - leave. Come back with changed laws, an open mind or when you're older.

**Violence:** Description of the results of a major poisoning, one actual poisoning. Kinda light this time around.

**Storyline:** one of Gabrielle's attempted assassins is put on trial by the Amazons and Gabrielle and Xena discover an unforeseen complication from Xena's recent memory loss.

**Feedback:** Yes, please! I love corresponding and hearing what you all think! (beg)

* * *

Xena watched her mate swing the staff over her head in a complicated pattern and bring the weapon down on the foot of one of the warriors, who yelped and dropped her guard. The bard quickly followed up with a kick to the warrior's chest that sent the woman flying backwards. The Amazon Queen started to spin around and jerked to a stop. Instantly, everyone froze and Xena was on her feet and over the small railing that bordered the practice yard.

The two warriors sparring with Gabrielle were by her side and the fallen one was regaining her feet when Xena reached her mate's side. Gabrielle was gritting her teeth, hand at the small of her back. She smiled through her pain at the sight of her soul-mate's blue eyes suddenly looking down on her.

"I'm fine, just a twinge," the bard protested before Xena could say a word.

Gabrielle shook off the concerns of the other warriors and reached out to take Xena's arm. "I'm fine, thanks for the practice. Time to quit, I think."

Only Xena noticed that the bard was actually leaning on her arm for support and not just as an excuse to touch her mate. Xena kept a frown from her face as they left the practice yard and headed for their hut. Once inside the door she turned to look closely at Gabrielle and hissed as she saw the intense pain on the Amazon Queen's face.

"I'm okay, just overdid it." Gabrielle said softly, closing her eyes. Xena took the staff from the woman's hands and placed it beside the door. Then she stood in front of the bard again. Gabrielle opened her eyes and Xena wanted to break into tears at the amount of pain she saw there. She reached out her arms and Gabrielle grasped her warrior's forearms and let Xena lead her to the bed they shared, the bard leaning heavily onto the strong arms of her warrior, gritting her teeth in pain.

The bard sighed with relief as she lay down on the bed, taking some of the pressure off her spine and muscles. Xena sat down on the edge of the bed and stroked her lover's forehead, silently cursing.

It had been three weeks since their wedding and Roman assassins had attempted the kill the Amazon Queen. Gabrielle had barely survived the poison and her body still hadn't healed totally. Somehow the bard had lived, but the poison had been so devastating to her body that she was still suffering. And with her, Xena suffered.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and smiled at her mate.

"It's been a rough month, hasn't it?" the bard asked softly, echoing her mate's thoughts. Xena smiled back.

"Yes, it has, little one."

"I didn't intend on overdoing it, I must have twisted wrong," the bard complained.

"I know, Gabrielle. I'll have dinner brought here tonight and get the Healer to make you some of that pain killer tea of hers."

"No, no more drugs, please."

"You're in pain." Xena protested.

"I'll live, warrior mine. Those teas taste horrible and they make me fuzzy. It's the muscle that's pulled, I can feel the difference between the spine injury and the muscles now. I'll be fine as long as I take it easy for a couple of more days," Gabrielle said, holding Xena's hand.

"All right, little one. About tomorrow," Xena began, slowly, to bring up a subject they had been dancing around for a couple of days. One that brought a frown to Gabrielle's face instantly and that infamous stubborn set to her jaw.

"There has to be another way," Gabrielle insisted.

"You've been pouring over those old scrolls looking for a way for four days. The Amazon law is clear, your assassin faces the death penalty," Xena countered.

"You know how I feel about killing. I can't be responsible for his death." Gabrielle's voice grew edged.

"You're not responsible," Xena protested. Her continued argument was cut short when a knock broke their conversation. "Come in!" she yelled and smiled when Regent Ephiny walked in.

The Regent saw Gabrielle on the bed and frowned. "I thought so. One of the warriors thought you were hiding your pain well, but that you had been hurt again."

Gabrielle rolled her eyes in frustration. "I didn't want them to know I had pulled my back again. They already treat me like I'm fragile. If this keeps up they'll never spar with me again!" the bard complained.

Ephiny sat down on the other side of the bed with a smile. "Just give it time. The Healer doesn't even know how you're alive, my Queen. That poison kills full grown cattle in a matter of minutes."

"I know she has the appetite of a full grown cow, but really," Xena was rewarded by her bard with a pillow to her face.

Ephiny grinned at the two women, and then grew serious.

"Gabrielle, your presence is required tomorrow," she said softly.

"I know, Ephiny," Gabrielle began but the Regent held up her hand.

"We've been over and over this, my Queen. The Elders will judge the Roman for his crime. You don't have a say in this. You can speak when they pass sentence on him but I can tell you this, it won't count for much. The law is clear. He attempted to kill an Amazon. He attempted to assassinate the Queen of the Amazons. He attempted to kill a royal member while under a banner of truce in the Amazon Nation, and he left his delegate here to take the blame. On top of all of that, he confessed." Ephiny ranted off the charges facing the one Roman assassin Xena had captured after Gabrielle's poisoning.

"You didn't torture him, did you?" Gabrielle demanded, flinching when she attempted to sit up. She lay back down, with a grimace.

"No, he freely confessed, proud of his mission. His only regret is that you aren't dead and he can't get to a sword or rope to kill himself," Ephiny answered easily.

"Why would he want to kill himself, he's facing death already?" Gabrielle asked.

"Because he failed, he wants to die like a soldier, not a criminal," Xena answered.

"What manner of death is he facing?" Gabrielle asked, the scrolls had been unclear about that point, apparently leaving it up to the Elders to decide.

Ephiny shifted uneasily. "The traditional punishment for murderers is poison," she said softly.

Gabrielle went pale and closed her eyes. "Anything like they used on me?" she whispered.

"Yes."

"I can see why he would want to fall on his sword," the bard muttered.

"It's actually a quick death. Like Ephiny said, we don't know why you lived through it, other than I'm damned happy you did." Gabrielle opened her eyes to smile at her mate in agreement.

"What else?" the bard asked, looking back over to her Regent.

"Hanging, decapitation by sword, execution by arrows."

"Not too bad, I've seen worse." Xena commented and shrugged at her bard's frustrated look. "In Rome he'd be crucified, that is not a nice death." Xena's eyes grew narrow in memory. She remembered Caesar's face as she was hung on a cross and her legs shattered with a hammer. Gabrielle reached out and touched her mate's face gently, bringing her warrior back from the memories. The bard knew about Xena's crucifixion and broken legs. She also knew of Xena's intense hatred for Caesar.

"Any death is too much for me," Gabrielle complained.

"I'm sorry, little one. After this is over I'm taking you somewhere quiet and restful. I owe you a honeymoon." Xena smiled at the bard's suddenly hopeful face.

"Really?" the bard whispered and even Ephiny grinned at the small woman's delight.

"Yup." Xena nodded.

Ephiny frowned again. "My Queen, you have to attend the execution," the Regent whispered.

Gabrielle didn't answer. Ephiny looked up and saw Gabrielle's clenched jaw and Xena's pained eyes. The Regent moved quietly out of the hut.

Both of them were very aware of the bard's reluctance to kill, even when it was Callisto, the murderer of the bard's husband. Gabrielle had been unable to kill the insane woman, even when it meant her death at Callisto's hands.

Xena sat quietly with her mate as Gabrielle struggled with her inner demons. The warrior knew the time would come when the bard would probably kill someone, most likely in self defense or in defense of someone else. The warrior still dreaded that and would almost offer a prayer to the gods that it not happen anytime in the near future. The ex-warlord was terrified of the bard losing her blood innocence and what that could do to a person. The only way Xena kept from falling into the darkness was Gabrielle, and the warrior knew that same darkness could claim anyone, even someone like Gabrielle. It nearly had when her husband Perdicus had been slaughtered in front of her.

Xena didn't know how to help her mate with this one. Falling into darkness and being able to kill was something Xena didn't have a problem with. Although she did have to admit she could no longer kill with ease and without reason, not with Gabrielle's guiding light showing her the difference between the warrior and the Warlord.

Xena sat with the bard, watching the smaller woman thinking, and tossing, and struggling with the inner and outer pain until food was brought to their hut.

The main hall of the Amazon Village was packed to the rafters for the trial. At the far end of the hall a platform had been raised for the judges, the tribal Elders. On the right another platform was for the Amazon Queen's chair and one for her Consort. On the left was the platform for the accused and his speakers.

In the center was a platform for addressing the Elders and the crowd. The rest of the hall was taken up with chairs for the spectators. Among the crowd were representatives from various other Amazon tribes. Also in the crowd were Hercules and Iolaus, as potential witnesses to the Roman's capture.

One missing face was Brutus and Xena was glad. Having anything to do with Rome made her nervous, even if Brutus had helped capture the assassin. The warrior trusted no one much and Romans even less.

At the table of the accused the Roman sat, staring straight forward. His hands and feet chained together and a chain running between that. The Amazons had allowed him to wear his armor and rank of Centurion for the trial and Xena could see that he had been treated well, despite his crime against their Queen. The Amazons were being patient.

One possible outcome of sentence that Ephiny hadn't told Gabrielle was for the Roman to be turned over to the crowd for punishment. Xena secretly hoped it didn't come to that, the Amazons would rip him into pieces for what their Queen had been through. She also knew that it would be a painful death, beginning with an assault below the belt.

Everyone was restless but the room went quiet as the Elders walked through the center and took their places at their table. Xena nodded to Ephiny across the common ground and the Regent disappeared into the Queen's hut. A moment later she emerged with Gabrielle, in full ceremonial dress, including mask and feathers.

Xena, as Consort, put on her mask and waited for her Queen to join her at the door. She offered the Queen her arm and drew her sword in a ritual gesture of protection. Together they walked down the center of the room and Xena lent her arm to her Queen as the smaller woman mounted the platform and stood before her throne. The royal Consort joined her and knelt on one knee, everyone followed. Gabrielle sat down and everyone regained their seats as Xena took her seat slightly to the right and behind Gabrielle.

Ephiny entered and walked to the accused's table, having been given the task to speak for the accused. Byblis, an Amazon scholar like Gabrielle, had been chosen to speak against him to the Elders.

Byblis took the center platform, facing Gabrielle, taking in the Elders and the crowd with her back to the accused table.

"My Queen and royal Consort, tribal Elders, honored Regent, honored guests," she began, removing her ceremonial mask to speak better. "Before you is a man accused of one of the most horrible crimes we can image as Amazons. This Roman, Octavion, a Centurion of the Praetorian Guard, is accused of the attempted murder of our beloved Queen."

The crowd grumbled and shifted in their seats. The Roman raised his chin in defiance. Xena's eyes narrowed in anger.

"By his own admission, one of his accomplices poured a powdered poison into the Queen's wine cup when he shook the Queen's hand. This took place at our Queen's wedding. A public and royal function that acknowledged the Queen's bonding to her Consort the night before."

Again the crowd rumbled, especially the Amazons.

"Our Queen drank some of that wine and fell ill, so ill that she almost died many times in the coming week. By this man's own admission he knew about the plot, he assisted in it, he fled the area with his accomplices and he resisted arrest by his Commanding Officer, Brutus - Proconsul of Rome, and by the Royal Consort."

Byblis paused for a moment.

"The Roman was a guest of our tribe, a delegate of Rome, of Caesar. Our Queen almost died and even now isn't totally recovered. I would like the healer to speak to you of this." Byblis looked to the Elders who nodded their approval.

Out of the crowd, the Healer stepped forward and bowed to the Queen and Consort, the Elders and then faced the accused. She bowed to Ephiny and then, with a glare, turned her back on the Roman.

"Scholar Byblis speaks the truth. Let me describe the effects of the poison that this man and his comrades used. I will speak in simple terms and without feeling. My feelings I will tell you after you have heard what your Queen suffered."

Xena reached out and held Gabrielle's hand as she shifted uneasily on her throne.

"First the powder was introduced into her wine. Our Queen doesn't drink much so she only had a small dose. This poison is deadly and usually kills within an hour. I swear by the gods I don't know how she lived but I give thanks and sacrifice every day that she did. Within minutes she was salivating, then the muscles began to twitch. With her Amazon training our Queen ignored this as exhaustion and danced the courtship dance with her Consort. By the end of the dance our Queen was breathing rapidly, her pulse was racing and she couldn't see any longer because her eyes were dilated. The tremors started getting worse. Her consort quickly took the unconscious Queen to my hut. By this time the tremors were worse and she was slipping into a coma. Violent convulsions seized her body. I induced vomiting with charcoal and tannin tea. By the time Xena, warrior friend of the Amazons, went in search of the assassins with the Roman officer, Brutus, our Queen was in violent convulsions."

Everyone was deathly quiet and Xena was somewhat pleased the Roman had enough sense to drop his head at the description of his handiwork.

"Her breathing stopped several times. I was able to keep her breathing with a technique that our friend, Xena, had shown me last time she and the bard Gabrielle visited."

Xena swallowed with difficulty. She didn't know about Gabrielle's breathing stopping while she was gone. She could tell by the way the Queen was gripping her hand that the bard hadn't known either.

"Her skin turned blue and I fought, along with assistants, to keep the blood circulating throughout our Queen's body and kept forcing air into her lungs."

Xena and Gabrielle knew those "assistants" must have been Ephiny and her mate Solari; Gabrielle's mother Hecuba and little sister Lila, Xena's mother Cyrene and her son Solan.

Gods, they both thought to themselves, they must have been terrified!

The Elders, guests and Amazons thought so too.

"Her muscles kept contracting in unnatural positions and she was in agony, screaming agony. Her body was literally being pulled into pieces by her own muscles. I managed to get enough of a strong sedative tea into her of help calm some of the contractions but not much. Her screams ripped through the village for hours."

Xena was impressed with the descriptive language of the healer, but was just in anguish hearing what Gabrielle had gone through.

"Hours later the warrior woman returned with the prisoner. All the other assassins were killed resisting. The Roman Brutus turned the prisoner over to the Amazon Nation for judgment."

"Did our Queen recover that night?" one of the Elders asked. Xena knew that all the Elders knew the answer to that but they wanted to drag out all the information of just how Gabrielle had suffered.

To put a Roman Centurion of the Praetorian Guard and a delegate from Rome, they would have to show extreme just cause and they intended to do just that.

"No, as I said, she still hasn't recovered. All of us waited the night to see if she would survive. I truly didn't think she would. I knew the poison they used and it's always deadly and very painful. The body rips itself apart from the inside and the muscles constrict the lungs and throat until the victim can't breath and they die. When our Queen regained consciousness it was horrible," the healer's voice choked for a moment. "The merest touch of anything would cause her to scream. Her muscles had so torn at her that her skin was so sensitive even clothing and her own hair could cause pain."

Xena could see Ephiny going pale from that memory and the warrior knew she probably didn't look much better behind her mask either.

"It was hours before she could tolerate touch, light or noise again and even then only in small measures. Her Consort was also in agony during this entire time, watching her beloved suffer like this. It took another four days before the Queen could get through a day without pain medication and constant massage of her muscles from my assistants and her Consort. This required night and day attention. Almost all the village kept a vigil outside the hut for their Queen. The danger finally passed and our Queen is now attempting to recover. It has been most painful for her. The Queen's muscles are weak and damaged and will require months of rebuilding before we know for sure that she can make a complete recovery. Her internal organs might be sensitive to some foods from this point on, we don't know yet. Only the Gods know for sure if her life was cut shorter because of this."

Everyone sat stunned, contemplating what they had heard from the Healer, as she finished.

"Healer," finally one of the Elders spoke. "What the Romans used as a poison, they knew there would be no survival?"

"Yes, it was a combination of an herb from the north called Cowsbane by our Northern sisters." Everyone heard the Northern tribe gasp in recognition. The Northern Amazons looked up at the Queen in amazement. "And they combined it with strychnine. Both are deadly unto themselves. Our Queen shouldn't be alive but she is, thank the gods."

Everyone muttered in agreement.

"Thank you, Healer. Byblis, continue."

"Thank you, Elder. I would like the Consort to speak on this."

Xena was surprised, the scholar hadn't asked her or Gabrielle about this. The warrior could almost feel Gabrielle frowning under her mask. The warrior slowly stood and squeezed the Queen's hand before jumping down from the platform and joining Byblis on the platform in the center of the room. She bowed before her Queen, the Elders and Ephiny.

Just like at the wedding Xena and Gabrielle were hidden by their masks and different clothing and weapons. Most of the delegates had found out that Xena was the royal consort but Gabrielle and Ephiny had insisted that they downplay that part of the events. In case some of the delegates hadn't figured it out, weren't there or whatever, they wanted to keep Gabrielle's identity as Queen as secret as possible. Her habit of traveling with Xena unprotected by a large guard of Amazons was enough to drive Ephiny crazy, everyone agreed they didn't want all of Greece and the outside world knowing that she was also Amazon royalty -a potential hostage. She was already a target just traveling with Xena.

Xena faced Byblis, face hidden by her mask.

"Consort, you were there when your Queen took ill with the poison."

"Yes, I carried her to the Healer's hut," Xena answered simply.

"How long had you been bonded to the Queen?" Byblis asked.

"We were bonded the night before by the Regent and the Gods. Our public bonding had just taken place when she was poisoned," Xena answered.

"Not long." Byblis stated.

"No, not long."

"What did you feel when the Queen took ill?"

Xena frowned and shifted on her feet. "I can't describe it, I'm not a bard or scholar," Xena began. "It was like all of my soul was dying as I watched her screaming and thrashing in pain."

"How long did you stay with the Queen during her recovery?" the scholar asked.

"Almost every minute. Only our Regent Ephiny or my mother could get me to leave her side to eat or get cleaned up." Xena said simply.

"Did you sleep?"

"Not much," Xena admitted. "I would hold her, singing and talking until the pain would pass enough for her to sleep. I would sleep in-between the attacks of pain when the medicine would wear off."

"How long did this go on?"

"Days and nights. It was over a week before anyone slept through the night, including the Queen."

"Has she recovered?" Byblis asked.

"No, she is still in pain. She is working on regaining her muscle strength but it is too slow for our Amazon Queen and she is frustrated. She whimpers at night in pain and she gets up to pace the floor at least twice a night, working out cramping muscles."

Xena saw Gabrielle flinch and smiled under her mask. The bard hadn't realized Xena knew about her pacing at night. The Amazon Queen hadn't wanted to worry the warrior. Gabrielle grinned to herself, as if she could keep something from Xena!

"Will she heal totally?"

"If stubbornness can heal muscles, she will." Ephiny grinned at that comment then Xena was serious. "I don't know. I'm a warrior and I haven't seen many injuries that caused this type of damage without being permanent. We can only pray she keeps getting stronger."

"Thank you, Consort. Do the Elders have any questions for the Consort?" Byblis asked.

The Elders looked to each other and then shook their heads. Xena quickly took her place by the Queen's side once more, glad to be out of the center of the mess. Gabrielle took her hand and squeezed.

"My Queen and Consort, Honored Elders, I would now turn to Regent Ephiny to address this matter before you."

"Thank you, Byblis," one of the Elders said as the scholar stepped down and resumed her place at the accused table. Ephiny stood up and took her place in the center of the room, carrying her royal mask.

"Regent Ephiny, you are acting Queen when our Queen is away."

"Yes, I am her successor if anything should happen," Ephiny answered.

"You were here when the Queen was poisoned," an Elder stated.

"Yes, Elder. It was just as the Healer and the Consort described it. Our Queen was in such agony that I thought she would die just from the pain."

"You took charge of the prisoner when the Roman Brutus and Xena brought him to our village?" another Elder asked.

"Yes, Elder. I quickly saw that his armor was removed and all hidden weapons found. I then had him chained hand and foot in the center of the prison room. I then kept vigil outside the Healer's Hut until we knew if the Queen would live or not." Ephiny answered.

"And if she hadn't?"

Ephiny lowered her head. "I don't know, Elder," she whispered. "I hope I would be strong enough to hold my hand until the prisoner had been judged but revenge was in my heart as I waited for news of our Queen. If she had died I might have killed him that night."

Gabrielle whimpered and Xena squeezed the bard's hand again.

"We understand Regent and don't fault you for your feelings of love for the Queen. I think every Amazon in this tribe was feeling and thinking the same thing," one of the Elders stated.

"When did you question the Roman?" another Elder asked.

"Three days later when we were sure that our Queen would live. He freely admitted to the plot to kill the Queen with poison. He admitted that he knew it was a fatal combination and dose. He admitted he knew the plan of how to poison the Queen. He admitted that he and his accomplices quickly left the wedding reception in an attempt to escape capture. He freely admitted that his officer, Brutus and the other Romans left behind at the reception were not in on the plot and had been left behind to take the blame if it were discovered who had poisoned the Queen," Ephiny stated.

"Was the prisoner mistreated or tortured for this admission?"

"No, he was given the same food that we served on our tables and plenty of water. He was given the opportunity to bathe himself with bucket, water and soap and given a bucket that was cleaned daily for his personal use."

"Was he given a blanket?"

"No," Ephiny smiled a grim smile at that one.

"Why not?" an Elder asked.

"Because, when he confessed everything he stated that it was fortunate Xena and Brutus had taken him before he could fall on his sword and that he would kill himself like a Roman the first chance he got. I didn't want to find him hanging from the rafters or the bars with his blanket." Ephiny admitted.

"Very well."

"Regent," another Elder spoke. "What do you think his judgment should be?"

Ephiny looked at Gabrielle's eyes behind the mask and hesitated. The Queen could see the pain on her Regent's face.

"I saw one of my best friends almost die a most horrible death. I heard her scream for nights on end and I've seen her suffer with the after affects. I've seen her Consort go nearly mad with worry and grief and I've seen their families run themselves into exhaustion trying to care for the Consort and the Queen." Ephiny lowered her head. "I would wish death for the Roman in whatever manner you deem fit."

"Does the Roman wish to speak on his behalf?"

The Roman, Octavion, stood and bowed to the Queen and Consort and then to the Elders.

"I am Octavion, Centurion in the Praetorian Guard of Rome. I was sent on a mission and I have failed in that mission. My fate is death and I accept that." The Roman sat down again.

Byblis stood and faced the Elders. "There is one thing the Roman didn't admit to, Elders. Who ordered the attack on our Queen? Who ordered her death?"

"Roman," an Elder began and the Roman stood. "Who ordered your plot against our Queen. Your answer might spare your life."

"I cannot state that, even if I knew. I took my orders from the man Brutus killed when capturing us," he answered.

"Isn't it true that you are one of Caesar's guards?" Byblis questioned.

"Yes, that is what the Praetorian Guard is."

"Isn't it true that Brutus stated to the Consort that you were assigned to his delegation by personal orders from Caesar?" Byblis questioned.

"I don't know what Brutus told anyone. I was ordered by Samvius, my officer, to come on this mission and then told after we were on the road what the real mission was. I never met with Caesar and have never spoken with Caesar."

"Damn," Xena muttered under her breath.

Byblis faced the Elders. "Honored Elders, although the circumstances point that this was a plot from the highest ranks of Rome, we have no proof to bring public charges against any other Roman than Octavion." Byblis' face was red with anger and Xena felt the same anger. They had all been hoping for enough proof to at least publicly embarrass Caesar over the incident.

"Consort, what is your feelings on judgment for this man?" an Elder questioned.

Xena stood up and glanced down into Gabrielle's eyes. "I'm sorry, little one. I have to speak the truth," she whispered. Gabrielle's eyes filled with tears but she squeezed her mate's hand in support.

"I would wish death for him in whatever manner you choose." Xena sat down, praying that Gabrielle wouldn't be angry with her. The Queen leaned over to her Consort's ear.

"It's all right, my love. I always want the truth from you."

Xena sighed with relief.

"My Queen, what would be your wish for this man?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and stood, almost stumbling as her legs refused to hold her upright. Xena was on her feet in a flash and helped steady the Queen.

Gabrielle grinned a frustrated smile under her mask. After a moment she nodded to her Consort that she was all right to stand on her own and Xena sat back down, on alert to spring forward again if the little bard needed her.

"As you can see, I am not fully recovered from the murder attempt. They tell me I may never totally recover my strength. Before this I could walk miles each day with little tiredness, I could swim a river easily and I was dangerous with a staff. Now I can barely walk across the common to the eating hut without pain. I have suffered and continue to suffer because of this man and his obedience to a murderous plot," the Queen hesitated.

"I am bitter. This man and his officers attempted to kill me on my wedding day and take me away from my soul-mate." Gabrielle remembered another wedding day and watching Perdicus die, unarmed right next to her. "I know the pain of that loss and what it would have done to my Consort, my love. I don't think this man can understand this but I hope that all of you do, I am against killing in general and have fought against it many times. In the last few days I have come to realize that a line has been crossed in my soul," again the Queen hesitated and Xena frowned beneath her mask.

"I call for this man's death." Xena heard herself gasp at the words from her little bard. "Not because of his attempt to kill me or because of the suffering I've gone through and continue to go through. I call for justice because of the pain he caused my beloved Consort, my blood-bonded mate and for the pain he attempted to cause with my death. I know that if I had died that my consort would have followed me soon and I can't forgive that."

Xena could tell the bard was crying beneath the mask and wished she could grab the Queen in her arms and comfort her. The warrior knew this had to be one of the most wrenching realizations and decisions the young woman had ever faced about herself.

"I also call for his death as justice for the harm he attempted to cause to the Amazon Nation. To him, his act was political and he now accepts the usual political outcome of failure - death. For the good of the Nation, let him face your justice with death."

Everyone was stunned into silence as the Queen resumed her chair, wincing in pain. Only Xena could tell how much pain Gabrielle was in, both physically and mentally. Then the crowd was grumbling in reaction and agreement.

One of the Elders stood and bowed to the Queen and then faced the crowd. "We will retire and discuss this matter. Please await our decision." The Elders filed out of the hall and everyone broke into conversation.

Xena quickly knelt down in front of Gabrielle, taking the bard's hands in hers, seeking the green eyes of her love out through the masks and wasn't surprised to find the woman with tears in those eyes.

It was less than a candle-mark when the Elders returned to the hall. The spokeswoman for the Elder Council stood and bowed to the Queen and Consort and then to Regent Ephiny. She faced the crowd.

"My Queen and Consort, Royal Regent and honored guests; the Elder Council of this Amazon Nation has made its determination in the case of the Roman Centurion Octavion of the Praetorian Guard, accused of attempted murder. In that he has confessed to his role, his guilt wasn't a matter of question. What faced us was the question of his punishment."

Xena reached out and held Gabrielle's hand, finding the bard trembling slightly.

"These are the things we considered: that Octavion came to us under a banner of truce and goodwill; that he accepted our hospitality with the knowledge he was going to commit a horrible crime against the Nation; that he freely participated in this crime; that this crime was political in motivation; that he attempted to kill a member of our Nation; that this member was royalty and that royalty was our Queen herself; that he cared nothing for the suffering he inflicted on our Queen; that he cared nothing for the pain he caused her family and our Nation through her suffering; that his only regret was that he failed in killing the Queen." the Elder paused.

"Other things we considered; that the man is a soldier and not the one who gave the orders; that it cannot be determined who gave the order; that this man was following the orders of his superiors and had no personal stake in the attempt."

The Elder turned slightly and faced the Roman. "Roman Octavion, it is the decision of this Elder Council that your crime outweighs any mercy. It is the decision that you shall be put to death tomorrow at sunrise. You will be given parchment to make your will and testament known to your people and any letter you may wish to write to your family. These will be taken to the nearest Roman garrison and official word will be sent to Rome of your fate. Your manner of death will be that of what you attempted for our Queen, by poison."

Gabrielle's hand tightened on her warrior's and her breathing became shallow and rapid.

"We won't use the same poison that you used on our Queen, we will use the traditional Greek method of executing condemned murderers: hemlock. You have until dawn, Octavion."

The Roman stood and bowed to the Elder Council and then to the Queen and Consort and followed his armed escort from the Hall as the crowd grumbled in agreement with his fate.

Gabrielle stood up, trembling, and managed to bow to Ephiny and then the Elder Council, allowing Xena's arm to support her out of the Hall.

"How can I help, Little one?" Xena whispered down to her little bard.

"Get me out of here for awhile, grab Argo while I change, I'll bring clothes for you."

Before Xena could agree or protest the bard was moving towards the Queen's Hut.

The warrior quickly moved toward the stables.

Xena moved Argo through the rocks carefully as Gabrielle gritted her teeth against the pain from riding. The Amazon Queen was pleased to find that her Consort was leading them to the same pool they had visited a short time earlier that season. The same pool where they had shared a vision together that revealed the truth of Gabrielle's parentage and destiny, a destiny she and Xena had been fated to share and mold, either in the darkness of the Warlord or in the light of the warrior and bard.

The warrior helped the pain-wracked bard off Argo and gently carried her to the shade of a tree by the small river. Without a word the warrior sat against a tree and pulled the bard in between her legs and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman. Together they watched the river flow.

After a time the warrior made a small campfire for her and her mate and changed out of her ceremonial clothing into her usual leathers. Wrapping a cloak around them they watched the stars beginning to show in the darkening sky.

"I have to be there in the morning, don't I?" Gabrielle finally broke their silence.

"Yes," Xena agreed.

"Gods, I hate this!"

"I know."

Gabrielle hugged the arms hugging her. "I love you."

"I love you too, Gabrielle."

Just before dawn Xena slowly led Argo back into the village and wasn't surprised to find Ephiny and Solari waiting.

"My Queen, about half a candle-mark. We told the delegates that you were in too much pain for the dinner last night." Ephiny said simply.

"Thank you."

Xena reached up and helped her beloved off the horse carefully. The warrior was already dressed in her ceremonial clothing, all she needed to do was put on the mask. Gabrielle leaned up and kissed her mate quickly.

"I'll be back in a few minutes," the bard said and moved slowly towards their hut to get dressed in her ceremonial clothing again.

Xena shrugged when she turned to the Regent and her mate. "She needed some time to think."

"We knew that, so did the Elders. No one thought anything about it. We know what a difficult decision that was for Gabrielle." Ephiny responded with a smile.

"This whole mess hasn't been easy for any of us." Xena complained.

"No, I talked with the Healer, the execution should be quick." Solari informed the warrior.

"Good, after this is over I'm taking Gabrielle away for awhile. Up north to a small cabin Hercules has in the mountains. A month or more together with no one else around will probably do her some good."

"I agree, give her some time to heal and both of you to heal. You've had a rough wedding month, my friend," Ephiny agreed.

Xena quickly put on her mask as delegates began leaving their huts and gathering near the common area. The warrior excused herself from the Regent and mate and made her way around the gathering crowd towards the Queen's Hut and entered with a knock.

Gabrielle sat at the table staring at nothing. She attempted a smile as her mate walked up and hugged the bard from behind.

"It's time, my Queen." Xena said softly. Gabrielle nodded and rose in her lover's arms, reaching for her mask on the table.

"Let's get this over with."

The next half a candle-mark was a blur to the Amazon Queen. Formal announcement of the charges, Elder decision and call for the prisoner to be brought forth. The Roman was dressed as before in his official military clothing. He stood as tall as his medium height would allow and easily stood on the platform.

An Amazon, chosen by lots and masked, stepped forward from the Healer with a cup in hand. The Roman raised the cup in salute, to whom no one asked or ventured, and then he drank the entire contents.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and listened to the noises, the reactions of the crowd for the next few minutes. Xena stood behind the sitting bard, holding her Queen closely. The bard concentrated on her breathing and on the warmth of the warrior's arms holding her and finally Xena leaned forward and whispered in her ear.

"It's over, my love."

Gabrielle opened her eyes to see the masked Amazon covering the Roman's body with a blanket as the Healer stepped back.

"The judgment of the Elder Council has been carried out. The Roman Centurion Octavion is dead," the healer announced.

"Come, my Queen, let's pack for our journey." Xena encouraged.

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed quickly.

The next two days were spent with Gabrielle spending time with the visitors from other tribes, Xena sparring with Hercules and Iolaus, and the Amazon Queen catching up on political stuff for the Nation. With rest and no strenuous activity the bard's back began healing once again, pleasing both Gabrielle and Xena to no end.

On the third day the Shaman sought the two bond-mates out, finding them watching some of the visiting Amazons sparring with Gabrielle's tribe members and Hercules and Iolaus. The Shaman sat next to the two on a log seat outside of the practice yard.

"Your friends are good." she commented about Hercules and Iolaus.

"Yes, but the Amazons definitely give them a workout." Xena grinned.

"Can I talk to you both?" the Shaman asked simply, watching the Amazons and men practice.

"Of course, Shaman." Gabrielle answered easily.

"I've seen a couple of things in visions and have sensed other things," the Shaman began.

After a moment, Xena spoke. "Shamans, always speaking in riddles." The warrior complained with a smile and was answered with a smile from both Gabrielle and the Shaman.

"And warriors are always impatient," the shaman countered and then frowned. "Xena, when Ares took your memories of Gabrielle from you, how did you get them back?"

Xena's eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement. "You know that, Shaman," she answered, "Gabrielle."

The Shaman nodded, it was as if that one word, that name could explain everything about Xena now. About the changes from Warlord to warrior, from darkness to light, from destroyer to lover.

"How did she do that?" the Shaman asked and the bard shifted on the log, uncomfortable being talked about, and not to, but deciding to keep quiet and see where this was heading.

"By reconnecting our blood bond, that brought my memories back." Xena was also frowning.

The Shaman nodded again, watching the Amazons and men practice. "I sense that our Queen will heal almost completely. One of my visions has been of a very fit and trim body with no sign of pain. You will probably have problems with age, my Queen, but all warriors do."

Warriors? Gabrielle thought with her own furrowed brows.

"Thank the gods for that," Xena muttered, missing the word 'warrior' applied to her gentle non-killing bard.

"I've seen and sensed other things, warrior" the Shaman said simply.

"Such as?" Xena questioned, eyes beginning to narrow.

"Normally I would approach you separately but you are blood bonded to our Queen. You share almost the same soul now and the same future."

"What is it, Shaman?" Xena asked impatiently.

"The Queen hasn't noticed because of her own pain but I've noticed that you haven't been eating much, Xena. Are you getting ill?"

Now both Xena and Gabrielle were frowning, Xena in puzzlement and Gabrielle in concern. "No," the warrior answered. "With all the stress around I haven't been hungry."

"Or did the thought of food make your stomach turn over?" the Shaman asked gently, keeping her eyes on the Amazons and men practicing.

"What are you getting at, Shaman?" Xena demanded and Gabrielle reached out a hand and took the warrior's callused hand in hers.

"When was your last blood time?"

Xena blinked rapidly, looking like she had just taken a blow to the stomach or head. Gabrielle's eyes began to grow very wide. The Shaman kept watching the Amazons and men practice.

"I..., the stress has thrown my timing off." the warrior whispered.

"You were with Ares for a night." The Shaman said simply.

Xena closed her eyes and ran a hand over her face. "I was due two weeks ago," she whispered, turning very pale under her tanned skin.

"Shaman?" Gabrielle whispered.

"I think so, my Queen. Xena, you have a son and you know your own body, are you now with child?" the Shaman asked gently.

Xena tried to control her breathing as a roaring filled her head and darkness attempted to crowd in. She could barely feel Gabrielle's hand holding hers as she fought for control.

"I...," she stammered, opening her blue eyes filled with tears and seeking her beloved's green eyes out in fear.

Gabrielle, seeing the absolute fear and pain there, reached out her other hand and began to caress the warrior's cheek. "I'm here, my love. No matter what," she promised.

Xena moaned deep in her throat and broke away from her lover at a run towards the tree line.

"Xena! Wait!" Gabrielle jumped to her feet and then winced at the sudden pain in the back. "Damnit!"

Hercules, hearing Gabrielle's cry and seeing Xena's flight into the trees, found himself on the ground, having been distracted. With a laugh he held his hands palm up in surrender and let the two Amazon warriors help him to his feet and grasped their forearms in a warrior's handshake. He quickly moved to Gabrielle's side, just in time to catch her as she fell into his arms sobbing.

He looked at the shaman with a puzzled look but she merely shrugged. "She'll have to tell you, son of Zeus," and the Shaman moved off into the shadows.

Gabrielle paced in front of her hut in the pre-dawn hour. Hercules and Iolaus, leaning against the hut wall had finally nodded off to sleep, having talked themselves to death trying to reassure the bard that Xena would be back and would be fine.

Watching from the doorway of their own hut Regent Ephiny and Solari frowned as their Queen paced.

"Can we do anything?" Solari asked finally, putting an arm around her lover's waist.

"No, we don't even know what's wrong. Gabrielle won't tell me until she's talked with Xena and no one has seen the warrior since she disappeared in the trees. It's eerie how that woman can disappear better than an Amazon." Ephiny complained.

"I know, she's the only one who can get past our best scouts without them even being aware she was ever there." Solari agreed.

"I remember the night she came to attack Gabrielle when she lost her memory. I almost didn't see her enter that hut. If she wants to disappear then I don't know if we can find her."

They both saw Gabrielle's head snap up towards the north and she seemed to be waiting, a moment later a scout trotted into view and knelt before the Queen. Ephiny and Solari quickly trotted over to hear the scouts report. Hercules nudged Iolaus awake.

"My Queen," the scout tried regaining her breath.

"Yes, report."

"The warrior Xena has been found. She is by the river where the large rocks and boulders form small pools and mini waterfalls."

Gabrielle frowned. "Was she all right?"

"Physically, yes." The scout answered but wouldn't raise her eyes.

"Finish it," Gabrielle demanded.

"It appears that she has been crying most of the night and she now lies curled up on the rocks." The scout whispered, as if in fear of Gabrielle's reaction. Every Amazon in the village, including the visitors, were aware of the close connection of the Queen and her Consort. For something to drive the warrior away from the village and her Queen, it must be devastating. For something to make the former Warlord, the former Destroyer of Nations to weep through the night, the scout shuddered at the thought.

"Thank you, go and get some food and rest." Gabrielle said distractedly.

"Gabrielle, my Queen," Ephiny began.

"Have Argo saddled, please." Gabrielle began to turn inside her hut when Ephiny placed a hand on the small bard's arm.

"Gabrielle, what is it? How can we help?" she asked, the concern on her face and Solari's grabbed at Gabrielle's heart and she quickly hugged her Regent and friends.

"It will be all right, I just need to talk to her and reassure her about something. Get Argo saddled, I'm going to bring her back."

From the scout's description, Gabrielle had a pretty good idea where Xena had ended up. The same place where she and Xena had shared a vision journey into Gabrielle's past to discover the truth about the bard's conception and parentage. When they learned that Apollo was her father and that they were both fated to be together. If they weren't then the darkness that consumed the Warlord could consume the known world. It was also the place where Xena had taken Gabrielle when the young Amazon Queen was struggling with the coming execution of her Roman assassin.

Gabrielle led Argo carefully around the rocks until she spotted the warrior curled up on the same rock they had laid on before. The warrior seemed to be sleeping but Gabrielle could see the tenseness of Xena's muscles. Letting Argo's reins drop, the bard made sure to make noise as she approached the battle trained warrior.

She stopped just before the boulder. "Xena?" she said softly.

The warrior didn't turn but nodded her head in acknowledgment of her mate. Gabrielle carefully climbed up on the rock and sat behind her mate. She slowly reached out and touched Xena's arm and was pleased when the warrior didn't pull away. The bard began to slowly stroke her warrior's arm and then her forehead and cheek lightly.

Fresh tears fell from behind closed eyelids.

"Xena, talk to me, please." Gabrielle said softly.

"I don't know what to say." Xena whispered. "Ares."

"Yes, he happens to be the contributor to this."

Xena opened her eyes and turned over on her back and looked at the bard. Gabrielle kept from crying out at the sight of the torment on the older woman's face, the pain filling the crystal eyes the bard adored.

"Gabrielle?" Xena whispered.

Gabrielle smiled a reassuring smile and held open her arms and held tight as her warrior melted into them. She began to rock slightly as Xena wept again. Finally this round of tears seemed done and Xena pulled back slightly to look at her mate.

"I knew when I followed you that it wouldn't be an easy road and I accepted that. That decision has been challenged many times, my love, and we've met them each time together. We'll face this together as well. I love you and I will love your child as my own." Gabrielle said, holding Xena's face tenderly.

"With Ares as the father?" New tears ran down the warrior's face and Gabrielle gently brushed them away.

"Ares may have been there but that doesn't mean he's going to be father to any child of ours." Gabrielle growled, bringing a slight smile to Xena.

"You want to have this?"

"My love, nothing could please me more than to have a family with you." Gabrielle smiled and was grateful for the hug she got for those words.

"This is going to be complicated," Xena complained, pulling back and looking deep into Gabrielle's green eyes. She was slightly surprised when Gabrielle laughed.

"When isn't it with us?" The bard giggled, her nose and eyes wrinkling in amusement, something else that the warrior adored about her bard.

"That's true. I'm sorry I freaked last night."

"Don't apologize, this isn't exactly like finding out you're coming down with a cold." Gabrielle smiled.

"Oh gods, what are we going to do?" Xena cried.

"Well, first off, we're going to go back to the village and get something to eat and then I'm going to hold you in my arms until we both fall asleep. Then we'll decide what to do from there." Gabrielle announced simply and stood up, trying not to wince.

Xena's eyes narrowed as she looked up at her bard. "You didn't sleep last night, did you? And you're in pain."

"No, I didn't sleep and yes, I'm in some pain. Don't you dare blame yourself for that!" Gabrielle warned as Xena got to her feet.

"Who knows what's going on?" Xena asked as she helped the bard off the boulder and they began to walk towards Argo.

"The Shaman, Hercules and Iolaus. I used Herc's shoulder for a crying post."

"I've been thinking all night," Xena began, reaching down and helping the smaller woman up on Argo. "It all depended on you, but I'd like to have the child. I made so many mistakes with Solan and I don't know how to fix them, but this feels right. Even if it was Ares."

Gabrielle reached around to hug her mate closely, rubbing her face along Xena's leathers.

"I want the child, too. We don't have to let Ares into our lives just because of this. I'm going to refuse to let this wonderful thing drag you back to him," Gabrielle promised and Xena leaned back slightly into the bard.

"I love you, little one," the warrior said simply.

"I love you, both of you." Gabrielle giggled.

"Since this is going to get complicated really fast, should we tell the others right away?" Xena asked with a frown.

"Before you make it past the three month point?" Gabrielle countered with a question.

It was common for women not to announce pregnancy until after they had carried the child beyond a three month period, they both knew. It was very common to lose a child within that period and women usually wanted to be sure they were past the first season of trouble before making plans for a child.

"The Shaman seems to think I'll carry it," Xena commented.

Gabrielle laughed again. "That's true! I think we should since we have to decide where, when and how and it will probably concern my status with the village."

"Gods, complicated and it hasn't even been a full day." Xena complained.

Gabrielle giggled and held close to her warrior.

Solari dropped her drinking cup and Ephiny thought she would fall off the bench they were sitting at when Gabrielle explained what was going on. The Amazon Queen resisted laughing at their incredulous faces and Xena's dismayed look.

"Ares? For crying out loud!" Ephiny hissed and Xena dropped her head.

"Enough, Ephiny," Gabrielle warned. "You know she wasn't in control of the situation. Now we deal with it. Personally, I'm delighted."

Xena looked up with a grateful half smile for her mate. Hercules leaned over the table and kissed the warrior on the cheek. Iolaus sat next to his friend grinning. Ephiny and Solari shook their heads in amazement at the situation.

"This isn't going to be a typical pregnancy, birth or child." Hercules warned and Xena and Gabrielle nodded in acknowledgment of that fact.

"Hey, Herc," Iolaus punched his friend on the arm. "You're going to be an uncle!"

The demi-god broke into a wide grin. "I couldn't think of a better mom either."

Xena blushed beet red.

"Or Moms," Iolaus corrected, grinning at Gabrielle.

"I agree, it's just a surprise." Ephiny said. "I am happy for both of you but Hercules is right, this will give Ares an open door to your life."

"Not if we can help it," Gabrielle growled and Xena reached an arm around her mate's shoulder and pulled Gabrielle close to her.

"I've seen how he tried to take Evander from his mother," Hercules said, "I can't see him stopping at anything to get hold of a child of yours, Xena."

"I know, when someone comes up with an idea, let us know. I'm tired and I think Gabrielle is too. Come on, my Queen." Xena stood up and helped pull her mate up and into her arms. Blue eyes catching green ones caused time to stop for both women for a moment until Ephiny coughed. Both women blushed and separated.

"You two!" the Regent complained with a laugh.

"You have to get out of Greece and away from Ares' influence." Hercules suggested as they gathered at the dinner hour. Xena frowned.

"But where? Not any of Rome's territories either." Gabrielle said quickly.

"Agreed. I wouldn't suggest the Persians, they aren't too keen on women running around with swords or the Arabian lands." Hercules thought aloud.

"Judea is definitely out, way too much Roman control and your type of relationship is a stoning offense," Iolaus commented.

Gabrielle looked frustrated and Xena agreed with the sentiment.

"What about the Northern Amazons?" Ephiny suggested.

"We can't." Xena said quietly.

"Why not? That might be far enough away from main Greece to get out of Ares' hands and the Romans won't find you there." Solari asked.

"I can't." Xena whispered, dropping her eyes and head.

Everyone became quiet. Gabrielle reached over and grabbed her mate's hand.

"It's okay," she said quietly.

"Xena, you've been forgiven and accepted by the Amazon Nation, they'll take you in," Ephiny encouraged.

"I don't think they can forgive what I did those years ago. Drop it, please Ephiny."

"Okay." Ephiny looked distressed for causing the warrior pain but Gabrielle reached her other hand over to her friend and squeezed the Regent's hand.

Gabrielle once again cursed the past of her mate that just wouldn't stay buried. It seemed that every time they got on track with something and seemed to be moving forward the past would come back to haunt her love.

"Britannia?" Solari suggested.

"Always a trouble spot for Rome, we might be able to blend into one of the tribes." Gabrielle suggested.

"That's a possibility or even further north into Caledonia. Even the Romans can't conquer those clans." Xena grinned.

"Getting accepted by them might be a problem." Hercules said. "When I was up North I heard stuff about the Caledonians, fierce clans and tribes and they are very closed societies. One of their favorite past times is fighting among themselves when not taking on the Vikings and Romans."

"Egypt?" Iolaus ventured.

"We'd stand out there a bit." Xena grinned. "Gabrielle's hair would instantly identify us as Greek or Roman and Rome is getting quite a foothold in Egypt."

"Germania," Hercules stated.

"Would their northern tribes accept us?" Xena asked.

"I believe so. They accepted me easily, they are naturally curious and love a good fight, almost better than drinking and no one does that better!" Hercules grinned. "They are light haired and skinned, no one would notice any of us as outsiders right away. They also don't care about the type of relationship you two have. They don't care as long as the family line is continued."

"So as long as you produce for the tribe, they don't care who else you sleep with?" Gabrielle asked with a grin.

Hercules actually began blushing. "That's about it."

"Well, we got that covered, don't we, my love." Gabrielle grinned at her warrior who also began to blush.

"Just don't get any ideas about those tall, blond warrior men types," Xena growled.

Gabrielle giggled.

"Now, getting you there before Ares finds out what's going on and tries to stop us," Hercules again thought out loud.

"Us?" Xena asked, eyebrows raising.

"If you'll have us, we'd like to help." Iolaus grinned.

"I think we'd be grateful," Gabrielle looked to Xena who nodded.

"There's been trouble on the border north of us, either we sail through the Mediterranean, along the coast, past Britannia and land up north or we go through Roman territory until we're past the Celtic and Samaritan tribes." Hercules proposed.

"Sail?" Gabrielle whispered and Xena grinned at how pale her mate suddenly went.

"Then it's overland through Macedonia, Illyricum, Pannonia, Noricum, Rhaetia and into Germania."

"Gods, this is going to take awhile," Gabrielle moaned.

"And the sooner you get started the faster you'll be out of Ares' reach." Ephiny smiled.

Gabrielle dropped Xena's hand and took both of Ephiny's in hers. "My friend, I want you to assume the rank and title of Queen."

"No, you are the rightful Queen and it will stay that way!" Ephiny argued, attempting to pull out of Gabrielle's hands but the bard held firm. Solari shifted uneasily in her seat.

"No, I'm leaving and we don't know when we'll be back. My first concern will be Xena and the Nation will need a Queen who thinks only of the Nation. Rome is getting more and more powerful and the lands will keep getting smaller and smaller until they force an action. I probably won't be here and the Amazons need a full time leader." Gabrielle urged.

Ephiny's face became pained. "You fought hard when the right of caste was thrust upon you." Ephiny reminded the bard. "You fought against me and Melosa and won that right, don't give it up now."

"I gave that up when I married Xena and you know it," Gabrielle said gently and Ephiny dropped her head.

"My Queen," Ephiny pleaded.

"No, it's the best decision for the Nation and you know it. I'll sign all the papers and turn my staff and mask over to you. I don't want a formal ceremony because I don't want word getting out that Xena and I are leaving for as long as possible." Gabrielle said simply.

"You'll always belong here," Ephiny insisted and Solari nodded firmly.

"Thank you, my friend. We know that and we will be back." Gabrielle promised.

"Hercules, we should start early." Xena suggested.

"As soon as possible. Have any of the gods gotten hold of this yet?" he asked the two lovers.

"Not that we know of." Gabrielle answered.

"Good, let's keep it that way until we're almost out of Greece, if necessary. The fewer who know about this the better, until Xena is safe."

Xena knew Gabrielle was keeping her emotions under control by a thread and wasn't surprised when the little bard turned and threw herself into her warrior's arms when they closed the door to their hut.

Xena moved them to the bed and sat against the wall, holding the bard while she cried.

"It's okay, little one. We can always come back here," Xena kept whispering.

After a short time Gabrielle's tears finally stopped but she still clung to her warrior.

"I'm going to miss them," she whispered.

"I know. I wish we could stay here and build our family," Xena smiled at Gabrielle's surprised face. "Yes, I know that's what you would hope for too. I just can't trust that Ares can't reach us here. He already attacked us here once and has come to me when you were sick."

"Damn him!" Gabrielle growled.

"I'm sure that's at the top of the list for a lot of people and fellow gods." Xena grinned.

"I won't let him harm you or your child!" Gabrielle hissed.

"Our child."

"Our child? Wow."

After a moment Gabrielle began running her fingers over the skin where it met the leather armor. Her face leaned up and began nuzzling the warrior's neck, pulling a moan out of Xena.

"How long can we...?" Gabrielle whispered.

Xena laughed heartily. "A long time yet, little one," she said as she leaned down and captured the lips of her mate.

A few minutes later Hercules was about to knock on the door when he heard familiar moans coming from inside the Queen's hut and decided that whatever it was he was going to ask would wait until morning. He grinned and headed for the guest hut, his Amazon escort grinning along with him.


	6. 06 Gladiator, Bard, Mother

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, etc. etc. etc. This story is for entertainment purposes and it helps keep me sane (sort of). Don't bother suing me, I don't have anything of value (some would even argue I don't have my sanity).

**Sex/Subtext/Alt Fiction:** This story is a continuing story of two women in love and they have sex together and it does get graphic, unfortunately, not in this story. If love/sex between two people of the same gender is illegal in your state or country, move or change your laws after leaving here. If this type of story bugs you, move on or free your mind.

**Violence:** the mention of rape concerning one of the major characters, several deaths, one graphic sword strike, ax blow and no bad language. This one puts X&G through some rough stuff.

**Storyline:** I hope this story could stand on it's own. It is also part of a series I've ended up writing. I started out with one story in mind and who knows where this thing will end up at this point. You might want to read the other stories to get the entire picture.

**Feedback:** yes, definitely! Beg, Beg, Beg.

* * *

Iolaus slowly drew his sword and moved his horse forward slightly. "Look, I already told you, we are free citizens. We're not German, we're Greek. Leave us alone," he growled at the scruffy Roman soldiers blocking their way on the road. "When I move, ride like Hades and get out of here," he whispered to Gabrielle.

"I'm not leaving you!" she hissed.

"Get Xena and Hercules, the Roman camp can't be far from here, you can help rescue me. I don't think you and I can take all of them," he hissed back.

Gabrielle frowned but moved her horse a couple of steps away from his, ready to turn and bolt.

Iolaus cursed every mother of the bandit soldiers in front of them. He knew that they couldn't count on Xena or Hercules rescuing them either, they were still at camp further down the river. Iolaus and Gabrielle had been on their way to a nearby village for fresh supplies before the four of them crossed into Germania, determined to get a pregnant Xena out of reach of both Ares and Caesar.

Now this. Life definitely wasn't boring with his friends, Iolaus thought. Definitely not boring and definitely dangerous.

The Roman leader grinned at the two smaller Greeks. "I don't care who you are. Me and my men need some gambling money and your wife there will bring a very nice price with the slavers. You might even be worth a couple of gold pieces, little man."

Iolaus let out a yell of anger and charged forward with his horse and Gabrielle, with a frustrated growl, turned her horse. "Go, Gabrielle!" he yelled.

He heard her horse begin pounding away.

Iolaus ducked under a sword slash and buried his sword quickly into the ribs of the attacker and threw up his left arm to block another sword, wincing as the sword cut through his leather bracer, skin and muscle. He slashed out and caught another Roman at the throat and the soldier dropped his shield and sword to grab at his throat before falling off the horse. The Greek's horse pushed forward, looking for a way through the pack of Romans but Iolaus and his horse were both frustrated; the Romans kept in close, crowding the horse and the sword of the smaller man.

The bard shook her head, trying to clear the sudden fuzziness and realized that her horse had been arrow shot out from under her. She was trapped beneath the horse and couldn't even reach her fallen staff. The bard began pulling at her legs and pushing at the dead weight of the horse and looked over to her friend.

Iolaus cried out in pain and slashed heavily to the left and looked down to see his side bleeding heavily. His left hand came up to try and hold the wound closed and stay in the saddle but dodging another sword strike caused the Greek to lose his balance and fall from the horse, landing heavily. Iolaus yelped and quickly rolled to his hands and knees and dodged out of the way of several horse hooves aiming for his body.

"Iolaus!" Gabrielle whispered, not wanting to distract the man. She noticed three soldiers beginning to make their way towards her and cursed the dead weight holding her down.

The Romans dismounted and approached the Greek man slowly, most of them grinning. Five of them, terrific, he thought. He wondered if he should make a break for the river and risk freezing to death or drowning rather than the swords, then he glanced over and saw Gabrielle's horse fallen in the middle of the road and the little bard struggling to get her trapped legs out from under the dead animal.

"Gabrielle, no!"

With a shout he charged the soldiers beginning to crowd him. He quickly cut down two of the soldiers caught off guard by his charge but a third caught his left shoulder and Iolaus dropped his sword to grasp the wounded joint.

The three Romans reached the woman and grinned down on their captive.

Realizing his mistake too late, the Greek couldn't bend to retrieve his sword before the others were on him. He kept close to them to keep them from using their swords and he utilized his many fighting skills and took another one down with a broken neck, even if he was fighting almost one armed. A sword strike to his back took the man to his knees and kicks, fists and hammering from sword hilts sent him smashing to the ground, bleeding badly and unconscious.

Gabrielle looked over to see Iolaus lying face down on the ground, blood flowing from his mouth and various wounds on his body. The Roman leader kicked the small man in the ribs and received no response.

"Throw him over into the river," he ordered.

"No!" Gabrielle screamed and lost sight of her friend as the three Romans bent down to claim her.

Iolaus' eyes sprang open as he broke the surface of the water, sputtering and gasping for air. The cold shock of the water hit him like a hammer and the young man couldn't catch his breath nor fight the current.

He struggled to keep his head above the water and almost swallowed enough to drown when he was jerked suddenly to a stop. He realized slowly that his belt was caught on a half submerged tree stump. Remembering Gabrielle trapped under the horse at the mercy of the Romans, Iolaus summoned his strength and pulled himself along the tree, freeing his belt and let himself drift onto the small beach. Somehow the Greek pulled himself along until he was under the end of the beach at the tree line. He managed to pull himself up and over the embankment by some tree roots and then collapsed under the tree.

He closed his eyes, holding his side tightly.

Something pounded at his awareness and wouldn't go away. Iolaus opened his eyes and peered around the tree and blinked several times as his exhausted and blood starved mind tried to take in the scene in front of him.

The Romans had Gabrielle in the small clearing. One was examining Iolaus' sword while another two were dragging the bodies of their comrades off the road. The other three, including their leader, were holding Gabrielle and looking her over.

Iolaus felt a whimper escape his throat.

The bard was struggling but two of the Romans held her tightly by her arms. The leader grinned and ripped her tunic open from collar to hem, exposing her very lovely breasts and torso. Gabrielle screamed and struggled and the men laughed.

Iolaus, tears streaming down his face, fell back against the tree. After a moment, he leaned against the tree and used it to slide up to his feet. He grabbed the tree for stability as he turned and nearly screamed at the sight of his little friend's abuse. He bent down to grab a fallen tree limb for a weapon and fell forward onto the ground. Tears of rage and helplessness overcame the young man as he listened to his friend scream and he couldn't move.

"Iolaus!" a voice insisted he pay attention. He decided to ignore it, easier to slip back into the darkness.

"Iolaus! Gabrielle!" another voice, higher pitched brought a frown to his face as he lay pressed into the ground. Gabrielle? Something important.

Iolaus raised his head but couldn't see who was calling and nothing came out when he tried to yell. His head sank back down to the ground and he closed his eyes.

"Gabrielle! Iolaus!" Iolaus grabbed the fallen limb and somehow began banging it against the tree that had once been his friend a couple of times and then darkness claimed him again.

"Hercules! Quick!" a voice shouted above him and Iolaus felt himself being turned over gently. He opened his blue eyes and found similar blue eyes. He attempted a smile.

He heard his best friend come pounding up and slide down to the ground next to Iolaus.

"Iolaus! What happened?" his friend demanded. Iolaus could feel someone tugging at his clothes and the sound of cloth tearing and then pain at his side.

"Hercules, keep the pressure on that wound," a voice commanded.

"Gabrielle," Iolaus whispered.

"Where is she, Iolaus?"

"Xena?" he whispered.

"Yes, Hercules is here too. Where's Gabrielle?" she asked, pressing another bandage on his shoulder wound.

"Took her, hurt her," he whispered closing his eyes.

"Iolaus! Who took her? Where!" Xena yelled.

"Romans, sell to slavers."

"He's unconscious," Hercules choked out and the warrior nodded.

"I'll make a litter to drag him behind one of the horses. You keep pressure on those bandages. I'm going back to camp and get our stuff and blankets, he's soaking wet," Xena said quickly.

"We've got to get him to the village," Hercules insisted.

"Where do you think those Roman soldiers came from? If they see him they'll kill all of us before we can talk. We'll take him to the small tribe across the river, they deal with sword wounds all the time. Then I'm going to find Gabrielle," the warrior said grimly.

"Hurry, Xena, he's in bad shape."

"I know, lay next to him, cover yourselves with your cloak and try and warm his body up. The cold probably saved his life by slowing his bleeding but it will probably kill him in the long run. I don't know how he's alive now," Xena said as she stood up. Hercules nodded, acknowledging the impossibility of his friend still being alive.

"Gabrielle," Iolaus whispered.

"Easy, my friend. We'll find her," Hercules promised and Xena turned at a run towards the horses. "We have to find her."

It was after dark when the warrior woman stepped out of the small cabin and started towards the horse line. She had her chakram up and at the throat of a shadow appearing in front of her. She slowly lowered it slightly when she realized it was Hercules.

"You can't go with me," he stated.

"Do you know what they've probably done to her?" she hissed, not wanting to bring everyone else from the camp out.

Hercules jaw clenched and he lowered his eyes. "Yes, I know what they do to women, especially beautiful women. Getting yourself captured by Caesar isn't going to help her."

"I can't just wait here!"

"Yes, you can. Both of you can," he argued, placing his hand on the belly that was beginning to show signs of the growing life inside.

With a growl of anger Xena released the chakram, sending it flying through the trees and bouncing off cabins and past Hercules' ear into her hand again.

"You asked me to be your Kumbada, your best man and godfather, at your wedding. Let me do this."

"All right," she muttered, replacing the chakram as her side.

As she heard Hercules ride off Xena sank to her knees in the snow and looked to the sky with tears falling down her cheeks, her breath ragged in the cold chill.

"Please, I don't pray, you know that. I'm asking you, any of you, to bring her back to me. Please, I can't live without her," she whispered.

Receiving no answer the warrior began to weep.

Xena moved quietly into the cabin of the head family of the local tribe and shook the snow off her cloak, hanging it by the door and stamping her feet free of snow. With a pang she remembered that Gabrielle always wanted to see the north in the winter. The warrior bit back the memories and moved quickly to the cot near the fire.

As she looked down at the warrior on the cot Xena thought how horrible he looked. Iolaus was extremely pale from the blood loss and cold. He hadn't regained consciousness since they found him and Xena's experienced mind told her that he probably wouldn't. It seemed that only the stubbornness of the Greek was keeping him alive.

She knelt down next to the healer as he heated another blanket in front of the fire and exchanged it with one on the wounded man. He noted the question in Xena's eyes and shook his head.

"I don't know, Greek. His spirit hasn't crossed over yet so there is always a chance."

Xena gently took Iolaus' hand in hers and brushed a curly lock of blond hair from his forehead.

"Hang in there, Iolaus, we need you," she whispered in Greek.

When Hercules returned hours later he found her still sitting with his best friend, not having moved from the spot. She was on her feet and in front of him in an instant.

He looked around and noticed that the headman of the clan had raised up out of his bed at the noise, sword in hand but, seeing it was his guests, laid back down.

It was a typical cabin for a northern tribe, Hercules knew. One room where everyone slept, cooked and lived, especially in the winter months. He wasn't sure he could get used to that.

Xena helped him remove his cloak and led him to the fire. Demi-god or not, he still could get cold.

"Well!" she demanded as he sat down, checking on Iolaus.

"Any change in him?" he countered.

Xena's eyes softened. "I'm sorry, Hercules. No, no change."

"The Romans won't be kidnapping anyone else," he said softly and pulled out a bloody sword and reached for a cloth next to the bed. "They sold her yesterday while we were looking for her and Iolaus."

Xena closed her eyes and fought back tears and rage.

"Where?"

"Slavers heading south, they were already on the move. I'm going to follow them tomorrow morning at first light. You'll have to take Iolaus and move further up north while I'm gone."

"I'm not leaving the area until we find her!" she protested.

"Listen, damnit! I just killed an entire barracks of Roman soldiers!" he growled, turning his eyes away. Xena carefully touched her friend's arm and wasn't surprised to see tears falling. "I lost it, Xena. I just lost it and went mad again."

"What happened?"

"I pounded them enough to tell me what happened with Gabrielle and where they had sold her. Then I saw this on the table." he pulled out a gold and silver bracelet from his belt and handed it to the warrior, her tears began to match his.

"Gabrielle's bonding bracelet." she whispered.

"Yes, then one of them told me what his fellow soldiers did to her and I lost it. I... I killed all of them, Xena."

"You can't blame yourself for that!"

"I know they deserved it but now this family is in danger and so are we. The Romans will tear this countryside apart looking for us and its still winter deep! How can I tell Axel that I've just brought the Romans down on his house?"

A voice caught their attention, neither of them having heard the headman getting up out of his bed, wrapping a cloak around himself and joining them at the fire.

"This isn't the first time the Romans will try and take their anger out on us. We have family north we can travel to. Winter travel hard, ja, but I do not blame you for vengeance, my Greek friend," Axel said simply in broken Latin. "We will protect your friends."

"I can't ask you to do that," Xena protested.

"Hercules stayed with me once and saved my life. It's a small thing," he smiled. "He is family and he says you are his family - that makes you family."

"Thank you, Axel," Hercules smiled wearily.

"Clean up, mein freund, you have blood on your hands and face."

Hercules flinched and looked at his hands and back at Xena, who merely nodded.

"Do not trouble yourself so," Axel urged. "They earned this from you when they hurt your friend and took the little one."

"Yes," Xena agreed, her eyes narrowing. "I'm still coming with you, Hercules."

"No, all of the territory is looking for a warrior woman, they're not looking for me," he protested. "You have to keep Iolaus and Axel's family safe. I'll find her."

"Gods, Gabrielle," she whispered, closing her eyes.

Gabrielle groaned and tried to raise her arm to block the slaps but whimpered with a flash of pain from her arm. The slapping stopped and she cautiously opened her eyes.

"Good, you're awake," a female bent over the bard. "Listen very quickly if you want to live another day. Do not, no matter how much they hit you, tell them your real name. You are known to Rome and your capture could mean the death of you. Do you understand? Do not say your name!" the female hissed, grabbing the bard's face for emphasis.

Gabrielle nodded.

The female moved back and seemed to be waiting. In a moment several men appeared in the dusty courtyard where Gabrielle realized she had been thrown. She recognized a couple of the men from the night before and couldn't stop the whimper from escaping her throat as she tried to draw back into herself against the wall, feeling very small and helpless. The chains at her wrists rattled and the collar at her throat clinked against the wall.

Gabrielle looked around and found several other slaves/prisoners lining the wall beside her. All of them were beaten, both physically and mentally.

"Greetings, slaves," A man stood before the others and faced the chained men and women. "I am Lycrassis, owner of this school and villa. When you address me or answer me you will address me as 'my Lord,' understand?"

Each prisoner/slave nodded. Lycrassis quickly yanked one slave to his feet and slammed him into the wall. Gabrielle and the others heard the man's head crack as it connected with the stone wall. Lycrassis released the body and let it slide down to the ground.

"I asked if you all understood," Lycrassis growled.

"Yes, my Lord," all of them responded quickly.

"Good, now let's see what the slavers and the law makers have brought me," Lycrassis began the long task of judging each prisoner/slave's potential and, in turn, their future.

Gabrielle waited at the end of the line. The female who had warned her earlier kept a close eye on the bard, Gabrielle noticed.

One went to the stables because of bad teeth. A small Egyptian was sent as a sparring dummy, Gabrielle had the feeling that this was a short lived job. Others were chosen for training and another for the kitchen. Lycrassis stopped in front of Gabrielle, who kept her head down.

The Roman lifted her chin to look in her eyes, noticing the beginning black eye and the dried blood around her nose. He grinned and she closed her eyes.

"A little small for training. Send her to the kitchen," he ordered.

"My Lord, may I speak?" the female who had whispered to Gabrielle before spoke up.

"Yes, Nikki, you may," Gabrielle opened her eyes as the Roman turned to look at the tall and muscular woman leaning on a crutch.

"I wish to train this one," she said simply.

"Why?" the Roman frowned and so did the three men standing with him.

"Her arm is broken, one of your men got a little rough last night and she'll be useless in the kitchen," Nikki answered. Gabrielle grabbed the chance to take in the female. She was tall, as tall as the bard's warrior, Xena, but with blond hair and gray eyes. She was built like a blacksmith, Gabrielle thought to herself, with muscles revealing a very strong body. The woman's face was stern but the bard thought she could sense laughter in the gray eyes that years in the Arena didn't seem to have touched. Gabrielle also noticed the crutch the woman leaned on, favoring her left leg.

Lycrassis looked at his men and one of them shuffled on his feet. "She bit me," he mumbled. Lycrassis turned and looked at the small bard again.

"Did she? Maybe she has some spirit after all. She's still too small."

"I don't think so, my Lord. She'll be fast in the arena and her body is very fit and I see signs of physical training already," Nikki said simply.

"Why are you interested?" Lycrassis turned to his trainer. Gabrielle kept the curiosity out of her face as well.

"I say she can be a good fighter," Nikki shrugged.

"Want to bet on it?" Lycrassis grinned.

"You have all my money, my Lord," Nikki grinned back.

Gabrielle felt her head reeling at the unreal feeling of the situation. Here were two vicious people wanting to bet on her future, which seemed rather bleak and probably short to the bard right then.

"How much would you bet on the little one? And why else do you want to train her?" Lycrassis demanded.

"I fancy her," Nikki admitted with a shrug.

Oh gods, Gabrielle thought.

"I thought so. Not many have ever interested you before. She is beautiful under all that grime and a tiger in bed when she's not willing. I wonder what she's like when she's willing. Nevermind, I wager this then, she's either an adequate fighter in three months, adequate enough to hold her own in an afternoon fight, or you lose."

Nikki frowned. Gabrielle knew that it took months, even years for a gladiator to be trained enough to live. Most of them didn't make it five years. Three months was impossible. The little bard also knew that gladiator fights lasted all day, the novice fighters in the morning and the experienced fighters in the afternoon for the crowd's desire for blood. Three months was impossible.

"The wager?" Nikki asked.

"I've set the odds rather high," Lycrassis conceded. "Let's set the goal high, shall we. I'm bored this week. If she's good enough to go into the ring in three months and survives three years, she can win both your freedom."

Freedom? Gabrielle suddenly had a ray of hope and then felt it dashed. Three years in the Arena? Very few of the best gladiators ever last three years.

"She's mine to train and develop totally, no one else lays a hand on her, day or night," Nikki bargained.

Lycrassis laughed at his trainer. "What is this, love at first sight?" The Roman looked back at the little bard and noticed the shining eyes. He approached the bard slowly. "What would you do, slave, if you had a clear shot at me and my men with a dagger?" he asked.

"I'd slide it in between your fifth and fourth rib, my Lord," she growled.

The Roman laughed heartily. He was also tall but not as tall as Xena and Nikki with black hair and dark eyes. Unlike Nikki, the laughter never seemed to reach these dark eyes. He reminded her of Ares, complete with short hair and beard.

"All right, I agree. She's yours totally, you can even bed her if you wish. I still think there's a tiger under there and I'm not sure I want her in my bed when she's up to strength. None of my men will touch her. She even knows where to place a blade. Are you as Sapphic as my trainer, slave?"

Gabrielle felt herself blushing and was confused. How to answer? Wouldn't kitchen duty be better than the Arena? But the female had warned the bard of potential danger. Xena's rule of life came to the little bard: trust no one, but Gabrielle felt honesty, up to a point, usually fared her well.

"Yes, my Lord," she admitted.

"Good, maybe you can tame each other. What are you called?" Lycrassis asked.

"Brie."

"She was taken prisoner from the North," one of the men stated.

"Germanic? You speak Latin well."

"I was a free servant to a noble in the north," Gabrielle answered easily.

"Good, then you know how to take orders," Lycrassis again laughed at the flash he saw in her eyes before she dropped her head. "Even when you don't like it. Take her, Nikki. You have three months."

Gabrielle's face blushed beet red as the tall woman grabbed her and threw the bard over her shoulder, walking out of the courtyard and the laughter of the men and Lycrassis followed them.

# # #

Nikki threw open the door of a small room in a corridor of what appeared to be small rooms and gently placed the bard on her feet and shut the door. Gabrielle was livid at such treatment but held her temper, with an effort.

Nothing shocked the bard more than when the tall warrior went to one knee and bowed her head.

"My Queen," she whispered.

"What?" Gabrielle whispered.

Nikki rose slowly and covered Gabrielle's mouth with her hand, seeming to listen closely. With a snarl she sprang to the door and ripped it open and a small man fell into the room. Nikki grabbed him up by his collar and slammed him into the door frame.

"Listen, you little weasel, you keep away from my door or I'll take what's left of your equipment and decorate my shield with it! Understand me!" the trainer threatened and the small Arab nodded and she promptly threw him out the door and closed it again.

Nikki waited a moment, listening at the door and then turned to the bard.

"I'm Nikkita. My parents were traders from the North and when they were killed, I was an infant and taken in by the Northern Amazons. I was taken slave two years ago just after we received word of your ascension to the rank of Queen," Nikki grinned. "I'm sorry about the treatment out there, it was necessary to save your life and mine."

Gabrielle went and sat down in one of two chairs at a plain table. She held her arm closely.

"Let me get a splint and bandages, I'll be right back. Do not say a word if anyone comes in. You're still in danger."

"When aren't I?"

When the trainer returned Gabrielle began to ask one of a hundred questions she had.

"Where am I?"

"You are in Aqualeia, on the coast in the villa and training school of Lycrassis," Nikki answered easily, slowly and carefully bandaging Gabrielle's arm.

"I was taken on the border of Germania, beaten, drugged and..." Gabrielle turned her face and fought back the tears.

Nikki continued to work on the arm, giving the bard time. The trainer had seen the fading bruises, scratches and even bite marks on the small woman and knew what they meant from slavers. "I think my friend was killed and now Xena doesn't know where I am!"

Gabrielle was surprised when Nikki's hand covered her mouth again.

"Listen closely, my Queen. Never say that name here, no matter what! Caesar has a price on your friend and if he learns that you know her, he'll have you in Rome by the end of the week. Would she risk her life for you?"

"Yes, many times," Gabrielle nodded.

"What would she do if Caesar sent word that he would trade you for her?" Nikki asked simply.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and felt a tear escape. "She'd sacrifice herself for me," she whispered.

"Now you know you can't say your name or hers, ever again."

"Yes." Gabrielle nodded, fighting back the tears. "They don't know you're an Amazon, do they?"

"No, they think I'm a well trained fighter. I had a chance at winning my freedom after five years but a sword stroke took most of the life out of my leg. Lycrassis was either kind enough or smart enough to make me a trainer. He gets to keep me as slave, gets a good trainer and still tries to get me in his bed," Nikki grinned.

"Any success?" Gabrielle grinned back, knowing the probable answer to that one.

Nikki laughed. "Not much, he's afraid he'll wake up less a man than when he went to sleep."

"Why did you fight so hard to get me out of the kitchen, wouldn't I live longer in there?" Gabrielle asked as the trainer fitted a sling around the bard's neck.

"Probably, a long life as a slave. In the Arena you always have the slimmest chance of winning your freedom. As a slave in the kitchen any of the trainers can take you to bed every night and when the trainees have done well, they are rewarded with taking the kitchen and stable slaves to bed. How many men do think that would mean in a lifetime, Brie?"

Gabrielle went pale and Nikki nodded.

"I would kill you myself and then slit my own throat before I let that happen again, my Queen."

Gabrielle reached out and tenderly touched the Amazon's cheek. "Don't you think you'd better stop calling me Queen before someone hears you?"

Nikki blushed and nodded.

"Tell me about yourself and how you got to Germania," Nikki suggested, taking the seat on the other side of the table.

Gabrielle began her tale of marrying Xena, her attempted murder by the Romans by poison, the awful results of that poison, of Xena's desire to get away from Ares and Caesar's influence in their lives. Especially with the fact that Xena was carrying Ares' child.

She told of the long, endless weeks on the road with Xena, Hercules and Iolaus and ended with her being taken and Iolaus probably killed. She left out what happened next but Nikki was a slave and she knew what happened to female slaves.

Nikki and Brie faced their first task that night. Blushing and dropping her head Nikki began to stammer.

"What is it, trainer?" Gabrielle asked.

"They'll expect me to bed you tonight, by force if necessary. You'll have to share my bed and sleep without clothes," the warrior trainer whispered.

Gabrielle smiled a reassuring smile. "I have a soulmate to get back to and soon a child, I will do anything to survive as long as there's a shred of hope," and the bard began to disrobe.

Nikkita's breath caught in her throat at the sight of the bruises and cuts on her Queen's body but especially because of the Queen's beauty.

"Your mate is most fortunate," she whispered.

Gabrielle blushed and quickly climbed into the cot, pulling the blankets over her.

Nikki grinned at the bard's embarrassment and snuffed the candle out before disrobing herself. Somehow they managed to barely touch each other during the night even though the cot wasn't that wide.

The trip north was difficult and slow. The January snows were thick and the tracks non-existent in winter, especially for wagons. Xena rode in one of the wagons, holding Iolaus, keeping him warm and his body as steady as possible.

The warrior had been impressed with the speed with which the large clan-like family had moved that morning when Axel announced they must travel north and quickly. Everything was packed and moving before noon, leaving an empty cabin and Hercules riding in the opposite direction.

Xena was still uncomfortable with Hercules leaving and her staying to take care of Iolaus but knew the demi-god was being sensible. Not that she was sensible when it came to Gabrielle, she thought. She was also uncomfortable depending on strangers for her existence and she admitted to herself that she needed these Germans. She couldn't care for herself, the life growing in her and Iolaus in the winter snow of the north alone.

She held close to the small Greek. "Come on, Iolaus, hang in there. I need someone else to speak Greek to."

Gabrielle was surprised to see the other prisoners who had been chosen to train as gladiators outside in the courtyard, their chains having been removed like hers. Nikki, her face hard, pushed Gabrielle into line with the others, her eyes flashing warning.

Lycrassis came out of the villa area and faced his new recruits.

"I am the Lanista, director of this school. Congratulations for being chosen for the dubious honor of being gladiators. If you survive long enough you might become famous, even being taken to Rome to the Arena for the games. You'll be treated as the slaves you are and worshipped as idols. If you're smart as well as strong you can wager on the outcome of matches and might even make some money."

All the recruits noticed the wooden sword he carried in his hand.

"Why do you want to survive? For the future of living in a small room with a single cot? No, plan it right, fight well and you'll have money, women and fame. You might even earn your freedom. Any gladiator that survives five years under this school earns their freedom and the privilege of teaching at this school."

Lycrassis raised the wooden sword for all to see it.

"There is another way to gain your freedom. Win this in the Arena from the Proconsul, the governor of the territory or from Caesar and you'll have your freedom."

He handed the sword to Nikki and turned to the recruits again.

"Don't misunderstand. I doubt any of you will get past year one. It is very rare for a gladiator to reach the end of a five year term and even more rare to win the wooden sword. Your chances are slim to none. Why try? It's that or face crucifixion. Have I been clear?"

"Yes, my Lord," they all answered.

"Good, now a formality. All of you will repeat the following oath and the first one to disobey any order given to them, the first one to break the discipline of this school, the first one that tries to escape faces a death worse than crucifixion. Repeat: I swear to endure the whip, the branding iron, and death by the sword for the game."

Gabrielle found herself repeating the oath along with the others, Lycrassis sharp eye looking for any hesitation on the part of the line of recruits. Gabrielle noticed with a shudder a brazier of coals at the far end of the courtyard with a slave tending it.

Nikki suddenly wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I run a very well disciplined and tight school here. Any minor infraction of the rules brings swift punishment, usually by flogging. Severe troublemakers face castration, mutilation, hamstringing, and death. This is Nikki, one of my doctors, trainers. You will meet the others later when you begin your training. If necessary, you'll find yourself chained every night with your wrists chained to your ankles, unable to stand or lay down straight. This is not a pleasant way to spend the night. First, unpleasant things and then breakfast. March in a single file to that slave with the branding iron. Your first test of your oath begins."

Gabrielle was relieved that she wasn't the only one who screamed when the red hot branding iron touched her flesh at the shoulder.

After a breakfast of bread, wine, olives, cheese and fish (a rich meal for slaves, Gabrielle thought), she and Nikki faced their second test.

Gabrielle lifted the wooden dagger Nikki handed her and sighed, looking at it like it was a real blade.

"What is it?" Nikki whispered.

"I can't kill," Gabrielle whispered back.

"What! You have got to be kidding me!" Nikki hissed, pretending to show Gabrielle the proper way to hold the dagger in a defensive move.

"No, I can't kill."

"How far along was your mate when you last saw her?" Nikki whispered, changing the bard's stance.

"About 20 weeks," Gabrielle answered, easily flowing into the moves of the trainer.

"Was she beginning to show?" Nikki asked.

"Yes," Gabrielle answered again. Wincing at pulling the raw and burned skin of her shoulder.

"What would you do to be there for her and the child?" Nikki asked and wasn't surprised that the bard stopped dead in her movement. Gabrielle turned and faced Nikki with what Nikki would come to know as the bard's stubborn jaw set.

"Anything," Gabrielle whispered.

"Then you must kill, little one."

Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat. Xena called her 'little one.' The bard fought back a tear, missing her mate. She looked down at the wooden knife and took up the defensive stance again, with that same stubborn jaw.

On the second day of the trip Iolaus finally woke up and tried to grin at Xena. The healer and Xena were both pleased he hadn't taken fever with the wounds or the cold soaking he had in the river. They both began to hope that he might actually live.

The trip north took over two weeks and the land became more harsh as they went. Xena was beginning to seriously hope the Germans knew where they were going and that the large group of people would be welcome in a land that obviously couldn't support life in the snow.

But every day the hunters surprised her by bringing in fresh game and the women managed to find winter herbs, plants and fish to supplement the food.

A long month of a routine began that the bard found extremely hard at first but then settled into. Stretching exercises, breakfast, strength training, lunch, siesta time, weapons training, endurance training, dinner, clean up, bed.

Nikki's trained eyes had been correct in judging the small woman. Gabrielle was quick on her feet, had considerable staff training already, was quick to learn, and quickly rebuilt her muscles from the recent illness.

The warrior found herself staying up late with the family most every night. It was easier than facing sleeping without Gabrielle. The Germans were friendly, outgoing and hearty people and Xena was beginning to like them a lot. Xena was quickly picking up more Germanic and they were clearly pleased with her quick knowledge of their language. Axel clearly loved his wife, Sasha and the feelings were returned. The Greek warrior noted that, for a large family that lived in confined quarters, the German family of Axel got along well and worked as a well coordinated team. They also didn't seem to mind that she was a warrior and mother to be.

Sasha had smiled at the warrior's confusion over the casual way everyone treated Xena's warrior ways.

"It is uncommon for women to take up the sword or spear but it is not unheard of. Our friend Hercules said you became a fighter after your father and your brother died, one of our greatest heroes went into her father's burrow mound to face his ghost and the ghosts of those of the grave to claim his sword. She's always been one of my favorite stories," Sasha grinned.

Xena tried to fight back sudden tears. "You'd like Gabrielle's stories. I'm sorry you haven't gotten to know her yet."

"You were only with us one night with the little one, but she is special. She has the light of the gods surrounding her," Sasha said easily, resting a hand on top of Xena's, comforting.

"Some say I have the darkness of them about me," Xena muttered.

"Nein. Darkness cannot give light and you will soon do that."

Xena smiled, touching her womb. "I never looked at it that way."

"Life is a gift from the gods and from our fetches, the family spirits that watch over our lives."

Xena grinned to herself. This life certainly was a "gift" from the gods. One god in particular, she thought, Ares. She felt torn between being happy about the pregnancy to frustration that it was Ares' child and it was driving her out of Greece and away from the only family she had.

Xena brushed a tear away and Sasha smiled. "You are welcome with my family. The runes say you are one of us."

"Runes?"

"Sacred symbols given to us by the sacrifice of the AllFather, Othinn. He hung on the World Tree for nine nights without food or water, stabbed by his own spear until he gained the knowledge of the runes. They are sometimes used as writing too."

"World Tree, the Amazons believe in the World Tree. That there is a tree in the center of the world that has more branches than the gods themselves can count and it holds together all the worlds," Xena smiled and Sasha grinned, nodding.

"Yes, we believe the same! Our tree is named Yggdrasil."

"Some language you've got," Xena smiled. "His sacrifice is very much like some of the Amazon rituals I've seen of shamanic death and rebirth," Xena commented. She smiled as Axel joined them by the fire.

"Yes, every act of gain must have an act of sacrifice. Life is hard in the North, Xena, and life can be short. You learn to live with what the Norns have carved for you."

"Norns?" she asked and Axel frowned, looking for the word the Greek would know.

"One is that what was known, she who is that which is known and she that which will be," he tried.

"We call them the Fates," she nodded. "How do the runes work?" Xena asked, accepting the drinking horn and was pleased that Sasha was drinking cider. Ever since discovering her pregnancy Xena hadn't wanted to drink too much, it seemed to really play havoc with her stomach now and the Germans were very fond of their ale and mead.

"The vitki, the rune worker, must know how to find the right wood, sacrifice for it, carve the wood, inscribe the runes on it and then stain them for effect. Also knowing the right galdr aids in the magic," Axel explained.

"Galdr?"

"Rune magic of sound," Sasha smiled and took her husband's hand.

"And staining them?" Xena was finding this fascinating, after studying with Alti with the northern Amazons, Xena had found she had a knack for shamanistic working and was curious how much the northern peoples had in common with the Amazons. She wished Gabrielle was there once again.

Noticing her expression, Sasha reached out and touched the warrior's hand again. Xena attempted a smile.

"The runes say she's alive," Sasha whispered.

"What do they say?" Xena tried not to snap the question out.

"Only that she lives, my friend and nothing more. They say the future of your child is unwritten as well," Sasha lost her smile.

Xena frowned, withdrawing into herself. Aching for her little bard so bad that it was a physical ache.

Axel nodded to his wife and they left the warrior by the fire to work with her frustration.

# # # #

The next evening she found several of the men and women relaxing by the fire and listened to them talk, trying to pick up more of the language.

Sasha smiled and joined her. "How is the little man?"

"He's finally moving around better. I think he won't be able to use that arm for much."

"A one armed man is still useful," Sasha shrugged.

"What do you mean?" Xena asked.

"We look at things simply. A one armed man may still hoe a field or hold a sword. A legless man can sit a horse and fight, a dead man is useful to none."

Xena nodded, understanding.

"Do both you and Axel work the runes? There isn't a priest or priestess?"

"There are priestess and priests in the north in larger towns, villages and cities. For small holdings, like ours, the head person of the family acts as the priest for the sacred holidays and rituals. Anyone can work the runes and work the magic if they have the skill. As headwoman and headman we both can serve our people with the holiday rituals."

"Do you follow one particular god or goddess or all of them?"

"All of them are honored in the celebrations, some more than others depending on the holiday. There are some who are dedicated to one particular god or goddess, many of the Princes, Kings and Chieftains are called to AllFather, while many common man find Thor is their destiny in Asgard," Axel answered as he came up.

"Asgard? That's kind of like Olympus, right?"

"Somewhat. It is the realm of the Aesir and Vanir, the gods and goddess but it is also where we go when we die. Depending on how we have lived our lives and who our chosen god or goddess is. We could end up in Freya's Hall if she calls you or, if you haven't done so well, you could end up in Hella's Halls."

"Hella, a place like Tartarus?" Xena was glad that they had spent time among the Romans and Greeks and at least knew what she was talking about on her end.

"No, it is a place of rest until part of the spirit is reborn. The outstanding among us go to Asgard to one of the halls. Some of Hella's Halls is spoken of as cold and lonely and the river that surrounds it is of swords and knives and cannot be crossed, filled with venom," Axel said, lifting his horn as several others did the same.

"It probably means that it's cold and filled with ice," Sasha grinned.

"What?"

"It's a way of talking in the North, especially among the skalds, the poets, the bards, you call them. Sunna's light can mean gold," Sasha explained.

"Tyr's bane!" another called out.

"That means a wolf!" a man laughed.

"Freya's tears," a woman grinned, twirling a string of amber around her fingers. "Amber."

"Wound bees!"

Xena frowned.

"Arrows," Axel grinned.

"Game of iron - a battle."

"Arrow dew."

Xena grinned, "blood." everyone laughed, pleased that she was getting it.

"Mead of Othinn - poetry."

"Flying thorn."

"Spear," Xena grinned.

"Wolf feeder, a warrior."

"The Norse are infamous for their riddles," Axel warned with a grin.

"Terrific, just what I'm not good a,." Xena complained and everyone laughed.

"We especially love good stories and forgive almost any bragging if you can back it up," another warrior grinned.

"You said part of the soul is born again, not all of the soul? What do you mean?"

"Hmmm, the body is of several parts that come together to make a person, so is the soul. The mind and the soul are several parts. The major parts stay in whatever fate you have earned for yourself after death but a part of you comes back, usually in your family line or someone close to your family line. That is why we look for our ancestors in the little ones," Axel tried to explain.

"When you say that a child is acting just like his grandfather you think part of his grandfather has come back in him?"

"Yes. How do you believe in the south?" Sasha asked.

"That the soul is complete but that sometimes the gods decide that a soul should come back and be born into a new life. I've heard tales of some souls reconnecting over and over again in many lives and other tales say that after you die you end up in the Eleusian fields or Tartarus and stay there for eternity."

"What are your Fields like?" one warrior asked.

"It's a perfect day in your life, most don't realize that they've died. They go through their day perfectly happy, waiting for their loved ones to come home who haven't died yet. Some know they've died and wait for their loved ones to cross over, kinda watching and seeing what happens in their lives."

"Hmmmm, I think I prefer Valhalla - fighting all day and drinking all night!"

"What about Freya's Hall, the Goddess of Love?" another warrior called out.

"A different kind of fighting at night!" another laughed, kissing his mate.

"Do you have specific gods for things, like a god of war?" Xena asked.

Axel frowned, contemplating. "I know of your Greek and Roman gods. A god of war, one of love, one of justice. It is more complicated with ours, I think."

"The AllFather is the God of War but he is a poet and magic worker. He sacrificed his eye for a taste of the mead of inspiration," another man said with a grin.

"Thor is followed by most soldiers but he never pays attention to our battles," another said gruffly.

"AllFather is followed by most Chieftains but isn't trusted by any," another said and some grumbled in their seats.

"Why not?" Xena asked, wanting as much information as quickly about where she might be raising her child, especially if the gods were going to get involved at any time.

"He turns on his chosen, bringing them an early death," one mumbled.

"He causes their deaths so they may join his army in Valhalla at their peak!" another argued.

"Valhalla, AllFather's Hall?" Xena ventured and several nodded.

"Freya is the goddess of love but claims half of the slain warriors for her Hall and commands half the Valkyries," a woman offered.

"Valkyries, warrior female spirits?" Xena asked.

"Yes, they choose heroes for Othinn and Freya and follow their wishes, helping or hindering in battle."

"I prefer when the gods stay out of my way in battle," Xena grinned and several of the men cheered, raising their horns in salute.

"I agree, let the gods battle among themselves and leave us be," one called out.

"At least ours don't seem as bothersome as the Greeks and Romans seem to think theirs are," Sasha grinned.

Xena wondered what the woman would think if she knew Xena was carrying the child of a god? She was beginning to have the feeling that not many people in the North had ever seen their gods in person. Xena wasn't sure how she felt about that one, most of the time she preferred not seeing any of hers, thanks.

Xena suddenly felt tired and made her goodnights and crawled in next to Iolaus, quickly shedding most of her clothing under the warm furs and he mumbled something in his sleep and extended his arm. Blushing, Xena laid down inside his arm and let him hold her and was grateful he pretended to be asleep as she began crying tears she couldn't hold back any longer. Gabrielle felt so far away but she could feel her mate's loneliness washing over her.

Nikki concentrated Gabrielle's training on the net, small sword and daggers. Knowing the small woman would be useless in heavy armor, the doctor focused on Gabrielle's speed, smallness and natural ability. Gabrielle fell easily into a friendship with the tall warrior, in many ways Nikki reminded her of Xena and she found herself learning as quickly as she had under Xena's watchful eye.

Lycrassis also watched with interest as the small blond woman showed promise. Even though she was small, Lycrassis also knew that small and quick gladiators could sometimes overcome heavily armed men in the Arena.

The sling came off the bard's arm and she began working on rebuilding those muscles as well. Sword work consisted of taking on a wooden post in the training yard, practicing sword strokes over and over again until it became part of the muscle's training.

Nikki began to add spear and shield work to the bard's workout. Lycrassis began to wonder if he was going to lose the three month part of the bet. He grinned, hoping so. He preferred having a money winning gladiator to a corpse any day. He also admired the way the small woman moved, the muscles rippling under that smooth skin.

At night it wasn't uncommon for Nikki to wake up with Gabrielle crying or screaming in her sleep. She would gather the smaller woman in her arms and comfort her Queen until the little one went to sleep again, calling for Xena.

Nikki felt her heart beginning to thaw and cursed the gods for it.

By the second month Xena and Iolaus had found a niche in the homestead of their adopted Northern family. Xena would help the hunters and fishermen and Iolaus helped care for the children and stock while his body still healed. He was surprised and pleased to find that he had a knack for carding wool and sewing and was very pleased when none of the men teased him about it. Xena was grateful for the kindness they were showing both of the Greeks.

Sasha and Axel had been right about being accepted into the family without question. Hercules was thought of as a brother and he said that Iolaus and Xena were family and were in trouble, the Northerners opened their home readily. Willing to take them on for the entire winter and the rest of their lives if the Greeks wished to stay.

The two long houses were a little cramped with the addition of Axel's small band but everyone just grinned and made room. Xena shook her head at the ready acceptance and additional hardship that the chief family was taking on with grins and hugs. It reminded her of something her mother might do.

The chieftain of the main family, Eddval the Skull-Splitter, didn't live up to his name when they first arrived, Xena was thankful. He had come out of his long house shouting and laughing and grabbed Axel in a bear hug that Xena would have found bone breaking. The two men had laughed, punched each other and drank from the drinking horn that Eddval's wife, Alfhild, had brought out, toasting each other, toasting each other's family, toasting the Gods, and toasting the sky at the end of the horn. Eddval had motioned everyone inside and had greeted each like a family member, even Xena and Iolaus, though he was careful not to bear hug the small and injured Greek man.

Xena had been amused when they started calling Iolaus, Ivar One Hand, finding his Greek name a pain to the tongue. Xena they called Yrsa the Vakr or Vigilant. She was grateful for the nickname, she had heard some of the others around the hearth fire.

"Absent Minded, Belly Shaker, Flat Nose, Gossip, Whelp, and the worst for one of the neighboring Princes - Snake in the Eye."

Iolaus/Ivar they treated as the wounded warrior he was and respected him, even if they teased him about being so small. Xena was pleased when he began to smile at the teasing even though he continued to wake her up every night with the same nightmare, losing Gabrielle.

Into month two and the recruits began practicing with other recruits, those more advanced in training. Having actual bodies to whack against added a new dimension to the training. Mostly the new recruits were the ones getting whacked. It made them learn very quickly.

One day in the practice yard Lycrassis approached Nikki and Gabrielle. They both stopped and stood still.

"How is our dancer today?" he grinned.

"She's doing well, my Lord," Nikki smiled.

"Good, believe it or not I hope you win your bout in a month. I think you could make us all a lot of money eventually. Brie, hmmm, not a gladiator name. I like 'dancer', it suits your style. Nikki, you are doing well with her."

"Thank you, my Lord," Nikki resisted smiling at Gabrielle, Dancer.

"I would like an early demonstration," Lycrassis said, bringing his hand to his mouth in contemplation. Nikki lost her smile.

"Yes, my Lord?" she asked.

"That little Arab slave of mine, you know he tells me you two aren't really lovers, that you never touch each other. I would find that strange and wonder about motivations and plots and plans. Slaves should never be allowed to plot and plan, don't you agree?"

Gabrielle kept all emotion out of her face with a struggle and knew that Nikki was doing the same.

"I don't know what to say, my Lord. We aren't plotting against you," Nikki protested.

"Hmmm, let's put that to a test, shall we?" Lycrassis grinned.

"How, my Lord?" Nikki whispered.

"The Arab against your Dancer. Trial by combat, so to speak. He's not gladiator trained but he's fast as a cat and deadly with a knife. They should be almost evenly matched."

"You would risk our bet over your slave?" Nikki argued.

"Yes, I am the master of the house and I can call the bet finished when I see fit. I am the master, am I not?" Lycrassis voice was still sweet, but deadly as a poisonous snake.

Gabrielle tried not to show her fear.

"Yes, my Lord." Nikki bowed her head.

"Good, after lunch. Arrange it," Lycrassis walked away whistling.

Gabrielle almost went to her knees and Nikki grabbed her by the arms. "Steady, my Queen, steady."

Over lunch the trainer instructed her student.

"He is as fast as a cat. I've seen him castrate a recruit in one move before the man knew what was happening. He's also vicious as Hades and has had the protection of Lycrassis until now. He'll probably count on that and be arrogant. I don't think he's been watching you train so he might not be aware of how fast you've developed."

"I have to kill him?" Gabrielle asked between bites, determined to keep her strength at peak.

"Maybe. He is Lycrassis' pet, he might not let you kill him but beat the tar out of him or scar him. I don't know what he's thinking," Nikki complained in a whisper.

"He wants me in his bed and he's unsure of our relationship," Gabrielle answered.

"What?"

"I've seen him watching me. He's not only looking at me as a prize winner, he's watching my body with a hunger that I've seen before."

The tall Amazon cursed under her breath.

Gabrielle grinned. "We'll handle that after I defeat that little weasel. Anything about his fighting style?"

"Yes, he leads with his right foot and right hand. He can't fight left handed."

"That might help."

"Visiting Romans, ladies of my villa and honored wife," Lycrassis began, walking around the small arena, taking in all of his guests. Gabrielle and Nikki both wondered how long he had this planned, there were over fifty household members and guests watching the arena.

"This is serious, little one. You'll have to kill him," Nikki said simply.

"I thought we didn't kill in the school unless it was the major games," Gabrielle protested. It was warm for May and she wiped the back of her hand across her forehead. Nikki quickly grabbed a cloth and tied it around the bard's forehead.

"Something is going on and I don't know what."

"Whatever it is, I'm going to live!" the recruit hissed.

"Good, that's the only thing important and that's the only rule out there. There is no playing fair. Don't let him up if he falls, don't be honorable, and don't give him a second chance," Nikki instructed as she tied the leather sleeve over the bard's sword arm and positioned the leather with the metal plates over the bard's wrist and hand. Next she strapped on a sword belt and a dagger in the bard's belt. Nikki then quickly knelt and hid a dagger in the bard's boot.

"Never let them know all of your weapons," she instructed as she leaned on her crutch.

Gabrielle nodded grimly and took up a small round shield in her left hand.

Across the way she saw a trainee handing the small Arab a similar shield.

"He's not accustomed to fighting with a sword or shield, use this and tire him out. If it comes down to a knife fight, he might win," Nikki instructed.

"I present to you two novice gladiators who have a personal grudge and I've decided to let them settle it in the Arena as good training. May their fight give you enjoyment. I present Achmed the Arab and Dancer of the Northern Barbarians."

Gabrielle felt Nikki lightly push her into the arena and walked to the center of the space to stand next to Lycrassis, she refused to look at Achmed. She faced the household box where Lycrassis, his wife and honored guests would watch the match and was stunned to recognize one of the honored guests, Brutus.

The bard felt her heart stop beating for a moment as he nearly came out of his chair in recognition as well. He recovered himself and sat back down, looking very pale.

Lycrassis stepped back and the Arab went into a defensive position and Gabrielle quickly did the same as Lycrassis trotted out of the Arena area and the wooden door slammed shut.

Gabrielle shifted her focus only onto her opponent, fighting down her fear and all the sounds around her. The bard shifted into the gladiator called Dancer, pulling her sword and readjusting her shield.

Dancer's travels with Xena and training with the Amazons, in addition to Nikki's training, paid off in the first few moments when the Arab screamed and rushed the small woman, bashing at her with his shield and raising his sword to smash downwards.

Dancer rolled over with the blow and came to her feet in an instant and let his charge carry him off balance into her, bringing her own shield up to smash him in the face, sending him backwards. The Arab barely got his shield up in time to deflect her sword blow. He kicked out with his legs and took Dancer's legs out from under her. They both regained their feet at the same time, neither with an advantage. Dancer was grateful at Nikki's insight with the headband, she watched the Arab wipe sweat out of his eyes and curse under his breath and she was glad that the cloth caught the potential distraction of her own sweat. Dancer attempted to keep her breathing in a normal rhythm and not let the dust cloud her eyes or throat.

The fighters began circling each other, a little more cautious. Achmed screamed again and rushed the bard once more, this time she took the blow and spun with it, letting the energy of Achmed's movement pull him past her and she sliced as he passed and left a long and deep wound in his left shoulder. He quickly moved out of sword reach, his shield arm hanging. He dropped the shield with a snarl.

Through Nikki's training, Dancer knew that the little Arab could be even more dangerous now, he was desperate. Then again, she thought, so was she.

With a war cry of her own she anticipated his next rush and rolled forward into it, dropping her own shield and grabbing the dagger from her belt. Her forward roll brought her up under his sword as she blocked it with her own. Dancer sank her dagger into his ribs.

Everything seemed to stop in time for both of the fighters. The swords hung suspended in the air, one blocking the other, as the Arab looked down at the knife in his ribs and the small Greek looked up, stunned she had actually done it.

Achmed, with an angry yell, backhanded the bard, sending her falling backwards, slightly stunned. She quickly turned to regain her feet but the Arab threw himself across her back, grabbing her hair painfully, forcing her head back to meet his sword blade before he would fall to her dagger.

Dancer, having dropped her own sword, reached into her boot and grabbed the second dagger, with a quick movement she snapped her wrist back and cut away a good chunk of her hair, leaving the Arab with only a handful of hair and not his opponent. She threw him off her back, rolled over on top of him and straddled his chest, one foot on his sword hand. She held the dagger in both hands over his throat.

The woman looked to the household box and to Lycrassis.

"What do you say, my honored guests and house members? A quick death for him or the slow death of a stabbed lung?" Lycrassis asked, looking to Brutus.

Gabrielle also looked at Brutus as he struggled to keep emotions from his face. Without a word the Roman raised his hand and then gave the pollice verso, the thumbs down and everyone followed.

Lycrassis grinned and gave the pollice verso.

"Forgive me, little man," Dancer whispered as the blade plunged downward.

Gabrielle wasn't aware of much after that, not even the gentle hands helping her to her feet and out of the arena and to the bathing area. Gabrielle finally became aware of those same hands cleaning the blood and dust from her body and then Nikki gently holding her as she cried.

# # #

An hour later Nikki had found a pair of scissors and finished what Gabrielle had started in the Arena with her hair. The bard found short hair a very strange feeling but one she might grow to like, she thought.

They were both startled when the door opened and Lycrassis walked in. He lifted the bard's chin and took in her bruised nose and short hair with an appraising glance. He nodded approvingly. They both noticed the pair of shackles in his hand.

"Not bad. You did well out there today for a first time and a first kill. Most can't do the pollice verso judgment on their first kill. You did well," he commented.

"I'll never get used to it," Gabrielle whispered and was surprised when Lycrassis grinned.

"No need to, as long as you continue to do it," He reached out and grabbed the trainee's wrist and quickly chained the bard and pulled her to her feet. "My honored guest, Brutus, would like to meet you," he grinned and Gabrielle's heart skipped a beat, the smile never reached his cruel eyes.

Nikki was on her feet in an instant. "You said no one would touch her!" she hissed.

"I said none of my men would touch her. When making bargains with Romans you should listen carefully to the wording," Lycrassis grinned. "I didn't say anything about myself or my guests."

Nikki's face turned very red and she grabbed her crutch up. Gabrielle held up her hands towards the trainer.

"I'll be fine, it's okay," she reassured her pretend lover.

Lycrassis yanked her out of the room and slammed and locked the door, leaving Nikki cursing under her breath.

"Not only are you quick, you're also smart. You just saved your lover a lashing."

Gabrielle refused to talk and Lycrassis shrugged and led her through the villa to the guest room and opened the door without knocking.

Brutus rose from the sofa, his face without emotion.

"Well, Brutus, hope you enjoy your evening," Lycrassis grinned and closed the door.

Brutus started to speak and Gabrielle moved quickly to him and placed a finger on his lips.

"I'm from the northern tribes, my Latin name is Brie here," she said quickly and he nodded.

"How did you get here?" he demanded.

"I was taken on the border of Germania by slavers. My family doesn't know where I am or if I'm alive," Gabrielle stressed the word family and again Brutus nodded. "Are you going to take me to Caesar?" she asked softly and Brutus looked confused.

"Caesar, no. I'm on my way to Britannia. Please, sit."

Gabrielle sat on the sofa and the Roman joined her.

"Brutus, my family told me how you helped them and me when I was ill, can you help me now?"

"I've tried, Lycrassis won't sell you just yet."

Gabrielle frowned. "Why not? I'm not trained enough yet to bring him in money and my chances of surviving the Arena are small."

"I don't know but he won't. He says you're a mystery and he sees talent in you, he wants to find out what that mystery is and to use your talent," Brutus complained.

"Mystery?"

"He doesn't believe that you're sleeping with your trainer and you haven't approached any of the men, it puzzles him. You've got to find a way to dismiss that mystery. Caesar has heard of your disappearance and he wants you very badly. Every Roman looking for favor is looking for you. He thinks X... your family will come to him if he has you."

"I know, I figured that might happen," Gabrielle muttered.

"I managed to get Lycrassis to wager with me," Brutus said hopefully, "if you survive the time I'm gone to Britannia, then he'll sell you to me when I return and he won't sell you to anyone else before I return."

"How long?"

"A year."

"A year is better than the three year bet he made with Nikki, my trainer. A year, though. Brutus, that's forever in the Arena!" Gabrielle felt tears threatening to spill over and angrily brushed them away.

"I know but my hands are tied. Caesar is in Egypt and I don't trust anyone to get you to your family if I force the issue."

"Brutus, I have to ask, why would you help me and go against Caesar, again?" she whispered.

The Roman smiled. "Your mate once asked why I liked you and I couldn't find the words. She seemed to understand though and said that you were the light in the darkness that we walk as warriors. She was and is right. I care for you very much, G... Brie."

"Brutus, you know I'm bonded to another, by choice and by the gods," Gabrielle gently touched his cheek.

"Yes, that doesn't mean I can't be your friend."

"Thank you," she said simply.

"Why do you trust me?" Brutus asked with a frown.

"I have no choice. You offer a glimmer of hope of getting back to my mate," Gabrielle answered simply.

"What else can I do?" the Roman asked, taking the bard's hands in his.

"Force me into your bed," Gabrielle whispered.

"What?" Brutus leaped to his feet and Gabrielle pulled him back down.

"What do you think Lycrassis is expecting? Why else would you send for me? Why do you think my wrists are chained and not my legs?"

"I can't do that!" Brutus protested.

"You said yourself I have to convince Lycrassis there's no mystery to solve, that I'm just another scared barbarian fighting for her life that happens to be Sapphic and not interested in sleeping with him."

"Oh gods, G... Brie. I am not a rapist, I don't even touch my own slaves."

"Who says there's no light in your life, Brutus?" Gabrielle smiled, touching his cheek again. "We have to make it look like you forced me."

"All right, I can do that, I think," Brutus nodded.

"Then hit me."

Brutus rose to his feet again and began pacing in front of the sofa. "I can't!" he hissed.

Gabrielle stood up and in his way. "Do you think Lycrassis would believe I just fell into your bed?"

Brutus closed his eyes and nodded. When he opened his eyes Gabrielle closed hers and waited.

The next morning Nikki opened the guest room to find Gabrielle arms above her head, her chain tied to one of the bed posts and the woman was nude. Nikki whined in her throat when she took in the bruises on the bard's face and arms and then she went to her knees beside the bed when she saw blood between Gabrielle's legs.

Nikki quickly wiped tears away when Lycrassis walked into the room.

"Well, get her cleaned up and at practice," Lycrassis took in the sight as well and grinned. "Well, seems our Roman General was a little rough with your pet, eh?"

Gabrielle opened her eyes and then turned her head, realizing her appearance.

"Tears, Nikki? Maybe you are lovers after all. You better pray I don't suspect you two of plotting to kill me or run away," Lycrassis warned as he walked out.

Gabrielle turned to look at Nikki. "It's all right, untie me."

Nikki quickly moved to cut the rope with her dagger and then helped the bard sit up on the bed. She quickly grabbed a blanket and wrapped it around the small woman.

"He didn't hurt me," Gabrielle tried reassuring her friend.

"But the bruises and blood?" Nikki whispered, helping Gabrielle to her feet.

"I asked him to hit me to convince Lycrassis. Brutus cut his own hand to provide the blood to make it look like rape," Gabrielle smiled a tired smile.

"I don't understand," Nikki complained as they walked to the door.

"Brutus is a friend and he just might get us out of here before three years."

"Now I'm definitely confused," Nikki complained.

"We have a lot to talk about and maybe some hope is in sight. If I can stay alive in the Arena."

"I have some ideas about that," Nikki smiled.

"Good, I want to get dressed and eat."

The next hurdle to staying alive came that night when the two women undressed for bed. Gabrielle hesitated and sat down on the bed, pulling a blanket around her. Nikki sat down next to her, pulling on a robe.

"What is it, Brie?" Nikki asked.

"We have to convince Lycrassis that we are lovers and take away his curiosity about me," Gabrielle whispered.

"Brie, a gentle bard who's now willing to kill; a woman who's willing to live with rape; a bonded lover who's willing to sleep with me just to stay alive. You love her enough to live with all of that?" Nikki asked gently and then pulled her Queen into her arms as Gabrielle broke down crying.

"I love her that much. I love her enough to use people who love me to get back to her. Brutus loves me and I'm willing to use him, to put him in danger with Caesar. I'm willing to use your friendship and body to keep me alive to get back to her," Gabrielle whispered.

"Brie, you don't love me, I know that. You would sleep with me on the chance it might keep Lycrassis distracted?"

Gabrielle broke into fresh tears. "Yes," she whispered.

"A love like yours is rare, my Queen," Nikki whispered back.

Gabrielle held out her left hand and showed the fellow Amazon the angry red scar across the palm. "We are blood bound by the gods themselves."

"The gods?"

"Yes, they showed up at our bonding ritual and said that our destiny was to be together and our love was beyond this lifetime and death and they called for a blood bonding," Gabrielle explained.

"Then, my Queen, I will do everything in my power to get you back to your mate. Even loving you," Nikki said with a grin, bringing Gabrielle out of her arms as the young woman lightly punched her friend in the arm.

"As if that was a task? You don't want my body?" Gabrielle teased.

"My Queen, I have been dying to touch your body since the day I first saw you," Nikki admitted. "Then I saw your mate and thought better of that idea," she grinned.

"Most people do when they meet her," Gabrielle giggled.

Nikki leaned down and lightly kissed the bard and whimpered as the bard began kissing her back. "I'm sorry," Gabrielle whispered as she slowly began kissing Nikki's neck and the Amazon warrior wasn't sure if Gabrielle was apologizing for using Nikki or apologizing to Xena. Neither woman was surprised when they heard footsteps outside their window. It had been expected.

They were in their third month after the attack by the Romans when Ketli, one of the young boys of the house came running into the second long house and spotted Iolaus/Ivar attempting to sew some deer hide. The boy ran up with a grin.

"Ivar, our Southern brother comes!" He said excitedly, pulling on Iolaus' sleeve.

"Great!" Iolaus set the deer hide aside and grabbed up his cloak and went outside with the boy, bending down so Ketli could pin his cloak closed.

Iolaus grinned as Hercules jumped off his horse and grabbed his friend in a bear hug. The smaller Greek man punched his friend on the arm as Hercules put him down. He looked into his friend's face and contemplated the full beard the demi-god had grown during the winter and approved and he knew Hercules was probably doing the same with his blond beard.

"Good to see you up and moving, my friend," Hercules said.

"Good to be among the living. Gabrielle?"

Hercules' lost his smile and shook his head. Before he could answer most of the women from the two long houses had come out to greet him and Eddval's wife, Thora, offered him a drinking horn in a traditional gesture of welcome. He toasted the well being of everyone in the steadying and drank deeply, appreciating the good ale of the north.

Ketli moved to take his horse to the stable and the women parted to let the men walk towards the long house. Hercules answered his friend.

"I lost track of her. The slavers the Romans sold her to sold her again to another set of traders heading into Italia. The Romans told the slavers that she was Germanic and, somehow, Gabrielle has kept quiet and the slavers sold her as Germanic. All I could find from the second slavers was that a lot of females were sold to villas in Italia. I couldn't even find out what province she's in."

"Damn! Xena says she's alive, that she can feel Gabrielle is alive."

"I believe it. They have that kind of connection."

"You'd better tell Xena this one. The baby is fine but Xena isn't. She spends a lot of time alone and she hasn't slept an entire night through since." Iolaus frowned.

Hercules stopped his friend and raised Iolaus chin to look in his friend's eyes. "Neither have you." the demi-god commented and lifted the cloak aside to get a look at his friend and frowned at the sling holding Iolaus' arm.

Iolaus shrugged and continued into the long house. "I have some strength in the hand but not much. The arm is useless."

"You're alive, I didn't think you'd make it from those wounds," Hercules said softly.

"Neither did anyone else," Iolaus grinned a sad smile. "What happens now?"

"I tell Xena the miserable news and I leave at the end of the week back for Italia. I'm not giving up."

Hercules met Xena at the barn as she rode in on Argo. Her eyes were hopeful until she met his and he shook his head. The warrior clenched her jaw and climbed down slowly off her beloved horse.

The tall Greek repeated what he had told Iolaus as she unsaddled the horse and began brushing the mare.

"I'm going with you this time!" she snapped.

"No, you're not. You're due in two moons with a child and shouldn't be traveling, let along traveling into Italia. It's just what Caesar is expecting. He's got all of the Roman Empire looking for you and Gabrielle. He's learned that Gabrielle is missing in Italia and has everyone looking for her. He won't say why but we both know he wants to use her as bait to get to you. The only thing saving her life right now is that they probably think she's a German slave and not your bard," he argued.

Xena growled, clenching her fists tightly.

"Xena, I'm not going to stop until we have her back," he promised.

"I can feel her, I can almost see her and I can't reach her!" she hissed, throwing the brush across the stall. Argo danced a couple of steps away from her friend, picking up on the dangerous energy growing in the warrior.

"She's still alive," he tried to comfort her but Xena shook his hand off.

"She's had to kill, Hercules. I saw it, a dagger in her hands and then blood. I wasn't there to protect her or comfort her! Damnit!"

Xena spun around, eyes flashing angrily and darting around. The demi-god held up a hand, palm forward.

"Come on, Xena. You can't hurt me, you know," he urged.

"I wouldn't chance that right now!" she warned. "Do you know what they did to her? What Iolaus saw?"

Hercules gritted his own teeth and shoved the warrior, hard. The demi-god got the reaction he expected and found himself sitting on his tailbone from a well placed punch along the jawline. He quickly jumped up and held out his hands as sparring targets as Xena screamed in rage and let loose.

"Ivar, what's happening?" Ketli asked, running up to the barn door. Iolaus held up his good hand, holding the boy back.

"Hercules is helping her work out some frustration."

When the red finally cleared from Xena's eyes she was breathing heavy and Hercules was picking himself up from a hay pile, nursing a bloody nose. He grinned at his friend, feeling his jaw.

"Feel better?" he asked.

"Some," she admitted as she examined her skinned and bruised knuckles.

"I'm just glad you didn't go for your weapons, my friend. I take it back, you can hurt me," he grinned and then held his arms open as the rest of her pent up emotions broke and she began to cry.

The third and fourth month of Gabrielle's training saw a new focus. Nikki made a rough wooden figure and used it to demonstrate moves that she wanted the little fighter to try.

"Lycrassis was right, you are a natural dancer and we should use that to our advantage. A typical match is between two fighters who are matched but in different areas. Naked Retiarii fight with nets and a trident against heavily armored fighters. Neither side has an overwhelming advantage. The naked fighter is quick and hard to hit, the heavily armored one is hard to get decent hits on. Both having different skills but an even fight. Your opponents will probably be heavily armed, because of your smallness, I don't see Lycrassis weighing you down with armor. I want to train you to be able to get past that armor and hit deadly points quickly. A dance under the sword and amour of your opponent, a deadly dance."

Gabrielle caught Lycrassis watching them discussing movements and his grin as he saw Nikki's bruised neck. The tall blond Viking Amazon blushed and went back to her descriptions with the little Greek.

"How do you get under the sword and shield without getting killed?" Gabrielle questioned, taking up a typical amour fighter stance. Nikki began plotting out steps, one by one for the little bard.

# # #

In the fourth month Gabrielle found herself at one of the local games of the month. Scheduled for a fight in the morning with another new recruit, this one a big, strong and heavily armed fighter.

Nikki rubbed the smaller woman's shoulders as they waited in the dark and stuffy cells before the match. Gabrielle's hands couldn't keep still.

"Relax, it'll be over before you know it's begun. The hardest part is the waiting for your match," Nikki urged.

"How did you handle it?" Gabrielle asked as Nikki began helping her strap on the leather arm protector.

"Who says I ever did? I typically lost my breakfast just before going out there," Nikki grinned and Gabrielle turned pale.

"Thanks for the encouragement," the bard whispered and Nikki laughed.

"You're welcome, little one."

A guard opened the cell door and motioned the bard out. Nikki leaned heavily on the bars as he closed the door.

"Be safe."

Gabrielle attempted a grin but wasn't very successful.

The bard was grateful that the sun wasn't on her side of the Arena when she walked out. Fighters were trained to ignore the sun but they always found themselves blinking in the bright sunlight after spending all morning in the dark cells. Gabrielle shifted her sword belt slightly and followed the guard to the center of the Arena. She quickly bounced on her toes a few times and shifted the shield on her left arm.

She barely glanced at the heavily armed Myrmillo type fighter. Heavy plate and chain mail armor covered his chest and arms and half metal cylinders, called ocreae, covered his upper thighs and he was armed with a heavy sword, dagger and a large shield.

Gabrielle wasn't amused with her chances. She closed her eyes and began a breathing exercise she had learned from Xena and let the tension drain from her body and let the bard slip away from her and let the Dancer take her place.

When Dancer opened her eyes, they were without emotion and alert. She spotted Lycrassis in one of the royal boxes and he grinned at her. She bowed slightly and then turned towards her opponent.

One thing in the back of Dancer's mind, the bard part still thinking, the school normally didn't fight to the death. Lycrassis preferred to develop his fighters rather than just provide blood sport and lose fighters before they had developed enough skills to survive professional encounters.

Dancer dismissed any thoughts and concentrated as the flag signaling the beginning of the match dropped from Lycrassis' hand.

Anticipating the Myrmillo's rush, Dancer simply spun on one heel and let her shield scrape against his, carrying his momentum around. She ducked his defensive round slash of his sword and slashed his calf, below the ocreae. Dancer quickly dived out of reach of his sword as he attempted to slam his shield down on the crouched fighter and bring his sword back around and down. She came up behind him and slashed across his lower back with her sword, just where the armor didn't protect.

He roared and went to his knees, dropping his shield. Dancer parried a sword swing with her shield and danced out the way of a second thrust as he regained his feet. Her opponent didn't dare reach for his shield so he pulled out his dagger to compliment his sword.

Dancer kept out of his reach, barely turning his sword strikes aside with her shield while dancing out of reach of the dagger. The Myrmillo was breathing heavily and sweating while Dancer kept her breathing as normal as possible. The Myrmillo type fighter let his anger give him a flash of energy and charged the smaller woman and she stood her ground until the last moment and dived forward into him, rolling his legs out from under him. As he fell on his face and lost his breath the small woman scrambled out from under his legs and jumped on his back, sword poised over his neck.

The fighter dropped the sword and held out his arms to his sides.

"Surrender!" he cried out and Dancer looked to her owner's box.

Lycrassis seemed to consider for a moment and then gave a thumbs up, signifying life. Dancer breathed a sigh of relief and slowly rose off the man. She bowed to Lycrassis and began to walk back towards her end of the Arena when she felt the pounding of running feet and let instinct take over, dropping into a crouch and swinging her leg out as the Myrmillo type fighter charged her from behind. She swept his leg out from under him and he hit the ground hard again. The small woman was on top of him before he could even blink and her dagger was sticking out of his throat.

Shaking, Dancer rose to her feet and looked to her master, wondering what his reaction would be. The Roman rose to his feet and began applauding, everyone else in the spectator seats rising to applaud.

Dancer bowed slightly and retrieved her dagger and walked back towards the cells, shaking all over and wondering if she could make it out of sight before she threw up.

Summer had finally reached the northern lands and so did some of the German tribes friendly with the Romans. Small battles broke out among the different families, clans, tribes and provinces. Sometimes it was over disputed land, sometimes over stolen cattle or raids, other times it was because one tribe wouldn't sign a treaty with the Romans and the Romans were adding pressure.

Caesar, personally, had come to the north and had driven back an incursion of Goths into the northern provinces and was attempting to drive a wedge between other tribes and take the Roman Empire further north.

Xena was worried about Hercules scouring Italia for a "Germanic slave" with everyone's emotions running high towards war and she was worried for Gabrielle, mostly.

It didn't help that she was feeling herself getting close to welcoming a baby into her life. Her body was screaming in frustration, she was uncomfortable all the time and irritable. Sasha and the other women just smiled, remembering their own due times and reassured her that it was normal.

Having been irritable most of the time before Solan was born the warrior hadn't noticed the changes in her mood swings. Now she did and wanted nothing more than to have Gabrielle there at her side.

"Yrsa! Quick, raiders are coming!" Ketli yelled as he dashed into the long house. Sasha quickly grabbed up a pack and began throwing containers of herbs, bandages and other things in it.

"Ivar, grab several blankets and get them to the stable. Ketli, hitch up the wagon and throw the blankets in the back and bring the wagon to the back! Hurry!" Sasha ordered.

Xena/Yrsa, struggled to sit up. "What are you doing, Sasha, hand me my sword," she ordered.

"No, warrior friend, I've been timing your pains and you are very close. I am not going to deliver your child in the middle of a battle! Get out and into that wagon. We'll go to the hunting cabin a couple of miles from here. Move!"

"I can fight!"

"In an hour or so you'll be doing nothing but screaming, now move!"

Within minutes the warrior found herself being bounced almost out of the speeding wagon as it dashed across the countryside and up an old trail to the hunting cabin that the men used along a trap line in the winter. Xena wasn't sure if she was going to deliver her baby right then and there with all the bouncing and hung on for dear life as Ketli yelped and Iolaus held tight to the seat next to Sasha.

The raiders had hit quick but Ketli had gotten word to the men working the field and the battle had been going well for Xena's adopted family when they left and she had tried to convince Sasha to stay and wait it out but the stubborn Northerner had refused.

Sasha had been right though about the timing, the pains were getting closer and more intense. Xena bit her lip and then cried out as a wave hit her. Ketli looked concerned and touched the warrior's tanned arm. She tried to smile but gritted her teeth as they hit another bump.

The small boy had taken to the Greeks and had kinda adopted them. The dark haired boy's mother had died in childbirth and his father had been killed on a raid when he was 5 summers old. He stayed close to Iolaus, helping the Greek with the little things, like getting dressed and things that the Greek had problems with now that his arm was barely useful and he liked the strong warrior woman as well and the Northerners has accepted his adoption of their new friends with a smile and shrug. Xena knew the seven year old would soon begin training for his life as a man but in this in-between stage he seemed to be their shadow.

Inside the cabin the warrior couldn't help but cry out now, with the pains coming closer and closer.

Iolaus sat next to her, wiping her forehead with a wet cloth, smiling his encouragement.

"Gabrielle," Xena whispered and closed her eyes and he gently brushed away the tears escaping her closed eyes.

Everyone in the cabin jumped when someone began pounding on the door. Iolaus quickly drew his sword and went to the door and listened.

"Go away," he shouted.

"Please, a small band of raiders are headed this way and I seek shelter!" a voice called.

"No," he said frowning.

"I invoke the right of hospitality, damnit!" the voice demanded and Sasha walked to the door.

"Do you swear no harm to anyone in this room?" she yelled.

"I will swear a blood oath to it before all the gods," the voice answered and Sasha opened the door.

Xena, sitting up on the bed with her sword in hand, took in the visitor. A tall Viking woman, dressed in male clothing and carrying a bow and arrow in her hand with a sword and ax on either hip. She quickly entered the cabin and closed the door behind her. She lowered the bow and drew out a dagger from behind her belt. She made a small slice across her palm and let the blood drip onto the floor.

"I swear by my blood and that of my kin that I mean no harm to anyone in this room and will fight to protect them to the death," she invoked. Sasha nodded welcome and returned to Xena's side as another contraction hit and Xena moaned, gritting her teeth.

"The Norns picked a strange place and time for your little one to be born, friend," the newcomer smiled and went to the boarded up window and opened the narrow slit.

Iolaus went to the other window and could see movement in the trees.

"Warriors approaching, I see maybe six, probably more in the shadows and behind us," he said.

"There were at least fifteen when I made it here," the stranger answered.

"Fifteen, that's not a small band. They're looking for us," Sasha frowned and Xena screamed with another contraction.

"Well, there's no leaving here now," the stranger grinned.

"I am Sasha, wife of Axel. This is Ivar the one handed, Yrsa the Vigilant and Ketli the Mouse."

"I am Grimhild Thornfinndottir. Traveling messenger to the King of the Russ to the East."

"Welcome Grimhild to possibly your last day," Sasha said with a smile.

Grimhild grinned back. "It's a small thing. A good day for it, I think."

She turned back and let an arrow fly, hitting a raider in the eye. She notched another arrow and let it fly, dropping another raider.

"How many of those have you got?" Iolaus asked with admiration.

"Not enough and they'll be on the roof and at the door before I can drop all of them."

Xena screamed again, gripping the bed sheets tightly as Ketli wiped her forehead.

Sasha, helping the warrior, looked over Xena's legs with a grin.

"Well, timing may not be great but you are about to have your child, my friend."

Xena cursed in Greek at the timing and at Ares for getting her in the mess in the first place. Sasha grinned, not understanding the language but the sentiment. She had assisted at births before. The mothers always got really pissed, usually at the men who didn't have to go through all of this.

"Ivar, some of them have torches," Grimhild said with a growl.

Sasha looked up with something Xena had never seen on the woman's face, fear.

"They want to burn us?" she asked no one in particular.

"Looks that way. Ivar, you and me outside the door, Ketli - keep an eye out back for any men with torches and yell if they try and fire the back," Grimhild ordered.

Iolaus nodded and readied his sword as the Viking woman grabbed the door and quickly opened it and dived outside with a Viking war cry. Iolaus followed, sword flashing in the sunlight.

Xena cursed every god she could think of for the timing of this mess, especially Ares and screamed with another contraction. Ketli quickly shut the door behind the warriors and went to the window.

The sounds of the battle faded for the warrior as her body demanded all of her attention and the only sounds she could hear were her own screams of pain and Sasha's reassuring voice. Ketli yelled several times and grabbed up an ax from beside the door.

In between one of the contractions Xena saw the small boy bury the hatchet in a raider's skull as he tried to climb in a window. Ketli yelled an imitation of Grimhild yell and tried to yank the ax out of the man's skull. Sasha jumped up and ran over to help him and handed him the ax.

"Leave the body, it'll block the others," she said simply as she looked in his bright eyes.

"Oh gods, he's so young," Xena whispered as Sasha rejoined her.

"Yes," Sasha agreed and then Xena screamed again.

The world disappeared for the warrior as her screams mingled with those outside and inside the cabin.

Then the pain passed like a wave as tears streamed down the warrior's face. Sasha was grinning at her and wrapping a small bundle in a clean cloth.

"You have a daughter, my friend."

Sasha and Xena both jumped as the door crashed inward and Iolaus fell into the room, a gash on his head, bleeding down the side of his face. He shook his head growling and flipped up to his feet and charged the doorway as two raiders attempted to enter.

Sasha quickly handed the crying infant to Xena and grabbed the warrior's sword and joined Iolaus at the door.

Xena watched with horror, unable to move, as she cradled her new daughter and her friends fought the raiders. Iolaus fell under another blow to the head and Sasha was forced back into the room. She grabbed Ketli by the collar and threw him behind her when he attempted to rush in front of her and protect her.

"Ketli, throw me the ax!" she yelled and the boy quickly ran over to her and handed over the ax.

"Sasha, duck!" she called and let the small hatchet fly when the woman ducked at her command. The raider about to cleave the Northerner's skull found his open with an ax in the face. Sasha grinned and ran her friend's sword through the chest of another raider but the sword stuck in the ribs.

Xena screamed as a battle ax met Sasha's neck and collarbone. Xena pulled out her dagger and placed her daughter next to the wall.

Ketli dived forward and grabbed a fallen sword and impaled it through the foot of another warrior and as that warrior dropped his battle ax the little boy grabbed the ax and, dodging the raider's angry attempts to grab him, scurried back to the warrior and handed her the ax.

The raider pulled the sword out of his foot with a scream and started to limp towards the warrior woman and children when Iolaus' wrist snapped out and he slashed the back of the raider's knees. When the man hit the floor Iolaus sat up and decapitated him with one stroke.

Then everything went strangely silent except for the cries of a newborn infant.

Xena looked up with tears in her eyes as Grimhild stood in the doorway, taking in the carnage. She nodded with satisfaction as Xena grabbed up her daughter, cradling and holding her new one.

"I think your friend would be honored if you named her Sasha," Grimhild smiled.

"I think so too," Xena agreed, looking up with tears in her eyes. She took in the sight of the blood covered warrior, the massive wounds in the shoulder, stomach and legs and frowned.

"Don't worry, warrior. You'll see me again," Grimhild promised and disappeared out the door.

"What in Tartarus was that about?" Iolaus asked as he dragged himself to his feet, meeting his new godchild.

"I don't know but I have a feeling that wasn't totally a normal occurrence, even for here."

"Valkyrie," Ketli whispered, his eyes wide.

"Valkyrie?" Xena asked.

"She's your Valkyrie, wow!" then he looked at Sasha's body and ran into Iolaus' arms, weeping.

"So much blood, Iolaus," Xena whispered and he simply nodded, sitting on the bed, taking up one of the cloths and holding it against his head.

"I wish Herc and Gabby were here," he complained and Xena merely nodded as her daughter, Sasha, began feeding.

"Gabrielle, come back to us," Xena whispered.

Time seemed to blend to Nikki and Gabrielle. Hours into days and days into weeks as June came and went. Most nights were spent too tired to do anything but hold each other. Most every night found itself broken by the bard's screams or cries for her mate and would end with Nikki holding and comforting the small woman.

One night in June in particular found the bard waking, screaming her mate's name. Nikki grabbed her friend and quickly covered the bard's mouth and tried waking Gabrielle. The smaller woman was bathed in sweat and was trembling.

The bard finally nodded that she was awake and Nikki removed her hand.

"It's Xena, something's happened!" she whispered in fear. "I saw her screaming."

"It was a dream, little one," Nikki whispered.

"No, this wasn't like other dreams. Oh gods, the baby. It's time for the baby!"

Nikki let the bard fall into her arms and wept with her friend. She knew that Gabrielle wanted nothing more than to be with her mate at that moment and she could offer little comfort and very little hope.

Gabrielle was amazing in the Arena but the odds were just too great for the woman to escape with her life or without a crippling injury. Nikki didn't know that Gabrielle's Regent, Ephiny had once commented to Xena that Gabrielle could be a natural fighter and deadly in a knife or sword fight but the Viking Amazon would have agreed with the Regent, especially after training the small woman. She also knew that having to kill other fighters was tearing the Amazon Queen's soul apart.

"Shhhh, little one. They'll be fine and you'll see them again," Nikki whispered until Gabrielle fell asleep in her arms.

Axel had been pleased to learn of Xena's choice for naming her child and publicly welcomed Sasha into the Northern family. Everyone celebrated the victory over the raiders and mourned their dead.

After that night the bard seemed to lose her sense of hope of getting out. She continued her practicing with diligence that pleased Lycrassis but worried Nikki. Gabrielle wasn't talking much, that in itself was amazing and a warning sign, Nikki knew. The small blonde's training was without the fire that a warrior needed in the Arena.

Nikki had seen this type of reaction before in fighters. The ones that had given up all hope of survival and merely were going through the motions until someone killed them. The Viking Amazon was frantic with worry and didn't know how to reach Gabrielle and bring back the little bard's fire.

# # #

The match that month was with another Myrmillo type fighter and this time the match was scheduled in the afternoon, signifying that Gabrielle's talents had taken her into the serious matches. It also brought more experienced opponents.

The Amazon Queen didn't say much as the morning wore on and Nikki paced the cell with her crutch.

"Brie, I know what's going on inside that head of yours. You can't give up!"

"Brutus has only been gone three months. I can't take another nine months or more of this. X... my mate now has her child, she has something to live for," Gabrielle said flatly.

"You can't give up, a blood bond is stronger than this! She wouldn't want this!"

"I'm sorry, Nikki, I truly am. I care very deeply for you but every day I'm alive puts you and X... my mate in danger. We've heard from the slaves of other traders and school owners that Caesar is scouring the entire realm for me so he can trap my mate. I'm a danger to you, to Brutus, to my mate and to her child. I can't live with all this blood and that responsibility any more."

Gabrielle stood when the guard came. Nikki grabbed her arm, tears falling down her cheeks.

"Please, little one, don't do this," she begged.

Gabrielle gently touched the taller woman's cheek and then walked out of the cell.

Nikki knew the look, usually on older fighters facing impossible odds, it was a look of resignation. An acceptance of death by the sword.

Dancer cursed under her breath. The one day she wanted to be beaten and she drew an opponent that couldn't swat a fly! Dancer realized that the only way this idiot was going to beat her was if she put her sword down and stood absolutely still for his sword strike and even then he might miss.

The frustrated fighter moved in quickly and slashed his sword out of his hand and then cut one of his hamstrings, ending the fight. Before the guards could come and carry the screaming fighter away, Dancer reversed her sword and braced it the dirt and positioned it at her heart.

"No!" she heard Lycrassis scream.

"Xena, I love you," she whispered as she held the sword and let her weight fall forward, closing her eyes.

Gabrielle frowned and opened her eyes and found everything had stopped. She wasn't moving forward onto the sword and she seemed to be hovering. The bard pulled back and stood up, looking around.

The bard was amazed, it was as if time had stopped, like a dream. Everyone and everything was frozen, just the same as the moment before. Lycrassis starting to his feet, the scream still on his lips; the guard in midstride, running towards her and the fallen fighter; the fighter holding the back of his knee, his face in agony; the crowd in various stages of standing or sitting, cheering or screaming.

Then Gabrielle saw him standing about ten feet from her, waiting.

"Apollo?" she asked.

"Yes, child."

"Why did you stop me?" she asked in a tired voice.

"Because that is not your fate. You are still fated to be with Xena," he said simply.

"I can't last that long!" Gabrielle protested. "Unless you want to zap me there?" she asked hopefully.

"Sorry, daughter. Comes under the 'too much interference' thing."

"Then leave me alone. I'm forced to kill, something I never wanted to do. I've become a fighter, deadly with a blade, something I never wanted to do. I use a friend to keep my identity secret, I use her love and body as a shield. Brutus could be killed just for not telling Caesar where I am, Nikki could be killed just for knowing me and Xena would probably walk into a fire trap if she knew where I was. What do you want from me?" she suddenly screamed. "I can't take it! All of these people could be dead because of me!"

"Yes, and they are willing to be in that position of their own free wills. The other fighters will either kill or be killed, as is their fate. Yours is here," with a gesture Gabrielle could suddenly see her warrior.

"Xena?" Gabrielle moved closer to her father.

Gabrielle could see Xena sitting by a fire in a small cabin, holding a tiny infant in her arms. The bard began to cry as the baby opened it's eyes to reveal eyes as blue as it's warrior's mother.

"Let me tell you another one about Gabrielle," the bard heard Xena's voice as the woman held her child, rocking it. "We were walking through the Bacchae forest and noticed that we couldn't hear Orpheus' playing..."

Xena looked up with a grin and Iolaus walked into sight of the vision carrying a bundle of fresh picked vegetables.

"Iolaus, he lived!" Gabrielle whispered joyfully.

"Yes, the thought of rescuing you and finding Xena kept him alive," Apollo answered.

"Another story of Gabrielle?" Iolaus asked with a sad smile.

Xena nodded, looking back down at her child. "It gives me hope," she said simply, tears beginning to fall as she held the child close. "I miss her so much," the warrior whispered.

The vision faded and Gabrielle went to her knees weeping.

"If you die then she will follow you, child or not. She can no longer live without you or the hope of you. If you die she'll know it, just as you would know of her death. Without you or Xena, Ares will claim the child and her daughter will take over Xena's destiny, this time with the northern tribes. Their destiny just may be to wipe out Rome eventually, but with your daughter as their leader, they would wipe out the world and plunge it into darkness."

"Damn you! All of you! Can't you find someone else to meddle with for awhile?" she shouted. "First me and Xena, now her child?" she shouted.

Apollo shook his head. "I know, Gabrielle. None of us want this but the threads are all lined up, it's up to you once again to determine which one of those threads gets cut or used."

"I can't do it anymore!" she cried, tears streaming down her face. "I'm tired, Apollo. I'm so tired." Her head dropped forward, as if from the weight of her tears.

Apollo walked over and gently touched her head. "I know, daughter, I know. The Fates have not been kind to you and your warrior these past years. I wish I could help more but I can't. Honor the wishes of your friends and let them make their own choices."

"How can I face Xena after all of this?" she cried.

"You forgave her worst, do you think she won't forgive you?"

"We weren't bonded then. I sleep with Nikki when I'm married to Xena," Gabrielle whispered.

Apollo gently raised the bard to her feet and took her in his arms.

"You are doing what you need to survive, no one will fault you for that," he said gently and began walking her back to the fallen fighter.

"Will I see her again?" Gabrielle whimpered.

"I don't know but the odds are good. You have a natural talent you inherited from your father. You also inherited your mother's stubbornness. Don't give up again and you might see your mate on this side."

Gabrielle sighed and lifted the sword up, looking at it while Apollo, her father waited.

"If I die now?" she asked.

"The Fields for you, and possible darkness for your warrior and the world."

"Gods, I hate this saving the world stuff," she muttered and reversed the sword in her hand. She nodded to Apollo and everything began to move forward again, this time with her holding the sword over the fallen fighter and then walking away towards the cells, leaving Lycrassis wondering why he had been leaping to his feet.

The season seemed to go by quickly for the Greeks and their Germanic family.

Summer hunting and raiding turned into fall harvest and everyone was very pleased to discover that Iolaus had a knack for brewing ale and mead, even though he had never done anything like it before. Axel kept teasing the little man that he couldn't wait to try the mead his little brother had made and now sat fermenting.

Fall harvest began turning to winter chill as the steady got ready for the snow to fly. Animals were slaughtered, the last of the grain harvested, apples taken in and the last of the brew made. Xena and Iolaus found themselves restless but knowing they faced months of winter snow again and the improbability of finding Gabrielle before Spring.

Even with Sasha to care for the warrior seemed to be losing her spark and Iolaus began to worry. He watched as his friend began looking haggard and not sleeping, even with all the women in the steading helping raise Sasha.

January found both Greeks having increased nightmares and depression. The year of Gabrielle being gone was hitting both of them hard and the family around them couldn't seem to pull them out of it. It seemed like they took turns holding each other at night as they cried.

Iolaus knew it was only Sasha that was now keeping the warrior going. The infant and the fact that Xena knew Gabrielle still lived.

January found Gabrielle a fully trained gladiator and holding her own in major fights. It also marked a year's turning point of when she was taken from Xena's side and sent the bard into a fury of anger that she took out regularly on the practice pells and sparring partners.

Nikki, realizing the reason for the mood, stayed out of the little fighter's way as much as possible until Gabrielle had worked it out of her system. Unfortunately, the three fighters she met in the Arena that month weren't able to stay out of her way and made the mistake of pushing Dancer too far in the ring. One ended up a cripple and the other two ended up dead when they displeased the crowd and Dancer won the match.

Then the bard spent a week refusing to get out of bed, tossing and turning with nightmares and despair. Nikki was able to convince Lycrassis, with the help of the healer, that Gabrielle had an illness. It was days before the Viking was able to get the small warrior to eat again and then to start training again. Then Gabrielle's jaw took on the stubborn set Nikki had come to know and the bard began training seriously again.

Hercules returned twice each season during the Spring and Summer with the same news. Every Roman in the Empire was looking for Gabrielle and no one had found her or recognized her, Hercules included. He had gone to Gabrielle and Xena's families and told them of Gabrielle's disappearance and had checked in with the Amazons to find that every tribe in the known world was also looking for the Queen of the Greek Amazons and no one seemed to be able to find her.

After his first visit during the Spring he had carried news of Xena's child to the families and news from the families to Xena.

Nikki and Gabrielle were beginning to actually have some hope in surviving either the year or more Brutus had promised or the three years Lycrassis had wagered with them. They were all making money on Gabrielle's matches and Lycrassis had left the two women alone in Gabrielle's training and sex life, which pleased both women. Nikki and Gabrielle kept up the appearance of being lovers and occasionally did find themselves in each other's arms time and again, mostly for the sexual release and the comfort they could give each other.

Gabrielle kept waking up in the night calling for Xena.

The year Brutus had bargained for came and went and neither Nikki nor Gabrielle brought the subject up, both finding it too painful to even discuss. Losing what little hope the gladiator and trainer had was almost beyond their strength.

The training and matches continued and Lycrassis kept counting the money and the women kept counting the time.

Gabrielle bit into the blanket as her body trembled and shook out of control. Tears began to flow from her closed eyes as always and she bit the blanket harder to keep from screaming her mate's name as waves swept over her.

In a moment Nikki was holding her, gently crying herself for Gabrielle's pain. As expected the footsteps left their window and Gabrielle punched the wall in anger.

"Shhhh, it's okay, he's gone." Nikki whispered.

"I can't do this anymore," Gabrielle hissed back. "Either I die or he dies, I can't keep doing this! It's not fair!" Gabrielle jumped past her gladiator trainer/lover and began pacing with a blanket thrown over her shoulders. "It's not fair to you! You touch me and my body responds but it's X... it's HER that I want, I only think of her. I can't do that to you anymore! When I touch you I want it to be her."

Gabrielle sank to her knees crying.

"How touching!" a male voice sent the bard flying across the room, coming up in a defensive stance to face the intruder. Nikki grabbed her crutch, facing the tall dark haired and bearded man.

"Ares? What the... what are you doing here?" Gabrielle hissed.

"Looking for you, what do you think? Interesting way you've been spending your time since you left Greece, Gabrielle," he smirked.

"Go away, just leave me alone," she hissed.

"What in the name of Hades has been going on? I turn my back for a minute and you're killing people, sleeping with someone else and wearing a slave collar. Where's Xena?"

"None of your business."

"Brie?" Nikki asked cautiously.

"Ares, God of War, meet Nikki, gladiator trainer."

"And your more recent bedmate," he grinned. "Does Xena know what you're up to?"

"None of your business!" Gabrielle snapped.

"Look, it's rather obvious that you two really don't want to be here. Let me know where you want to go and I'll take you there. As soon as you get dressed, of course," he grinned.

"And the price? As if I didn't know," Gabrielle demanded.

"Where is Xena and why did she leave Greece and leave you here?" he demanded.

"Go figure it out for yourself."

"You're willing to die in the Arena?" he asked with raised eyebrows.

"No, but I'm not willing to deal with you either," Gabrielle said simply.

"How about you, tall and blond one, willing to let her die in the Arena?" he smirked. Nikki frowned.

"Nikki, do not say a word, on my command!" Gabrielle ordered. "He is the last god to ever be trusted."

"I'm hurt, Gabrielle!" Ares playfully touched his heart in mock pain. "You know I only want what's best for Xena, to return her to her rightful destiny."

"Our destiny is with each other, not the Warlord," Gabrielle argued.

"Doesn't look like you're having too much together time here. If I had known you could be so ruthless with a blade I might have offered to train you myself seasons ago."

"Don't count on it."

"Tell me, where is Xena and you're both out of here," Ares offered again.

"No, go away."

"What do you think Xena will do when she finds out about your friend there? And exactly how you've been spending your nights? That was quite a show there earlier," he grinned.

"Gods, can't you men just leave me the Hades alone!"

"Not likely. By the way, I like the hair. Makes you look more dangerous, something I think I might have to take notice of in the future."

With a flash of light he was gone.

"Oh gods, Xena. I hope you're far enough away," Gabrielle whispered.

"Dancer!" Gabrielle turned as she ducked the sword strike of a sparring partner.

Without a glance, she kicked out with her leg and sent the man flying backwards into the mud. The slave calling her grinned. "Lycrassis would like you and Nikki in the Villa."

She waved an acknowledgment and then turned to help her sparring partner to his feet. With a grin she playfully brushed at the mud on his clothes and then pretended to wipe mud off his face, getting his face totally plastered with mud. He grinned and retrieved his wooden practice sword.

She placed her iron sais into their holders on the outsides of her boots. Nikki had found them from a traveling merchant and had decided they were perfect for her little Dancer gladiator and Lycrassis had been pleased with the choice. Gabrielle had proved deadly with the strange weapons and watching her truly became a spectacle of a dance. She could use one end to bash at her opponents and the other end to kill or block sword, spear and other weapons. In her hands the sais danced a dance of death or defense, whichever the blond woman needed. She had become quite fond of them herself and Lycrassis permitted her to use them in practice and wear them as long as she didn't use them to kill another trainee. It was also understood that if anyone else died by her hand she would face torture and then the cross.

"How do you do it, Dancer?" he asked as they walked towards the courtyard.

"Do what, Thorsvetter?" she asked the tall Slavic warrior.

"Keep a sense of humor in this place?" he asked in broken Latin.

She shrugged. "Either that or cry," she said simply and they separated, she to follow the slave and he to the bathing room.

Gabrielle almost lost her breath when she walked into the main room of the villa and saw Brutus standing with Lycrassis.

Her Roman owner grinned at her attempt to keep the surprise from her face.

"Well, it seems our friend here has come back to finish our wager. It's been more than a year but it seems fate has taken you out of my hands, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle felt her heart stop for a moment. Brutus' face remained without emotion.

"What, my Lord?" she whispered.

"Seems that Caesar has been looking for you this entire time and I've had you all along. To think I had a talented bard under my roof all this time. You could have entertained us!"

Lycrassis walked over with the grace of a stalking tiger. Gabrielle froze where she was and he quickly pulled her sais from their sheaths and twirled them in his hands. "She's gotten to be quite the fighter, Brutus, just as I thought she would. Just as I wagered."

"Caesar wants her and the trainer and has instructed me to pay double the price we wagered for both of them if you keep quiet about this for awhile," Brutus said simply.

"Why would he want the trainer?" Lycrassis frowned.

"Your trainer is an Amazon and part of Gabrielle's tribe," Brutus answered.

"That's why she was so protective of you in the beginning!" Lycrassis grinned and Gabrielle felt her face blushing with anger. "Of course, I agree. I'm not one to argue with Caesar. I'll prepare horses and what few possessions they have."

"No horses, I want them shackled hand and foot and a chain between that." Brutus instructed and Gabrielle's head dropped.

"Caesar must want this one very badly," Lycrassis continued frowning.

"She's going to lead one of Caesar's greatest enemies into a trap, Xena." Brutus said easily.

"Ah, another one in love with you, Dancer?" Lycrassis laughed and Gabrielle blushed. "Xena, Warrior Princess. Which do you prefer in bed, Dancer? The Viking or the Greek?"

Gabrielle gritted her teeth and refused to meet his eyes. He laughed viciously and grabbed the bard into a rough kiss and resisted her struggles for a long moment. He laughed when he let her go.

"I should have tried to bed you again, Dancer. You must like to play rough."

The Roman began to move away and Brutus held out a hand.

"I'd like to have those. Caesar may put her in the Arena and would be most pleased to see her fight with these."

"Of course, Brutus. I'll get everything prepared."

Lycrassis left the bard and Roman alone. Gabrielle looked up but saw no change in Brutus' expression and her head dropped again.

# # #

"Yrsa! Yrsa!" Ketli came running into the yard in front of the long houses, skidding to a stop in the dust as she picked up Sasha. Xena grinned at the young boy, he had grown four inches and was beginning to take on a lean look. He was going to tower over his adopted father, Iolaus/Ivar, Xena thought.

"What is it, Ketli Ax Hand?" she asked, using his nickname from the battle at the hunting cabin, always causing him to stand taller with pride. It was a warrior's nickname and one that he carried well, she thought.

"Rider approaching, I think it's Herkavar."

"Hercules! Iolaus, get out here!" she yelled, shading her eyes against the sun and grinned as she caught sight of the familiar figure coming up the road at a trot.

Iolaus walked out of the long house and grinned at the sight of his friend.

"Gods, I've missed him so much!" he complained.

"Me too," she agreed, but probably not as much as you, she thought with a smile.

Hercules jumped off the horse with a grin that Xena couldn't help but feel her heart soar with hope.

"I've got word!" he said breathlessly as Ketli went to his horse. "Brutus sent word to the Amazons and your families that he has word about Gabrielle and would meet with you on the border as soon as he sends word."

Xena felt her knees go weak and Hercules caught her by the arms and handed Sasha to one of the women gathering around them with a grin.

"Gabrielle?" she whispered.

"He wouldn't say what it was except that she was alive and well and now safe. He said that he could only tell you what has happened to her," Hercules grinned.

"Could it be a trap, he is Caesar's aid?" Iolaus asked.

"Yes, very possible except that he sent this," he pulled a parchment out of his shirt and handed it to Xena. She quickly unwrapped it and scanned - many of the words were in Amazon symbols and the rest was Gabrielle's writing.

"Family, I am well and safe but cannot say where I am, it is still unsafe for me and my family. If the gods are kind I will be safe soon. Your daughter and friend, G."

"Oh gods, Gabrielle!" Xena began to cry as Iolaus grinned.

"When do we leave?" he asked.

"As soon as I saddle Argo," Xena answered and Bestla, one of the older women, began yelling for food bags to be packed and horses saddled. As the men began pouring in from the fields Hercules repeated his findings and everyone began celebrating the news that Yrsa the Vigilant's little mate was alive and might be returning to them.

Within a candlemark the two women were bundled into the bottom of an open wagon with barely a cloak and a few possessions of clothes. Each had a chain between their legs, wrists and another chain between those, effectively keeping them from moving very easily or far and unable to even reach their own faces. Nikki had been very pissed off when she had been searched and her former master had found the hidden dagger in her boot and the spike hidden in the wrappings of her crutch.

A small female slave drove the wagon while Brutus and two Roman escort soldiers rode beside it and another behind it. Gabrielle and Nikki could see no way to escape.

The first night camped on the road found the two women with another chain attached to theirs and it ended with a lock through the wagon wheel. Neither woman could possibly escape.

Brutus finally approached them, while they ate, the third morning a meal of bread and olives.

"Gabrielle, trust me. Caesar doesn't know where you are. He didn't send me. I had to use his name and your real story to get Lycrassis to honor his bargain and sell you to me," he whispered, keeping an eye on the soldiers and slave.

"What? You're not going to turn us over to Caesar?" she whispered back, careful not to look at him.

"No, you're not going to end up on that damned cross," he growled.

"What about them, they know who I am?" Gabrielle asked, indicating the soldiers and slave.

"Never mind," he said simply.

"You can't kill them!" she protested.

"Your life or theirs, Gabrielle. They live and I turn you over to Caesar and Xena possibly dies as well. Decide now," he said brutally.

"Brutus," she pleaded.

"Don't ask me again," he walked away.

The fourth morning found the soldiers and the slave dead and Brutus driving the wagon with his new slaves.

Neither Gabrielle nor Nikki said a word as he led the horses carrying the bodies into the woods and came back with only the horses. Without a word he had climbed onto the wagon seat and started back on their journey to Rome.

The next morning found the warriors leaving at sunlight. Two of them with aching heads from too much mead and ale and a warrior mother trying not to laugh at them. She leaned down and whispered in Sasha's ear, checking the straps that held the little one close to her. Hercules frowned and Iolaus groaned at her sense of humor that early in the morning. They didn't complain too much, it had been too long since they had heard the warrior laugh.

Everyone was praying it was good news. Neither Iolaus nor Hercules wanted to be around if it wasn't. They both knew Xena couldn't take any more bad news about her mate.

They had set up camp near the border in a secluded clearing off the main road to the North and Hercules had gone to the nearest barracks only to find that Brutus hadn't arrived yet.

Just before entering the City, Brutus placed blindfolds on the women and pulled up their cloaks.

"A lot of slaves aren't permitted to learn the city as a precaution against escape and plotting. Don't say a word when we get to the gate," he instructed.

Within minutes they had entered through one of the gates, having the guards examine Brutus' ownership papers of the two slaves and his Imperial ring. Then the women's senses were assaulted with massive noises, smells, and movement over cobblestone roads. They could both sense massive movement alongside of them and both trained scouts were having difficulty separating noises and smells as they traveled along.

"Liberius, these are two new slaves for my apartments. I will see to their training personally. Take their things to my guest room and then take them up there. Have a blacksmith come and strike those chains off of them as well. Leave the collars in place." Brutus instructed. "Women, stay in the wagon or face the lash," he ordered.

"Yes, my Lord," they both answered meekly.

A candlemark later and the women were finally alone in the small apartment Brutus called home when in Rome. He motioned for them to sit on one of the sofas as he unbuckled his armor.

"I'm sorry about all of this. It took longer to get out Britannia than I had planned and then Lycrassis wouldn't sell you, either of you. I had to force his hand. You're going to have to stay here until I can get an assignment somewhere near the north and get you out of Rome," he said as he stripped out of his armor down to a simple tunic.

"All of the Roman Empire is looking for me and you bring us to Rome?" Gabrielle asked.

"Where else? They are looking for an innocent young Greek bard with long reddish blond hair and gentle soul. Do you think that they will see that in you?" he asked simply.

Gabrielle frowned. Her hair was short and had turned totally blond from being in the sun all the time and her skin was lightly tanned and scarred from numerous encounters in the Arena and practice field. Her body was no longer just fit, it was superb and the dangerous abilities she now had showed when she walked. The only thing practically the same was her green eyes and there were probably plenty of women with green eyes in the city.

She shook her head.

"Besides, you are the personal slave to one Marcus Brutus, honored citizen of Rome only behind Caesar, Octavian and Marc Anthony. Caesar hasn't seen you so he can't recognize you. They won't be looking for you in my apartment," Brutus grinned.

"Brie, when you make friends, you make it count, don't you?" Nikki grinned and Gabrielle blushed.

Impatiently, the three warriors and infant waited a week and moved further into the forest.

It was only a week later when Gabrielle found herself being pulled out of the bed she shared with Nikki by rough hands. Instinctively she kicked out and punched, sending whoever flat to the floor.

"Gabrielle, damnit! It's me!" Brutus hissed.

"Then say something, damnit!" she cursed back at him, grabbing a tunic from the end of the bed as Nikki grabbed the other one, and threw it over her sleeping shift. Brutus hadn't said a word when he realized that Nikki ended up in Gabrielle's bed every night. He had heard the bard screaming and crying in the night and knew the other woman was the only comfort he could give Gabrielle.

"Caesar!" was all he said as he regained his feet.

Gabrielle went pale and grabbed for her boots. "What about him?"

"He's heard that I have two fighters as slaves and wants to meet you. He's interested in a match in the Arena!"

"Oh by the gods! This is a nightmare!" Nikki complained.

"No kidding!" Brutus snapped.

"What are we doing?" Gabrielle asked, lacing up her boots as Nikki quickly followed suit.

"I'm going to try and get you both out of here before he sends his escort to take all of us to his house. If we don't get out of here then you'll be in the Arena by tomorrow afternoon!" Brutus whined.

"Does he know who I am?" the bard asked, grabbing her cloak and helping Nikki to her feet, handing her trainer the woman's crutch.

"No, or you'd be in his dungeon, not the Arena. Lycrassis was careful not to risk your life too much, Caesar won't be as considerate. Come on!"

They had almost reached the door when a pounding stopped them.

"Do we fight?" Gabrielle asked, pulling her sais out.

Brutus sighed and took the weapons from her, sticking them in his belt. "No, we'd never get out of the city before they cut us down or took us prisoner. I've seen their tortures, Caesar would know who you are by noon."

Brutus answered the door to find a small squad of Roman Praetorian guards.

"Julius Gaias Caesar requests that you and your two female fighting gladiator slaves accompany us to his villa immediately," the squad leader said simply.

"We were expecting you, as you can see. Lead the way," Brutus said simply, motioning the women to follow behind him.

After an hour with Caesar, Gabrielle's head was spinning and she was impressed. 'Gods, I thought Ares could be charming and dangerous at the same time!' she thought to herself.

They had all managed to keep up the story of Gabrielle's past as a Germanic barbarian, trained in Latin and Greek on the border. The telling of her capture had been easily enough as was tales of her training and fighting. Not as easy was keeping his piercing eyes from seeing through everything else, she thought.

Gabrielle was tired, stressed, terrified and getting fuzzy. He was handsome, brilliant, charming and powerful. The bard could begin to see why the Warlord Xena had once been had been drawn to him. She could also understand Xena's hatred of the powerful Roman. He had used her, tossed her aside and crucified her, even to the point of breaking the woman's legs. All because she was no longer useful to him.

Gabrielle knew that any who were no longer useful to Caesar probably wind up that way or wished they had. The bard wondered how Brutus had kept one step ahead of Caesar.

"Well, I am impressed. I see a well trained body, a sharp mind, quick reflexes and quick instincts, even though you are all still half asleep. I want to see you in action, Brie. What do you say to a match with one of my fighters?" Caesar asked.

Gabrielle hesitated, catching Brutus eyes as he nodded. The bard already knew that she didn't dare refuse.

"If my master agrees, great Caesar," she said humbly.

"Good, then it's settled. Two days from now I'm executing a Senator for murdering his wife. You'll be the fight before that." Caesar turned to Brutus. "What weapons and armor would you prefer for your fighter? Talk to my Lanista and arrange it."

"Light leather and she is astounding with these, Caesar." Brutus pulled out the sais and handed them over to Caesar who handled them easily, twirling them, spinning them and then throwing them perfectly into a wooden house beam.

"Very nice, indeed. This should be enjoyable," he said with a grin. "Until then, you are all my guests. The young women will be taken to the slave quarters and you can stay in my guest room, Brutus."

"As you wish, Caesar. May I escort my fighters down?"

"Yes, and you may spend the next two days with them practicing, if you wish. A soldier always needs practice as well as gladiators, don't you agree?" Caesar asked with a smile.

"Of course, Caesar. You should know, being the greatest general Rome has seen," Brutus said easily.

"Do they share a room and the same bed?" Caesar suddenly turned and asked.

"Yes, Caesar."

"Fine, have the head of my slaves arrange it."

As they walked down the stairs towards the slave quarters, Gabrielle fell in beside Brutus while Nikki kept the slave leading them talking.

"He knows!" she hissed.

"I don't think so. He wouldn't schedule anything this soon, Xena would haven't time to get here," he shook his head.

"What was that crack about you needing practice? He's about to kill you!" Gabrielle protested.

"No, I can't believe that," he hissed back.

"Gods, there's no way out of this, is there?"

"I can't see one just yet. Listen, let me do some thinking and planning. You'll probably have to face the fight but in the confusion after the fight and execution, we might be able to get away."

"You'd turn from Rome?" Gabrielle asked.

"I'd turn from Caesar," he said grimly.

A day in the Arena turned into a month, and then another two months, each week another fight for the small woman.

Gabrielle was about to face another fight when Brutus entered the small cell of his fighter. He began helping her adjust her light leather armor.

"I've got a way out. After the fight Caesar is throwing a victory party, he has bet heavily on you and plans on honoring you at the party. You'll be put on display, fed and given drink and I'll probably have many offers to buy you or at least rent you out for the night. I'm going to take one of the Senators up on that offer."

"What!" Gabrielle shrieked and Brutus grinned.

"Don't worry, he's a good friend. Nikki and I will meet the two of you a couple of streets over with horses. He'll tell Caesar that you overpowered him when he sought to grab you a little too soon and you got away. I've already received permission to leave Rome on a mission to the border of Germania with Nikki. Caesar was more than pleased to separate you from her, by the way."

"Gods, is everyone after my body?" the bard complained and Brutus laughed.

"Just concentrate on the fight for now. Caesar doesn't honor dead heroes very often, especially if he loses money on them."

"Thanks!"

The months dragged on for the three Greeks and infant. Fortunately the weather was still good and warm for fall. Many days found the warrior woman practicing her fighting skills and hacking away at trees, logs and whatever might be in her way. The tension was driving all of them crazy. They felt they were close to something but stuck.

Xena hated waiting.

Gabrielle took several deep breaths and let Dancer take over and drew out her sais into her hand. The other three opponents approached from the other side of the Arena.

Three? Gabrielle felt a wave of fear try to overcome her and faced it down. She and Xena had taken on worse before. A small voice reminded her that those were usually bandits, not trained killers in the Arena. She shook the voice aside and the fighters approached the royal box where Caesar and his guests watched under the shade of an awning.

Raising their weapons high the fighters gave the traditional salute.

"We who are about to die, salute you!" they shouted and then turned to face each other, watching Caesar out of the corner of their eyes for the signal.

Dancer was dressed in light armor, almost like the kind her mate, Xena wore, but with an additional piece of leather running down the length of her right arm for extra protection and a wide leather belt around her waist to help protect her back muscles from giving out. A remnant of the poisoning she had been through.

Two of the other fighters were dressed in heavy armor and carried swords and medium sized shields. The other fighter was dressed in a tunic, light leather armor, small shield and a spear. Dancer was most worried about him.

"Citizens of Rome!" Caesar rose to his feet. "I am pleased to present for your entertainment the gladiator from the barbarian North, the female warrior Brie. More popularly known by her fighting name of Dancer. Facing her are three of Rome's best, fighting for the honor of Rome against the barbarian hordes."

Gabrielle wondered who he was betting on.

"Tibor, Helliavius, and Bigarious," the crowd cheered and waved handkerchiefs. "Let the fight begin!" Caesar announced and dropped his own handkerchief.

Dancer leaped into the air and came down with one foot in the face of Tibor, a heavily armed gladiator. She spun in mid-air and caught Bigarious, the other heavily armed fighter, across the ear. She landed on her feet and hands and dived forward as Helliavius stabbed with his spear where she had landed. She came up in a defensive stance with the sais at ready.

With a war cry she quickly leaped forward, somersaulting in the air and landed behind Helliavius and before either of them could turn, the small woman stabbed backwards with her sais, impaling the small fighting man through both lungs.

Dancer pulled out the sais and quickly moved away from the two heavily armed gladiators as they gained their feet. The crowd roared, whether from approval or disappointment, Dancer didn't know and didn't care. Nothing existed except her weapons, the conditions in the Arena and the fighters in front of her.

Both separated and began a flanking action. Dancer knew that Xena would merely flip into the air with that infamous war cry of hers, let the two run into each other, come down and smash their heads together and be done with it. Unfortunately Dancer wasn't that talented and wasn't the daughter of the God of War, she thought ruefully.

She also backed up slowly, keeping both warriors in her sights but knew she was going to run out of room soon and the crowd was getting restless. Dancer definitely didn't want one of the guards prodding her into action with a red hot poker, thank you.

Dancer threw up her arms and hands with her sais, catching both swords as the two fighters attempted overhead strikes. Rather than fight against their combined strength, Dancer allowed the swords to continue downward at a slower rate and dived over them, pulling one sword out of the gladiator's hand. She hissed with sudden pain and quickly moved outside of sword ranging, picking up the fallen sword as she scurried a few feet away. She placed one of her sais in its sheath and raised the sword in her right hand.

She glanced down at the back of her thigh and found it bleeding at a fairly good rate.

The gladiator whose sword she now had pulled the spear out of the sand and they began circling again.

Dancer moved back and ripped a piece of her tunic off and kept circling and managed to bandage her thigh. She needed to end the fight and quickly. They could keep feinting and tire her out until she made a mistake and became trapped between them.

With a war cry the small woman raised her sword and charged at the gladiator with the spear, twisting at the last moment as he attempted to impale her. She gritted her teeth against the pain as the spearhead pierced the leather and slid along her ribs. With her elbow she smashed the fighter in the face and then spun around as the other fighter closed the distance between him and her. Dancer grabbed the stunned spearman and spun him around by his collar as his comrade swung a downward stroke with his large sword. Dancer saw the horror in his eyes as he realized he couldn't stop the momentum and his sword cleaved his friend's head open, splashing the small woman with blood and other stuff.

She quickly let go of the body and flipped over backwards, drawing her other sai, having dropped her sword when she had grabbed the stunned fighter.

The last fighter yelled in rage and charged. Dancer quickly found that they were fairly evenly matched skill wise and he was in a rage, giving in an additional edge in strength and speed. Dancer attempted to hang on until that edge waned and his anger caused him to make a mistake.

Gabrielle winced in pain and cried out as a sword stroke found its mark and sliced her left arm, causing her to drop her sai. She quickly dived forward out of reach of another sword strike and came up holding her arm with her good hand and sai.

She could see victory in the other fighter's eyes and felt it herself. Nikki, watching from the barred gate, could see the stubborn set of the Amazon Queen's jaw line and knew that look from experience, Gabrielle was not amused and not about to quit.

Nikki knew this was probably their last chance at freedom, Caesar kept sending better and better opponents against the small woman and now he was sending in more than one at a time. She caught the Queen's glance and signaled to her trainee with an Amazon hand signal.

She saw Dancer's head roll back slightly, considering her opponent as they circled each other, neither giving an inch of ground yet.

Seeing the other fighter tensing for a charge the Queen rocked forward on her toes and waited until he was moving. With a scream she flipped the sai into the air, momentarily stopping his charge as he glanced up in surprise. Dancer flipped over backwards and came up in a leap, catching the sai in mid-air with her foot, changing the direction of the weapon, straight into the gladiator's throat. He fell grasping at the weapon, the last of his breath gurgling around the blood.

Dancer walked over and retrieved her sais and faced the crowd and Caesar.

Gabrielle, coming back into focus behind Dancer's eyes, realized the crowd was cheering and chanting "the sword," to Caesar. Gabrielle, covered in blood, raised her hand and sai in salute to Caesar and bowed.

Caesar, an amused look on his face stood and held out his hands to calm the crowd who continued to roar for another few moments before quieting down.

"Citizens, I agree that this was a magnificent display of fighting talent and should be rewarded!" He held out his hand and a slave quickly placed something in his hand that caused Gabrielle's hear to skip a beat. A wooden sword.

The crowd went hysterical with delight. Most of them had never seen a gladiator win the sword before and they were even more pleased that it was the small woman in front of them.

Caesar held up the sword, displaying it for the crowd. Gabrielle went to one knee as she faced Caesar.

"You have earned your freedom, slave, by your skills with the sword. May your freedom serve you well!" he shouted and tossed the sword down, impaling it in front of the warrior woman.

Gabrielle bowed her head and then took the sword in her hand and stood up. With a triumphant grin she held the sword high to the crowd. The crowd began showering the arena floor with flowers and handkerchiefs with coins tied inside. Gabrielle began a painful trot around the rim of the arena with the wooden sword high, letting the crowd see it. Then she bowed to Caesar and the crowd again before disappearing through the iron gate and into Nikki's congratulating arms.

# # #

Brutus caught up with Gabrielle and Nikki in the bath house of the Arena. He ignored the beautiful and naked body in front of him as she crawled out of the tub of water and moved onto a table where Nikki began stitching up her thigh.

"Congratulations!" he grinned. "You are the hero of Rome!"

"I can't believe it!" she grinned back. "Me, lowly bard from Greece, the darling of Rome. Caesar wanting nothing more than to stake me out as bait like a goat to a tiger and he grants me my freedom. Strange fates."

"I agree, if you're willing to chance it, the plan is still in place," Brutus said.

"What do you mean chance it?" she asked.

"We still have to get you out of the city before someone realizes who you are. Just because you've been granted your freedom doesn't lessen the danger. Caesar expects you at the party. Accept his offer to become one of his paid gladiator fighters and then accept the invitation of the Senator for the evening. Caesar won't think anything about it when you leave," Brutus said quickly.

"He knows I won't leave with a man," Gabrielle protested.

"It's not the Senator that the date is for, it's for his wife," Brutus grinned.

"Oh crying out loud!" Gabrielle muttered. "Now even Senator's wives?"

"As one of the top gladiators in Rome, little Dancer, you could have any man or woman you wanted for your pleasure."

"We're still leaving, right?" she demanded.

"Yes, in five days you'll be on the border of Germania," he said with a grin.

"Xena," she whispered.

"I'm sending a messenger up north to try and find your family and that I'm coming with word of your fate," Brutus grinned.

Gabrielle closed her eyes as a tear of hope escaped.

Gabrielle paced the inside of the small rooms assigned to Brutus at the outpost like a caged animal. Nikki, having gotten extremely quiet the further north they got, finally snapped and told the small gladiator to sit down.

"What's wrong, Nikki?" Gabrielle asked, walking up behind the tall warrior and beginning to massage her shoulders. Nikki shook her off angrily and stood up, moving to the window with her crutch. "What is it?" Gabrielle repeated.

"The closer we get to the border to closer I get to losing you. I'm trying to adjust, all right?"

"I'm sorry, Nikki. I've used you badly." A tear escaped Gabrielle's eyes and she brushed them away angrily.

Nikki turned and her face softened.

"We used each other, Brie. Don't blame yourself for that. It's just that you have someone waiting for you and I feel you slipping away more and more every day. Within the week you won't be Dancer the Gladiator anymore, you'll go back to being Gabrielle, bard and Amazon."

"I don't know if I can go back. Dancer saved my life and I don't know if I can just turn that off and go back to being the innocent bard I was."

"No," Nikki agreed. "You can't go back to being innocent. You've killed in the arena. It was self defense but it was also for someone else's sport. You've used your friends and your body to survive but you don't have to be Dancer any more. You'll find the middle ground. You'll have your mate to help you."

"Will I? Will she even want Dancer? She always treasured that innocence about me and now it's gone."

"It's not gone, just bruised a little or else you wouldn't throw up every time you kill in the Arena," Nikki teased.

"She won't even know me anymore. I don't know me anymore," Gabrielle complained and brushed a tear away again.

"If she loves you just a fraction of the way you love her then you have no worries."

"Nikki, I'm sorry about us," Gabrielle started again but Nikki held up a hand to stop her.

"Enough, my friend. You gave back my life and I helped keep you alive. I'm not asking for anything, Brie."

"You've got my friendship," Gabrielle smiled weakly.

"I'll take it," Nikki grinned.

Finally, Brutus came in that night and said that Hercules had been to the outpost to see if Brutus had arrived yet. The Greek demi-god would return the next day to meet with Brutus.

Again Gabrielle cried herself to sleep that night and Nikki wasn't sure if it was out of happiness or fear.

Early the next morning Hercules left to meet with the Roman and Xena paced the forest on the edge of a clearing by the road, waiting impatiently. Iolaus waited further back in the trees, Sasha strapped to his back and the Greek sitting in the saddle, ready to ride if it was a trap.

Hercules dismounted and approached the gate carefully, very aware of the Roman sentries and their caution in dealing with anyone coming from the north of the small outpost. He approached the sentry table and looked down on at the common soldier and the Watch Sergeant.

"What do you want here, barbarian?" the sergeant demanded, speaking in rough Germanic.

Hercules considered how he was dressed for a moment, in rough leather trousers tucked inside fur lined boots, crisscrossed with leather thongs, homespun cotton tunic covered with a fur lined vest tunic, a thick leather and cloth cloak with wolf fur on the shoulders. A Viking sword hung at his belt. His typical leather bracers on his wrists accented his muscular forearms and a full beard finished his appearance. Hercules agreed he probably looked very Germanic but this didn't excuse rudeness, thank you.

"I am here to see Brutus, aid to Caesar. I've brought someone to see him at his request." Hercules replied in perfect Latin.

"Brutus doesn't see every barbarian walking through the gate, even if they can speak in a civilized tongue!"

The sneering sergeant found himself hovering over the table, held aloft by the tall figure in front of him by his collar. The foot soldier froze.

"My people were civilized while your Romulus and Remus were sucking on the tits of a wolf," Hercules growled. "Tell him Hercules wishes to see him."

The foot soldier quickly scurried away while Hercules kept the sergeant held above the table easily. The Roman sentries were unsure of what to do while their sergeant sputtered.

Hercules dropped the sergeant when he caught site of the Roman officer, Brutus approaching quickly.

"Hercules, join me," Brutus stopped and looked down at the fallen sergeant. "Twenty hours of extra duty this week for being rude to my invited guest."

Once inside Brutus' temporary quarters he offered the demi-god a seat and wine. Hercules accepted both.

"I apologize for that idiot out there," Brutus began, sitting across from the son of Zeus.

"Attitudes like that towards the Germans and you'll have fights on your hands. They don't take well to being insulted," Hercules warned and Brutus frowned.

"I know, trying to get good men on the border is difficult."

"Nevermind him. Xena is a couple of miles from here waiting for me. You sent word that you had news of Gabrielle?"

"Yes, I understand that she disappeared almost two years ago and I've heard that your friend Iolaus, all of Xena's friends, the Amazons and half of Greece have been searching for her."

"Yes, March will be two years and we've searched with no success. Xena knows that Gabrielle is still alive, that she would know if the bard were dead. What do you know? Is this a trick of Caesar's to get to Xena?" Hercules demanded.

"Caesar? No. He'd be very unhappy with me if he knew the real reason I asked for this treaty mission with the Northern tribes. Gabrielle is alive and well."

Hercules' head dropped forward with a prayer of thanks.

"Before you I tell you more, I have a question."

Hercules frowned but nodded.

"It's been over a year, does Xena still love her?"

"Brutus, you don't have any idea how much Xena has suffered with Gabrielle missing. She's nearly gone mad. Tell me what you know," Hercules demanded.

"I can only tell Xena of Gabrielle's fate. I will ride with you, escorted by two of my slaves only. When we get near to Xena you may take my weapons as a sign of truce. Is that agreeable?"

"Yes."

"Good. My slaves and I will meet you outside the gate in a few minutes." Brutus rose and grasped Hercules' forearm in a warrior handshake.

"You better pray the news is good, Brutus. I'm not sure how Xena would treat the bearer of bad news at this point."

"I understand, I promised Gabrielle to make this trip myself."

"Why?"

"Like your Xena, I'm in love with Gabrielle. Is that so hard to understand?"

"No, but I'm not sure I'd tell Xena that right now," Hercules grinned a grim smile.

A few minutes later Hercules was surprised to be joined outside the gate by Brutus and his two slaves on horseback. What surprised him was that they were heavily cloaked with their faces hidden and their wrists were chained.

Brutus noticed the demi-god's look and shrugged. "Slaves have a tendency to try and escape when they're this close to the border. Policy," he explained.

"Why bring them with us?" Hercules asked as they began riding towards the north.

"They are witnesses to Gabrielle's fate this last year."

After a few minutes Brutus broke the silence.

"Why did Xena leave Greece?"

"She wanted to get away from Ares and Caesar," Hercules said simply.

Brutus nodded and let Hercules lead them. When they approached a clearing off the path Hercules stopped and reached out a hand. Brutus easily drew his sword and handed it over to the demi-god and then his dagger. Hercules then moved his horse forward again into the clearing.

Stopping in the center of the clearing the large son of Zeus stopped and raised his hands in an Amazon hand signal and then turned and motioned Brutus forward.

Xena stepped out of the tree line slowly, sword drawn. She was dressed the same as Hercules and looked like a dark haired Valkyrie, Brutus thought.

Brutus dismounted and motioned for the slaves to do the same. He turned and slowly approached the warrior with his hands up and palms showing. Xena's jaw was clenched and her knuckles were white on the handle of her sword.

Brutus resisted grinning.

"Xena, it's good to see you well," he said simply with a smile.

"Even though Caesar has a price on my head?" she answered with a smile as well.

Her eyes narrowed at the sight of the slaves, their cloaks and especially their chains. The slaves kept their heads bowed. One was a woman, possibly both, Xena's trained eyes told her.

"You know I don't always do what Caesar wants or Gabrielle would be dead by now."

"You know where she is?" Xena demanded, the smile leaving her face.

"Yes. Word went out from Caesar to find her, so, along with all of your friends, Amazons and half of Greece looking for her, every Roman wanting to get on Caesar's good side was looking for her. He had learned of her traveling with you from the bard stories we heard and he figured he might be able to use her against you once she disappeared. He was extremely determined to find her before you did."

"We thought that might happen," Xena muttered. "Does he have her?" the warrior whispered.

"No, he didn't know when he found her. I did," Brutus held up a hand to cut off her questions. "Let me tell you a short story. Short because I'm not the storyteller that Gabrielle is."

Xena frowned but nodded, motioning to the tree line and the three warriors moved into the shade of the trees while the slaves knelt on both knees, heads still bowed, beside the horses. Xena was considering whether to let Brutus leave with the slaves and knew Hercules was probably thinking the same thing.

"Make it quick, Brutus." Xena growled.

"Somehow Gabrielle was captured during a border skirmish and because of her light hair and eyes they thought her Northern and took her prisoner. She was sold to slavers." Xena growled deep in her throat. "She was sold to a gladiatorial school, thankfully."

"Thankfully? To die in the Arena?" Xena questioned.

"Better a chance at life than on a cross, don't you think? That's where most of your Northern friends end up when captured. The Arena or on a cross."

"Go on," Xena said between clenched teeth.

"She became a fighter and a good one. I found out where she was by accident."

"Gabrielle a fighter, in the Arena?" Xena whispered. The thought of her little bard in the Arena with blood on her hands from a recent kill caused Xena's head to spin.

"Yes." Brutus said simply. "She ended up in the Circus Arena, Xena."

"Arena?" Xena thought her heart would stop right then. Her little bard fighting in the Arena? Impossible.

"Yes, fortunately Caesar had never met Gabrielle or he would have known her."

"Where is she?" Xena demanded.

"Do you want her back, Xena?"

Brutus wasn't surprised to find a chakram at his throat, just pressing into his neck.

"Xena, listen to me first!" Brutus asked and the warrior eased the chakram back a couple of inches. "Gabrielle has become a fighter and has killed. She kills instinctively and without thought, a true gladiator. She still grieves for each death afterwards but while fighting she is deadly and dangerous, she's not your little naive bard any longer. Gabrielle has been raped repeatedly, especially in the beginning and she has used her body to stay alive and her identity hidden, all so that she could get back to you. She even offered me her body if I could get her back to you. She's carrying a lot of guilt, Xena."

"She has nothing to be guilty of!" Xena protested. "I know what happens to Roman slave women and women gladiators; I can't believe she's alive after this!" the warrior brushed away a tear angrily. "I can't live without her, this isn't living Brutus, I'm just existing. No matter what has happened to her, I want her back!" Xena hissed.

"Xena!" a familiar voice stunned the warrior and she slowly turned to look at the slaves, lowering the chakram.

Gabrielle slowly raised her chained hands and pulled her hood back, green eyes looking deep into blue ones.

"Gabrielle?"

In one fluid motion Xena dropped the chakram and had crossed the space between her and Gabrielle and pulled the bard to her feet and into the warrior's arms. The warrior began to cry as she held her mate closely and felt Gabrielle's tears flowing as well.

"Little one," Xena whispered. "Oh gods, I've missed you!"

Hercules, with a grin, walked over and gently pulled the two women apart for a moment and snapped the chain holding Gabrielle's arms from holding her warrior. With a grin, the bard wrapped her arms around Xena as the warrior's lips claimed her own after so long and Xena laughed, lifting her little mate into her arms, holding onto a very tight ass.

Nikki stood up and held out her hands as Brutus unlocked her chains with a grin.

The two reunited lovers finally broke apart and faced everyone else.

"Brutus, what happened?" Xena asked, holding Gabrielle close.

"I bought her and her trainer Nikki. Caesar learned I had purchased a fighter and her trainer and demanded to see her. Then he decided he wanted to see her in action and sent her into the Arena. It took months to figure a way out of Rome and away from Caesar."

Xena leaned her head on top of Gabrielle's, continuing to cry tears of happiness and disbelief.

She opened her eyes and looked at Brutus. "Thank you, I owe you."

"No, warrior. I would do anything for Gabrielle and she wanted you," Brutus shrugged and Xena nodded, beginning to understand the depth of the Roman's feelings for her little bard. She felt the same.

Finally Gabrielle pulled back slightly, taking in the sight of her warrior.

"Gods, I missed you! You were the only thing that kept me alive in that Arena, my love," the bard whispered.

Brutus grinned and walked back to his horse and pulled off two sets of saddlebags and tossed them at Gabrielle's feet and then threw the warrior the key to Gabrielle's chains. The warrior smiled and unlocked the chains slowly, silently cursing that her love ever had to wear them. Then her eyes narrowed and she frowned at the slave collar around Gabrielle's neck. The bard, realizing what her warrior was looking at, blushed and lowered her head slightly.

Xena raised her chin to force the bard to look her in the eyes. "Nothing you've done or had to do could cause me to love you any less," she promised and Gabrielle fell into her arms again.

"Actually, the collar was a ruse for our traveling. It's easier to explain a slave than a free woman traveling with you," Brutus reached behind his saddle and began unwrapping something. "She had already won her freedom. From Caesar himself," Brutus grinned at the warrior woman's stunned face.

"What? How?"

Brutus handed Xena the wooden sword with the Latin words burned along the wooden blade "Freedom earned through skill, blood, courage and might. - Julius Caesar."

Xena was stunned. "By the gods, little one," she whispered.

"In the bags are official papers freeing both of them and granting them citizenship of Rome, just in case you ever come back to Roman territory and someone recognizes either of them. Also clothes and their usual weapons," Brutus explained.

"Weapons? You brought my weapons?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, I thought you might like them. You're so damned good with them," Brutus grinned.

Xena shook her head. The thought of her bard being good with any weapon other than a staff still confused her.

"Xena?" Gabrielle's voice brought her attention back to her bard.

Xena grinned and whistled a long note. A moment later and Iolaus stepped out of the trees, carrying a bundle in his arms. Gabrielle began crying with joy when the child turned its face towards them and grinned at the sight of her Xena mom, the bluest eyes the bard had ever seen.

"Our daughter, Sasha," Xena whispered softly as Iolaus, grinning from ear to ear, handed the little infant to Gabrielle.

"Hi, Sasha. I'm Gabrielle," the bard whispered.

Xena smiled at Brutus's stunned face.

"She was the only reason I lived without Gabrielle. My daughter and the fact I knew that Gabrielle was still alive, that's what gave me hope. Thank you, Brutus."

"My pleasure. Take good care of all of them, warrior," Brutus turned to leave but Gabrielle's voice stopped him.

"Brutus!" she handed Sasha over to her mom and trotted over to Brutus. She gently touched his cheek and then hugged him. "Thank you, my friend. I couldn't be happier," she whispered.

"I know. I just hope we don't meet again, Gabrielle. I have a feeling that it wouldn't be as pleasant. I can't keep getting around Caesar all the time."

"I know. I just hope it doesn't come down to you and Xena," Gabrielle said sadly.

"I agree, I wouldn't stand a chance because I couldn't kill her now," Brutus said quietly. Then he moved past the small woman and mounted his horse.

"Brutus, you know Caesar will learn from Lycrassis eventually that you had me and let me go. Stay with us," Gabrielle pleaded as Xena nodded in agreement.

"I'm a Roman, Gabrielle. I know you can't understand that but it's in the blood. My first duty is to Her. Caesar has gone too far lately with his ambition and something is stirring in the Senate. I'm hoping he has his hands too full to worry about the two of you. I want to get my business settled here and get back, a shaman in Britannia insisted that I be back in Rome before the Ides of March. My fate is with Rome. Besides, he may not want it to get out that he had you in his grasp and in the Arena itself and granted your freedom by his own hand. Quite a joke on our wanna-be Emperor. Stay well. Vale."

The Roman rode away, leaving the horses Gabrielle and Nikkita had rode on.

"Come on, Gabrielle. Get acquainted with your daughter and you can introduce us to your trainer," Xena called and the warrior was delighted at the sleek way the bard moved now, no sign of the pain Gabrielle had been in the last time she had held her little mate. Now there was a dangerous ability behind those movements.

Xena shook her head, there was a lot of catching up to do. She wanted to ask about that short hair too.

She leaned down and nuzzled her mate's neck as they walked to the horses. "I've got a new body to rediscover," she whispered and grinned at the bard's shiver and moan of anticipation.


	7. 07 Reunited

**Disclaimer:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, etc. etc. etc. This story is for entertainment purposes and it helps keep me sane (sort of). Don't bother suing me, I don't have anything of value (some would even argue I don't have my sanity).

**Sex/Subtext/Alt Fiction:** this story is a continuing story of two women in love and they have sex together and it does get graphic. Personally, I hope it raises the room temp a bit. If love/sex between two people of the same gender is illegal in your state or country, move or change your laws, after leaving here. If this type of story bugs you, move on or free your mind.

**Violence:** the mention of rape concerning one of the major characters, several deaths.

**Feedback:** yes, definitely! Beg, Beg, Beg.

* * *

Iolaus slowly drew his sword and moved his horse forward slightly. "Look, I already told you, we are free citizens. We're not German, we're Greek. Leave us alone," he growled at the scruffy Roman soldiers blocking their way on the road. "When I move, ride like hell and get out of here," he whispered to Gabrielle.

"I'm not leaving you!" she hissed back.

"Get Xena and Hercules, the Roman camp can't be far from here, you can help rescue me. I don't think you and I can take all of them." he hissed back.

Gabrielle frowned but moved her horse a couple of steps away from his, ready to turn and bolt.

Iolaus cursed every mother of the bandit soldiers in front of them. He knew that they couldn't count on Xena or Hercules rescuing them either, they were still at camp further down the river. Iolaus and Gabrielle had been on their way to a nearby village for fresh supplies before the four of them crossed into Germania, determined to get a pregnant Xena out of reach of both Ares and Caesar.

Now this. Life definitely wasn't boring with his friends, Iolaus thought. Definitely not boring and definitely dangerous.

The Roman leader grinned at the two smaller Greeks. "I don't care who you are. Me and my men need some gambling money and your wife there will bring a very nice price with the slavers. You might even be worth a couple of gold pieces, little man."

Iolaus let out a yell of anger and charged forward with his horse and Gabrielle, with a frustrated growl, turned her horse. "Go, Gabrielle!" he yelled.

Iolaus ducked under a sword slash and buried his sword quickly into the ribs of the attacker and threw up his left arm to block another sword, wincing as the sword cut through his leather bracer, skin and muscle. He slashed out and caught another Roman at the throat and the soldier dropped his shield and sword to grab at his throat before falling off the horse. The Greek's horse pushed forward, looking for a way through the pack of Romans but Iolaus and his horse were both frustrated, the Romans kept in close, crowding the horse and the sword of the smaller man.

He cried out in pain and slashed heavily to the left and looked down to see his side bleeding heavily. His left hand came up to try and hold the wound closed and stay in the saddle but dodging another sword strike caused the Greek to lose his balance and fall from the horse, landing heavily. Iolaus yelped and quickly rolled to his hands and knees and dodged out of the way of several horse hooves aiming for his body.

The Romans dismounted and approached slowly, most of them grinning. Five of them, terrific, he thought. He wondered if he should make a break for the river and risk freezing to death or drowning rather than the swords, then he glanced over and saw Gabrielle's horse fallen in the middle of the road and the little bard struggling to get her trapped legs out from under the dead animal.

"Gabrielle, no!"

With a shout he charged the soldiers beginning to crowd him. He quickly cut down two of the soldiers caught off guard by his charge but a third caught his left shoulder and Iolaus dropped his sword to grasp his shoulder.

Realizing his mistake too late, the Greek couldn't bend to retrieve his sword before the others were on him. He kept close to them to keep them from using their swords and he utilized his many fighting skills and took another one down with a broken neck, even if he was fighting almost one armed. A sword strike to his back took the man to his knees and kicks, fists and hammering from sword hilts sent him smashing to the ground, bleeding badly and unconscious.

Iolaus' eyes sprang open as he broke the surface of the water, sputtering and gasping for air. The cold shock of the water hit him like a hammer and the young man couldn't catch his breath nor fight the current.

He struggled to keep his head above the water and almost swallowed enough to drown when he was jerked suddenly to a stop. He realized slowly that his belt was caught on a half submerged tree stump. Remembering Gabrielle trapped under the horse at the mercy of the Romans, Iolaus summoned his strength and pulled himself along the tree, freeing his belt and let himself drift onto the small beach. Somehow the Greek pulled himself along until he was under the end of the beach at the tree line. He managed to pull himself up and over the embankment by some tree roots and then collapsed under the tree.

He closed his eyes, holding his side tightly.

Something pounded at his awareness and wouldn't go away. Iolaus opened his eyes and peered around the tree and blinked several times as his exhausted and blood starved mind tried to take in the scene in front of him.

The Romans had Gabrielle in the small clearing. One was examining Iolaus' sword while another two were dragging the bodies of their comrades off the road. The other three, including their leader, were holding Gabrielle and looking her over.

Iolaus felt a whimper escape his throat.

The bard was struggling but two of the Romans held her tightly by her arms. The leader grinned and ripped her tunic open from collar to hem, exposing her very lovely breasts and torso. Gabrielle screamed and struggled and the men laughed.

Iolaus, tears streaming down his face, fell back against the tree. After a moment, he leaned against the tree and used it to slide up to his feet. He grabbed the tree for stability as he turned and nearly screamed at the sight of his little friend's abuse. He bent down to grab a fallen tree limb for a weapon and fell forward onto the ground. Tears of rage and helplessness overcame the young man as he listened to his friend scream and he couldn't move.

"Gabrielle," Iolaus whispered.

Iolaus woke up screaming Gabrielle's name, sitting upright in his bed. Hercules hurriedly jumped out of his own bed and quickly grabbed his friend from behind, wrapping his strong arms around the small Greek and felt his friend's head fall forward back into sleep.

Movement from the other bed caught his attention, as he gently lowered his friend back down onto the bed and covered his best friend.

"Is he okay?" a small voice asked and Hercules moved quietly across the floor and squatted next to the other bed, moving the screen aside. He wasn't surprised to see Gabrielle lying curled in Xena's arms, what surprised him was that Gabrielle was the one awake and Xena still asleep.

"He'll be okay. He wakes up like that several times a week, nightmares," he whispered.

"He was screaming my name," the bard whispered.

Hercules looked at the ground and then back into the bard's eyes. "Yes, he has the same nightmare for over a year and more now. He keeps remembering the fight with the Romans and what happened to you."

"What happened to me? He saw?" Gabrielle's eyes went wide, understanding what Hercules might be getting at.

He nodded, dropping his own eyes as tears filled them. It had nearly killed all of them when Iolaus had told them the entire events of that day. Both Xena and Hercules knew what happened to almost every female prisoner taken by any army or bandits but they still weren't ready to hear that it had happened to Gabrielle when she was taken a year and a half before. Xena had nearly gone crazy with berserk fury.

Hercules looked up to see tears flowing from his little friend's closed eyes. He gently wiped them away and she looked at him with beautiful green eyes. He attempted to smile reassuringly.

"You're home. Now, we can all do some healing."

She merely nodded and he stood and replaced the screen separating the bed from the rest of the room and returned to Iolaus, seeing his best friend thrashing in the nightmare again. He gently moved his friend over and crawled under the fur blankets with him and held the small Greek close, soothing the nightmare away.

"We've got her home, Iolaus. She's safe now," he whispered and he felt Iolaus' body begin to relax.

Xena woke to the sounds of a very hungry toddler; a very hungry and wet toddler, she grinned. She could tell by the crying. A year and four months old and she had a set of lungs, Xena thought as she grabbed the child up in her arms.

The warrior frowned when she noticed the other side of the bed was empty. Xena shook her head. This was the second morning that Gabrielle had beaten her awake and the warrior was having a hard time adjusting to that one. Always before the bard had fought for every second of sleep in the morning, now the trained fighter was up before the dawn, just as Xena had once always done.

The warrior quickly changed her giggling daughter and went to the fire to provide breakfast for her littlest one. Hercules popped his head out from under the covers of Iolaus' bed and the warrior tactfully avoided raising her eyebrows. Was this getting interesting yet, she wondered.

He quickly moved to the fire, slipping fur boots on. "I'll never get used to cold floors in the morning," he complained and sat down next to the fire, watching the child feeding.

"She's beautiful and so are you," he grinned.

He truly thought so too, motherhood had softened Xena's features a little and brought a brightness to her eyes that he had only seen there when the warrior spoke of Gabrielle.

"Thank you, my friend," she smiled and carried that smile as she looked down at her daughter, hair black as her parents' and eyes as blue as her mother's.

"It's been a rough time since your wedding." Hercules commented.

"I think that understates things, don't you?" she grinned.

"Where's Gabrielle?"

"Out walking somewhere or practicing her sparring." Xena lost her smile.

"Kinda weird, eh? You in here being the gentle type and she's out practicing how to kill," he smiled.

Xena sighed in agreement. "That's part of it, I think. She's changed so much, Hercules, and I think she's terrified I won't want her."

"Tell her!" he urged as she shifted.

"I have, repeatedly the last three days. She's just withdrawing more and more."

"Brutus said she had to do some rough things to survive, killing is probably the least of it and that's a lot of guilt to carry."

"Don't I know that! She won't talk about it. I've gotten a lot of the story from Nikki but Gabrielle won't talk about it," Xena complained.

"Until she does she can't heal; and neither can both of you."

"I know, my friend." Xena frowned. "When do you want to travel back north to the clan?"

"By the end of the week? I'd like to get up there before the snow gets much thicker. Away from the Romans is my choice right now. Iolaus tries not to show it but he cringes every time he sees a Roman soldier."

"I'm just glad he lived, even with that arm in a sling," Xena said grimly. Then she sighed. "Can you watch Sasha?"

"Of course, now that she's had breakfast," he grinned.

Xena grinned as she handed over her contented daughter. Xena got up and quickly got fully dressed in woolen trousers, fur lined boots, woolen tunic, fur vest, fur lined wrist bracers and a thick cloak with fur at the collar and hood.

"I'll be back. This might take awhile."

He nodded, understanding. He also noticed that Nikki was awake and watching them with a frown of concern on her face.

Xena found her mate in a small clearing near the ice chunk filled river, practicing fighting moves that quickly impressed the experienced warrior. Xena stopped for a moment next to a tree and watched Gabrielle as she danced through an exercise routine meant to strengthen, stretch and work the muscles and polish fighting skills.

The small woman was handling a pair of weapons that she called sais. Long stabbing weapons with two prongs on either side for blocking blows and breaking blades. The ends were sharp enough to stab and be thrown and the other ends were rounded for blunt fighting.

In the bard's hands they were deadly, used either way, Xena quickly realized. The last time Xena had seen her mate the Amazon Queen had been recovering from a massive poisoning that had devastated her body and almost crippled her. Now there was no sign of that injured body. In its place was a sleek fighter with the grace of a tiger, the speed of a cheetah and the tenacity of a war dog.

Xena watched as the bard finished a routine and ran a hand through her short blonde hair. That had been a surprise as well, she thought. Her little bard had reddish blond hair that went past her shoulders. This warrior had hair-bleached blonde by the sun, skin lightly tanned, and now the hair was short for easier fighting.

Xena's bard was astounding with a staff because the young woman couldn't face possibly killing someone. The gladiator in front of her had scars up and down her arms and legs from numerous encounters in the Arena and Xena didn't think the bard would hesitate to kill, if necessary.

Xena stepped forward, intentionally making noise and wasn't surprised when the bard spun into a half crouch with the sais at ready, one poised for throwing and the other in a defensive stance. Gabrielle blinked and then stood up as Xena stepped out of the shadows. She smiled at her mate but Xena wasn't sure the smile continued to the woman's eyes.

When the Roman, Brutus had reunited the soul-mates Xena thought she couldn't be happier in her life. Two days had gone past and she found Gabrielle withdrawing into herself more and more and refusing to talk about what had happened during the year and months of her disappearance.

Brutus had told them that after her capture by the Romans, Gabrielle had been sold into slavery to a gladiator school and had become a fighter. After he stumbled across her he had purchased her when he could but not before Caesar had taken an interest in the little fighter and had her fighting in Rome.

To everyone's surprise she had won her freedom as a gladiator by winning the coveted wooden sword of freedom. Brutus had managed to get Gabrielle and her former trainer, friend and fellow Amazon out of Italia and into Germania before Caesar could figure out who Gabrielle was.

Caesar had been very anxious to find the little bard, Xena knew. He wanted to use Gabrielle as bait. Somehow the military and political leader sensed that the bard was important in Xena's life and intended to use that to his advantage. Brutus had foiled that plan by freeing Gabrielle and taking her to Xena.

Brutus had told Xena and Hercules of the numerous rapes, beatings and training Gabrielle had been through, he also said Gabrielle had offered him her body if he would get her out of Italia and back to Xena.

Xena figured it was time for both of them to talk about what they had been through that year and months.

Dancer spun, kicking up in the air as she slashed out with the sais, landing lightly in a crouch and spinning out with her leg and then ending upright with the sais in defensive position. She straightened up slowly, satisfied with the session, she was breathing a little heavily and had a good layer of sweat worked up and her muscles sang.

In a flash she was in a crouch again, sais at the ready for throwing and for defense. Her sharp eyes spotted Xena coming out from the trees and she slowly stood up and lowered the sais into her special boot-laces and secured them. She smiled as the warrior approached and noticed the concerned look in her mate's eyes.

Dancer shifted mentally and Gabrielle sighed. She ran a hand through her short blonde hair. How the Hades to explain this weirdness to her soul-mate, she wondered and grinned at Xena who grinned back, looking grateful to see the familiar smile on Gabrielle's face.

"Can we talk, my love?" Xena asked softly.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and sighed. "It's time, huh?"

"What do you mean?" Xena asked cautiously.

"There's some kind of wall between us and I know it's me." Gabrielle shrugged and bent down to retrieve her cloak. Xena moved forward and helped pull it around the smaller woman and pulled Gabrielle to her, looking down into the bard's green eyes.

"Whatever it is, it's not going to last long. I love you."

"I love you, Xena. So much." The warrior saw tears welling up in Gabrielle's eyes but the bard fought them back.

"Come on, let's go to the barn before you get cold from that workout."

"All right."

The barn was a small one room building that held their five horses, hay and not much more. Gabrielle had been curious about the cabin and barn, the place wasn't a farm, she could tell that. Hercules had explained that it had once been a hunter's cabin when game was plentiful in the region, before the Romans. They had taken it over when Brutus sent word that he had news of Gabrielle's location. The Greeks had made their home with a northern Germanic tribe further north.

Gabrielle sat down on a hay bale, suddenly getting a sense of Deja vu - how long ago had it been when the little bard sat down on a hay bale in her parent's barn, just discovering that Xena loved her as much as she loved the warrior? It seemed a life time.

She looked up and saw the same thoughts going through her mate's mind. She smiled a weary smile and pointed to the other hay bale.

"Where do I start?" Gabrielle complained, pulling one of her sais and playing with it. It reminded Xena of how she herself would use sharpening her sword as a distraction or a focus.

"The beginning?" Xena suggested.

"You know I was taken by Romans and sold to slavers..."

"No, all of it, little one. Until you talk about you can't heal from it."

"Why?" the bard suddenly demanded, jumping to her feet and pacing, twirling the sais in her hand. "Do you want me to tell you about every man I've killed? Do you want me to describe every blow?" she snapped.

"If you need to." Xena said simply, keeping her voice neutral.

"Arrrrggghhh!" Xena wasn't surprised when one of the sais ended up in a barn post followed by the other one. Xena was surprised with the speed of the bard turned warrior.

Gabrielle turned and faced her lover, breathing heavy, looking angry and tears threatening to spill out of her eyes.

"Why, damnit! Why do you need to hear it?"

"I don't. I've got a pretty good idea of what happened to you. You need to get it out."

"Why, I thought you forgave anything I've done?" Gabrielle demanded.

"I have, you haven't forgiven yourself." Xena answered.

Gabrielle blinked and the anger left her face in a wave. Xena quickly caught her bard as the woman fell forward, her knees buckling. She collapsed into Xena's arms, the sobs finally beginning.

Xena pulled them to the hay and held her lover close, rocking and talking to her until the tears had slowed enough for Gabrielle to talk.

Xena reached out and pulled Gabrielle's cloak off of her and covered them with it as the bard settled in between Xena's legs and into her strong forearms.

"Iolaus tried to fight them so I could get away but they shot my horse out from under me and I couldn't run. I thought they killed him. He wasn't moving and they said they were going to throw him in the river," she whispered.

"They did. We didn't find him until the next day," Xena answered.

"How did he live?" Gabrielle asked in wonderment.

"He had to save you. I swear the Greeks will never be totally conquered, we're too damn stubborn."

Gabrielle smiled at that one. Then she frowned. "He wakes up calling my name."

"Yes," Xena said simply.

Xena felt the bard's body begin trembling and she tightened her embrace.

"They hurt me. They hit me and ..." Gabrielle hesitated.

"Go on," Xena urged.

"I can't." Gabrielle whispered.

"Let it out, little one," the warrior urged. "They raped you. They beat you and took turns raping you over and over again." Xena felt her own tears falling and could feel Gabrielle beginning to cry again. Xena hoped that was a good sign.

"Yes," the bard whispered. "Iolaus did see it."

"Yes," Xena answered.

"I'm glad I didn't know. I don't think I could have lived with that as well," she muttered.

"He lived so we could find you eventually. He wouldn't quit," Xena reminded her.

"They sold me to slavers the next day. They beat me, drugged me and ... raped me." Gabrielle whispered, clinging to her warrior's forearm, tears falling on the tanned skin.

"It's all right, little one. You weren't at fault!"

"Not for that, no," she agreed and Xena frowned, there was something the bard was feeling guilty over, she thought to herself. "Go on."

"I was sold to a gladiator school in Italia in the city of Aqualeia. That's where I met Nikki, Nikkita. She was a trainer at the school and knew who I was and warned me to keep quiet about my name and background. Nikki talked the owner, Lycrassis, into a bet so she could train me to be a fighter rather than a kitchen slave." Gabrielle continued.

"Why a fighter and not a cook?" Xena asked.

"Because kitchen slaves serve as sex slaves to the men and she didn't want that for the Queen of the Amazons. She figured I might have a chance in the Arena and none in the kitchen. I found out that she's an Amazon from the Northern tribes. She became my trainer and protector."

Xena felt Gabrielle's body tense up and felt the bard's hesitation.

"And?" she urged.

"To keep Lycrassis and his men off of me, she said that she wanted me as bedmate and he agreed. We had to convince him we were lovers," Gabrielle whispered.

Xena felt her jaw muscles clench and knew the answer to the next question already.

"Were you?" she forced herself to ask.

"Yes," again Gabrielle's body began to shake as she began weeping again. Xena tightened her hold on the bard as Gabrielle attempted to flee Xena's arms. She kept her hold tight until Gabrielle quit fighting and turned into her warrior's body, crying. Xena felt her own tears running down her face.

"Do you love her?" Xena asked.

"No!" Gabrielle cried out and managed to escape her lover's arms with the quickness of her trained body now. She pulled the cloak around her and began pacing again, looking very small. "And she knew that!" she yelled. "It was to save my neck! Everything that happened, every danger everyone went through was to save my neck! That bastard would stand outside the window and watch!" With a sudden side kick a board in a stall was in pieces. Xena watched her bard carefully, wiping away her own tears.

"I used her, Xena. I took her friendship, her love for me, her desire for me and I used her body as a shield, just to protect myself!" Gabrielle went to her knees in front of her warrior. "I thought my path was to protect others, not use them to protect me!"

Xena gathered the small woman back in her arms as fresh tears wracked the bard's body.

"First rule in life is survival, Gabrielle. You know that. We can't protect others if we're dead." Xena tried to reassure her little bard.

"I know, I couldn't think of anything except getting back to you."

"Does she love you?" Xena asked.

"Yes, I think so. She knows I don't love her but it went further than just play acting." Gabrielle clung to her warrior, almost flinching, as if waiting for a physical blow.

"How so? You turned to her for comfort? How is that wrong?"

"How is it wrong?" the bard repeated angrily. "Did you have a lover while I was gone?" she demanded, sitting up in Xena's lap.

"No, but I was safe and with people who loved me and could support me in other ways. Besides, I was busy having a baby. I wasn't feeling too sexual there at the end." Xena grinned and was pleased when Gabrielle shook her head, trying not to smile but unable to help herself. Gabrielle smiled, picturing Xena pregnant in the last stages and crawled back into the warrior's arms.

"How did Brutus find you?" Xena asked.

"My first kill," Gabrielle whispered. "I was only two months in training when Lycrassis decided to test me. When I got into the arena I saw Brutus in the guest box. He recognized me, I still had my hair and hadn't put on my helmet yet. Fortunately, he didn't say a word."

"Two months, how long did Brutus know where you were?" Xena growled.

"Easy, lover. He was on his way to Britannia and couldn't do anything for us until he got back. I... I won the match." Again the bard was on her feet and pacing.

"I killed this irritating little Arab eunuch!" Gabrielle kicked another board into pieces. "I became exactly what I swore I wouldn't! I kill easily, Xena. Without thinking about it, like a machine or a trained animal."

"Yes, like a trained animal." Xena agreed, standing up. Gabrielle looked at her puzzled, not expecting Xena to agree with the description. The little warrior stopped pacing.

"You were like a trained animal, Gabrielle. You're not a callous killer, you were surviving, there's a difference. What happened after your matches? How did you feel?"

"What do you mean?"

"Did you feel like you were on fire? Like you could take on anyone and anything? Like you either had to kill someone or bed them quickly?" Xena asked, approaching her mate, keeping eye contact.

"No," the bard whispered. "I usually threw up and wanted a bath."

Xena smiled reassuringly. "That's the difference, Gabrielle, you'll never be a true killer. Like me." Xena lost her smile but not the sadness in her eyes.

"Like you? That's how you felt?" Gabrielle asked, eyes widening. Xena sighed, they had never talked about this before.

"Yes," Xena admitted.

"Wait a minute, watching you fight turns me on, is that the same?"

"No, watching you move, dancing or fighting, turns me on too. Fighting also turns me on and the killing used to do it for me."

"No remorse?" Gabrielle frowned.

"Not at first, I was too wrapped up in revenge and hatred. My beloved brother was dead and I had been raped. Then later I realized that hatred was an empty feeling and I used fear to fill that. It can bring such a rush to have people absolutely terrified of you. That power thing," Xena shrugged, sitting back down in the hay, not looking at Gabrielle. The bard followed and sat down in front of the warrior. "Then later I realized that fear was empty too and there was nothing inside of me. The hatred had burned up everything inside." Xena wiped away a tear. "I began to be sickened by what I had become and everything around me. I didn't have soldiers, I had bandits, rapists, murderers, all of them scum and they were using me and my skills to destroy anything in their way. When I got in their way, they tried to destroy me."

"You chose to leave that, Xena. You weren't dead inside," Gabrielle said gently.

"That's my bard, trying to reassure me when we were talking about you."

Gabrielle grinned and threw a handful of hay at her mate. "Where were we?"

"Brutus found you but left," Xena reminded her.

"Right, fortunately he had made a wager with Lycrassis that he wanted me very badly and made Lycrassis agree not to sell me or Nikki for a year until he returned."

"Wasn't Lycrassis suspicious of a friendship between a high ranking Roman general and a barely trained gladiator slave?"

"No, Brutus forced me into his bed that night."

Xena growled and Gabrielle grinned and held out her hand. "Easy, lover. He didn't hurt me. Well, he did hit me but I insisted. He bruised me, tied me up and made it look like he had forced me and had been brutal about it. Lycrassis believed him."

"It took a year to get back from Britain."

"Over a year to settle things there. Then Lycrassis wouldn't sell us. He was making money on me and I think planning to take me to Rome himself soon. Brutus was forced to reveal my name and told Lycrassis that Caesar wanted me but to keep quiet until you fell into the trap."

"Clever, Brutus, very clever."

Gabrielle nodded. "Do you know how much he was risking for me? Because he loves me he is willing to risk his future, his fortune, his life!" Gabrielle was shouting again and began pacing.

"You'll get your exercise just jumping up and down all morning," Xena complained and Gabrielle glared at her.

"Nikki sleeps with me to protect me, Brutus risks everything and I don't even sleep with him! What would you have done, Xena?" Gabrielle turned to her lover.

"What do you mean?"

"What if Caesar had gotten me? Would you have left Sasha and risked a trap to try and save me or would you have let me go to raise Sasha safely?"

Xena blinked and frowned. It was a question she had been asking herself for months, ever since Gabrielle had disappeared and they had word that Caesar was looking for her. What would she do?

"I don't know, I know I can't live without you, Gabrielle."

Gabrielle's anger faded quickly.

"I know that now." Xena looked puzzled. "I tried to kill myself once."

Xena went pale and grabbed her bard by the arms, looking deep in Gabrielle's eyes.

"No," she whispered.

Gabrielle nodded. "I was tired and couldn't imagine making it a year or three years in the Arena. No one wins their freedom in the Arena."

"You did."

Gabrielle smiled a sad smile. "And many people died to get me there. I couldn't have even dreamed of winning the wooden sword of the gladiators. I couldn't even dream of living to see you anymore. You had Sasha and I knew you could go on without me."

"I couldn't!" Xena protested.

"I didn't know that for certain!" Gabrielle snapped. "Everyone around me was in danger because of who I am! You, Hercules, Iolaus, Brutus, Nikki, Sasha - everyone! I was killing people just to survive, just by my living people were in danger and I was using people I loved." Gabrielle's head dropped and she sank to her knees. "I couldn't do it any more, Xena."

Xena walked up behind her lover and placed her hands on the small woman's shoulders.

"I understand." she said simply. "What happened?"

"Hah! I decided that I would go down in the Arena, easy way out, right? Oh no, not this idiot!" she laughed and Xena wasn't sure she was seeing the humor in this. "I get a fighter that couldn't fight off a fly. He was worse than Joxer!" Xena wasn't sure anyone was worse than Joxer but let that one go. "I would have to drop my weapons, place my head on the chopping block and guide his ax before he could beat me," the warrior bard complained.

"What did you do?" Xena asked with a smile, beginning to see the absurd humor in the situation.

Gabrielle lost her smile. "I cut his hamstring and crippled him permanently. It got him out of the Arena alive. Part of it was my anger though, I was mad at him for being so lousy a fighter. I then turned my sword, blade at my heart and I fell forward."

Gabrielle felt the warrior's hands tighten on her shoulders in response and the warrior's body jerk. Xena had seen that type of death before.

"What?" she demanded, pulling Gabrielle to her feet and facing the warrior. "How?"

"Apollo." Gabrielle said with a shrug.

"Apollo, as in your patron god?" Xena asked.

"No, Apollo as in my father; the god of the Sun, Apollo." Gabrielle grinned. "He stopped me and gave me a reason to live."

"What was that?"

Gabrielle looked up, tears filling her eyes once more. "He showed me you with Sasha and that Iolaus was alive. He told me that you couldn't live without me."

"I can't." Xena agreed.

Gabrielle hesitated, reluctant to continue. Xena's eyes narrowed.

"What else did he say or show you?"

"That if I died that you would follow and Sasha would become Ares' and take over your dark destiny." Gabrielle turned away from her lover, afraid of how her mate would take this type of news.

Xena answered with a long sentence of curses. She finally came up behind the warrior bard and wrapped her arms around the small woman. "What did you tell him?"

"I asked him why the gods couldn't find someone else to mess with besides you and me and now Sasha." Gabrielle grinned.

Xena, knowing Gabrielle's sharp tongue could picture that scene easily.

"I love you," Xena whispered, nuzzling the bard's neck.

"He then said the fate of the world depended on me getting back to you." Gabrielle whispered as she bared her neck for Xena's lips and teeth.

"What did you say?" Xena asked, trailing her tongue from the bard's earlobe to her collarbone.

"Wha...? I told him I was getting tired of the saving the world stuff."

Xena grinned and nodded in agreement as Gabrielle's hand reached behind and laced through her dark hair, pulling the warrior's head back to the bard's neck. Xena was happy to change her focus from saving the world to worshipping at her lover's neck right then. Gabrielle hadn't been ready to be touched since they had found each other again. Xena knew it was because of the guilt the bard had been feeling. Now she was hoping they were past that. The bard seemed past it, she thought.

Gabrielle moaned as the warrior's hands slid down the bard's tight stomach and started caressing her thighs, trailing her thumbs on the inside of the little warrior's thighs, pulling Gabrielle back into the warrior as Xena captured her neck with her lips and teeth.

"Oh Gods, it's been so long! Just your touch..."

"Shhh, little one." Xena whispered and bit down on Gabrielle's earlobe.

The warrior's hands began caressing Gabrielle through her trousers and the bard's body began trembling and jerking.

"I can't stand up!" she whispered.

"Too bad," Xena growled and slipped a hand down the bard's trousers while the other hand moved under Gabrielle's tunic and grasped one of the woman's breasts. Gabrielle began whimpering and felt her knees buckle but was held up by the warrior's hand sliding in-between her folds and claiming her body once more. Xena wrapped her arm around the bard's ribs.

"I remember when you bit me after becoming a bacchae," Xena whispered in her lover's ear, causing Gabrielle to moan and then whimper as the warrior's fingers entered her, impaling her and holding her up at the same time. The sensation of trying to stand and let her body take over was driving the bard crazy and heightening the sensations.

"I never felt anything like that," Xena continued, kissing the bard's neck. "when you bit me it felt more intense than any shaman journey I went on with Alti, more sexual than anything I had ever felt. I wanted you so badly right in that moment. I never wanted your fangs to leave me. I wanted your hand inside of me and I wanted to taste your blood and your sex."

Gabrielle was almost crying as her body trembled uncontrollably. Xena increased the speed and strength of her thrusts and bit down on the bard's neck, hard. Gabrielle screamed Xena's name and the warrior let them fall backwards into the hay, maintaining her hold on and in the bard on top of her until Gabrielle's body quit jerking and spasming with wave after wave of orgasm. Xena carefully removed her hand and let the bard slide off of her and then took the bard into her arms, as the tears began to flow again.

Xena rocked her lover as Gabrielle wept, all the pent up emotions of over a year finally getting released.

Hercules looked up from his wood pile and leaned on his ax as the warrior approached the cabin, carrying a sleeping bard, her boots crunching in the light snow.

"Did you kill her or work it out?" he grinned and was pleased with her blushing face.

"We worked some of it out. It's going to take a long time to heal."

"I know. I'm hoping that Iolaus' nightmares will start to settle down now that Gabrielle's back and well."

"He loves you very much," Xena commented.

"I know, I'm not sure he's ready for that though," the demi-god muttered.

"You almost lost him that day and I lost Gabrielle for over a year. I was a fool to wait all that time to tell her how I felt." Xena urged and then shrugged with a smile.

"Iolaus is inside with Sasha."

"He's quite taken with her," Xena grinned.

"Yup," he grinned back. "Nikki's in there too."

"Good, I'm going to let this one sleep. I'm not sure she's made it through an entire night in two years."

Xena carried the sleeping bard to their bed and gently laid Gabrielle on the sleeping furs and tenderly covered the woman. She looked up and saw Iolaus playing with Sasha near the fire, rolling a wooden ball back and forth with her, his left arm in its permanent sling. He grinned at the sight of Gabrielle sleeping and nodded in agreement that he thought this was a good sign along with Hercules.

Xena noticed Nikki watching as well. Xena nodded towards the door and Nikki nodded in agreement and grabbed her cloak.

Iolaus caught Hercules coming in as the two women headed for the barn.

"Did you take away their weapons?" Hercules asked with just a hint of humor.

"Nikki's in love with Gabrielle." Iolaus commented, going back to playing with Sasha.

"Yup and I'm not sure what Gabrielle told Xena either."

"You think there's something between Nikki and Gabrielle?" Iolaus asked with a frown.

"I don't know, Brutus said Gabrielle had to do a lot of things to survive. I wouldn't be surprised if she turned to Nikki for comfort. You've never seen the Arena, that's a very hard life for anyone, especially Gabrielle."

"Gods, no. Nothing can come between them." Iolaus shook his head in disbelief.

"I hope so, my friend." Hercules leaned down and ruffled his friend's hair fondly and was pleased when Iolaus grinned up at him. Gods, had he fallen for his best friend? Hades, why not? He loved Xena as well. Then the demi-god frowned to himself, this felt different.

Xena motioned to the hay bales she and Gabrielle had been sitting on early in the morning and Nikki carefully sat down, holding her crutch close to hand. One positive thing about being a cripple, she thought, you always had a weapon at hand.

Xena sat down on the other bale, facing the Norse Amazon.

"You love her." Xena said simply.

"Yes," Nikki admitted, watching Xena's hands carefully. "She's not in love with me, though. I know that, warrior."

"You were lovers," Xena stated.

Nikki stopped breathing for a moment. "Yes, did she also tell you why?"

"Yes, at first it was to protect her, then it was something else later."

"Yes," Nikki admitted. "I wasn't exactly unwilling to make love to her." She heard Xena growl. "I also know it was hard for her. It was your name that she bit into a blanket to keep from calling out when that bastard was watching and listening, it was your name I had to cover her lips from crying out in a nightmare every night. It was your face and your eyes she looked for every single morning. Not mine, Xena. She never loved me, and, give her credit, she never pretended to."

"You still want her."

Nikki laughed loudly. "Get some reality, Xena! Of course I do! Hasn't everyone that's ever met her?"

Xena did have to grin at that one.

"That doesn't mean that I would act on those feelings ever again. We're not in the same situation and she doesn't think of me like that. Yours is the only body and soul she'll ever want again. Later as time went on, we sought each other for sex but there was friendship and nothing more. I held her while she cried afterwards but it was you she was crying for." Nikki told the warrior.

"What happens now?" Xena asked.

"I can either make my way back to the Amazons or go further north and seek my parent's people out."

"You can travel and stay with us when we go north," Xena offered but Nikki shook her head.

"You know I can't do that. There's nothing between Gabrielle and me and there never will be but it'll always be there, Xena. Always. I've shared her body with you. I have to find my own mate and keep my friendship with both of you. If I stay I don't think that would last."

"You're right. I'm sorry, you've been a good friend to Gabrielle and I know that."

"She's my Queen." Nikki shrugged.

"Didn't she tell you that she's not Queen anymore?" Xena grinned.

"Of course, from the very beginning but that didn't matter. Once a Queen, always a Queen."

Xena grinned, shaking her head.

Hercules grinned to himself when they walked in. At least neither of them appeared wounded nor dead.

"Nikki, how am I supposed to say goodbye to you," Gabrielle demanded as they walked along the trail leading south.

The Amazon Viking had already said her farewells to Xena, Hercules and Iolaus a few moments before. She had been surprised when Xena hadn't protested her lover walking Nikki down the road for a ways to make her own good-byes.

Nikki tried to smile. "Don't you dare make me cry, damnit," she teased the small woman beside her.

Gabrielle smiled a sad smile and stopped. Nikki turned to face her.

The bard wondered how to say goodbye when she couldn't even sort out her feelings right then. Nikki had been her trainer, her friend and sort of lover. The woman had saved her life on many levels and Gabrielle felt guilty for using the Amazon's love and attraction to the bard to stay alive.

Nikki smiled and lifted Gabrielle's chin to look gray eyes into green ones. She gently wiped away a tear from the bard's cheek.

"You could stay and go north with us." Gabrielle whispered and then shook her head herself. "No, I know you can't. I'm sorry."

Nikki raised the bard's chin again and grinned. "You are no longer Dancer and no longer Brie the gladiator. You have to find Gabrielle again and I can't help you with that. I have myself to find. I love you and probably always will but my mate is someone and somewhere else."

"I'm sorry about everything," Gabrielle whispered, hugging the tall woman.

"Nothing to be sorry for. We were in a position of survival and I found a friend, a friend who helped me get my freedom. Thank you."

"Thank you for training me and keeping me alive." Gabrielle smiled as she pulled back out of the embrace. "You'll always be my friend."

"Thank you, my Queen." Nikki grinned and then leaned down and kissed the bard lightly on the lips and then climbed up on her horse.

With a grin she was gone down the road at a fast trot, leaving the small bard to watch. Gabrielle frowned and began walking slowly back to the cabin where Xena waited for her.

The bard felt lost. She wasn't Dancer, the gladiator; she wasn't Brie, Roman slave but she didn't feel like Gabrielle either. Her boots crunched in the light covering of snow on the ground. Hercules wanted to move north as soon as possible to avoid the deepening snow. Gabrielle wasn't sure how she felt about that. The bard knew they had to get out of Roman territory, so they couldn't return to Greece but she wasn't sure she wanted to go North either. Gabrielle didn't know where she wanted to go and didn't feel like she belonged anywhere.

She was surprised to find Hercules and Iolaus gone when she returned to the cabin. The bard raised her eyebrows at the sight of Xena cooking at the fireplace while Sasha played on the floor next to her Mom with some blocks of wood. Xena smiled at her mate as Gabrielle pulled off her woolen cloak and stamped her boots against the doorway.

"You okay?" Xena asked as Gabrielle pulled up a chair on the other side of Sasha.

"Yeah, feels weird. Nikki and I were side by side for over a year, the only time we weren't was when I was in the Arena."

"She's a good friend." Xena commented, stirring a pot.

"Yes, I seem to have a good number of them." Gabrielle smiled. "Where's Herc and Iolaus?"

"They've gone hunting for a couple of days. I think Hercules is giving us some time alone here and some time alone for them."

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows again. "Is he going to tell Iolaus how he feels?"

"I don't know. They seem to be a lot like us, everyone knows but them." Xena grinned.

"A couple of days," Gabrielle repeated.

"Yup. Are you okay with that?"

Even though they had talked two days earlier and Xena had even made love to her, Gabrielle still felt the wall between them and was getting more and more frustrated as to how to knock it down. "Yeah, I know we need it."

Xena watched as her mate began absently pulling on her tunic hem, an obvious sign that Gabrielle was nervous and distraught. The warrior waited. Gabrielle's head dropped.

"I need you, Xena," she whispered and the warrior was kneeling in front of her in a flash. Gabrielle looked into her mate's blue eyes with tears threatening to flow. "I want you so badly that it hurts physically but I freeze every time I start to reach for you. Help me!" she suddenly pleaded and Xena took the small bard in her arms.

"Shhhh, it's all right, little one. I'm here, I'm not going anywhere as long as you'll have me," Xena whispered, stroking the blonde's hair and holding her tight.

After a few minutes Gabrielle pulled back, wiping tears away. She attempted a grin at her mate.

"I don't know how to get past this," she admitted.

"A little bit at a time, my love." Xena smiled reassuringly.

Sasha laughed and threw a block of wood, hitting her mom in the ankle. "Ouch!" Xena growled and turned, quickly grabbing her daughter and swinging the laughing little bundle in her arms and began tickling the little one.

Gabrielle couldn't help but grin. Watching Xena with the child had been a revelation to the little bard. She was seeing sides of Xena that the warrior didn't even know about. The bard grinned even wider and moved down into the floor on the fur with her two loved ones, laying on an elbow, watching the two play.

Xena grinned, watching as Gabrielle began to relax. She surprised the bard by handing over the still giggling Sasha and went to the fireplace and stirred the pot of deer stew. Gabrielle laughed as Sasha tackled her and sat on the bard's very firm abs.

"Oooofff!" Gabrielle teased, holding Sasha's hands and rocking her back and forth with her legs.

"I wanted to be there when you were born, Sasha, so badly." Gabrielle said to the blue eyes that looked so familiar.

"I wish you had been, my love." Xena commented, walking over and grabbing bowls off a shelf. To the bowls she added spoons, a loaf of bread, some cheese and a bottle of wine.

"Knowing you, it wasn't your usual birth. Tell me about it." Gabrielle grinned over her shoulder at Xena, dishing out the stew into the bowls.

Xena grinned back. "Actually it wasn't a simple birth. Well, the birth was, the place and timing weren't." While they ate Xena told her mate the circumstances of Sasha's birth. The raid on the steading, the quick flight to the hunting cabin with Xena in labor. Gabrielle grinned at the thought of Xena bouncing around in a speeding wagon while in labor. She got a piece of bread thrown at her for that giggle.

Xena lost her smile as she described the battle at the cabin, the strange woman warrior coming to their aid. Sasha, Axel's wife of their adopted Germanic family, helping deliver the baby and then standing beside Iolaus in defense against the raiders and falling to an ax. Of Ketli the Mouse, a small boy burying a hatchet in the neck of a raider and stabbing another with a sword. A boy only a few summers old. Xena told her mate of the warrior woman finishing off the raiders, suffering what must have been devastating and fatal wounds only to disappear.

"Do you think she was a Valkyrie, like Ketli said?" Gabrielle asked.

"I don't know. They don't seem to have many personal visits from their gods up here and everyone was amazed by the story." Xena shrugged.

"I could get used to the gods not bothering us," Gabrielle grinned.

"Even though Sasha is the daughter of one?" Xena asked seriously.

"As long as he stays out of our lives until the end of time, I'd be happy." Gabrielle stated, handing Sasha another piece of bread.

"I'll agree to that. I wonder if we can ever go back to Greece." Xena frowned.

"He found me at Lycrassis' school." Gabrielle whispered and, watched Xena go pale. Gabrielle closed her eyes, remembering. "He taunted me about Nikki," Gabrielle whispered and focused on Sasha and helping the little one get more food in her than on her. Xena waited, watching the tears begin to fall from her beloved's eyes again.

"He offered to zap both of us out of there, to anywhere we wanted, if I told him where you were and why you left Greece."

"Terrific. I guess he hasn't given up," Xena muttered.

Gabrielle laughed a bitter laugh. "Hardly."

"Why didn't you tell him and get the Hades out of there?" Xena asked with a frown.

"I couldn't tell him where you were and why you left Greece!" Gabrielle protested.

"You could have taken the chance that he wouldn't be powerful enough outside of Greek and Roman territories and gotten out of that pit."

"No, I couldn't!" Gabrielle stormed to her feet and began pacing. "I couldn't do that, Xena. I didn't even think about it."

"Then why do you doubt your love for me now?" Xena asked softly and the bard stopped dead, a shocked look on her face and then she frowned.

"Is that what I'm doing?" she whispered.

"You won't forgive yourself for everything that happened and you won't forgive me for not finding you."

Gabrielle was on her knees in front of Xena's chair in an instant, removing the warrior's bowl and grabbing Xena's hands. "No, that's not it. I probably would have beaten you senseless if I thought you were putting yourself in danger for me again with Sasha on the way," Gabrielle protested.

"Then forgive yourself, little one! I'd rather have you alive than a corpse on some fire heap outside a Roman villa," Xena urged.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and buried her head in Xena's hands. "I keep seeing the faces, every time I close my eyes. The men who hurt me, the men I killed, Caesar, Lycrassis, all of them."

"You're free, Gabrielle. You're back with me," Xena whispered, kissing the top of the bard's head.

"I'm not back with myself, Xena." Gabrielle looked up into the blue eyes, her face reflecting the feeling of loss that was overwhelming her.

"We have to find a way to settle Brie, Dancer and Gabrielle together. You can't go back to what you were, little one. You've been through too much."

"How do I get those damned faces out of my thoughts?" Gabrielle suddenly demanded.

"The ones you killed or the ones who raped you?" Xena asked softly.

"Both," the bard whispered.

"You don't." Xena said bluntly. "That's what wakes me up at night and then I find you holding me and comforting me. It eases with time but it never goes away."

Gabrielle frowned and Xena stood up and walked up behind her bard and wrapped her strong arms around her lover as Sasha began banging her spoon in her bowl. Gabrielle grinned at the sight of the little one covered with food.

"Your other little one is calling, my love."

"Ack!" Xena quickly kissed Gabrielle's neck and then bent and scooped up her daughter. "Bath for you!" she grinned and Gabrielle followed.

As they waited for water to heat up for the small tub Xena began removing her little daughter's clothes while Sasha grinned and resisted. "Hey you! Come back here!" Xena said playful, lifting her daughter in the air and getting a delighted squeal from the youngster.

Gabrielle poured water into the wash basin and watched Xena begin the task of bathing Sasha and attempt to keep most of the water in the tub without getting everyone and everything soaked. Gabrielle grinned and then lost her smile.

"Want to talk about it?" Xena asked.

"Why not. You asked me the other day how I felt after a match, after I killed someone," the bard began and the warrior nodded. "I told you I usually threw up and wanted a bath. That wasn't it totally." Gabrielle turned and walked over to the fire and Xena waited for her to continue.

"During the match I was Dancer, nothing existed but the match. The other fighter or fighters. I felt... I felt, alive. Does that make sense?" Gabrielle turned to her warrior.

"Yes," Xena nodded.

"My skills kept me alive. It was like a dance, a deadly dance and I was good at it and my body responded to that. The thought of having just killed someone sickened me but the dance, it made my blood sing." Gabrielle closed her eyes to the admission.

"I understand that," Xena said simply.

"You asked if I felt the need to bed someone or kill someone else after a fight," Gabrielle opened her eyes and they were narrowed. Xena wasn't sure where this was going but the tension in the air was suddenly very thick. She pulled Sasha out of the water and into a warm towel. She moved carefully to a chair by the fireplace to dry the youngster off.

"Yes, it's common after a battle," Xena said carefully.

Gabrielle's jaw clinched and she turned back to the fire.

"Are you still feeling guilty that you turned to Nikki for that?" Xena asked softly.

Gabrielle turned, tears filling her eyes. "You knew?"

"Yes, my love. You would throw up after a match and then find Nikki. A sense of desperation tearing at your soul and body, needing human contact and sexual release, it would hit you like a tidal wave." Xena carefully kept her eye on Sasha, letting the bard absorb the description. When she glanced up Gabrielle's hands were tight fists and her eyes were closed. The struggle evident on her face.

"Let it go, Gabrielle. You're human, I don't blame you for anything that happened while you were gone." Xena spoke softly, beginning to dress Sasha, wishing she could hold Gabrielle right then but unsure if the bard would let her.

With a yell of anger Gabrielle grabbed her cloak and was out the door.

Xena sighed and began rocking her daughter. "Time for a nap, Sasha, while your other mom works off some energy."

Xena sighed as Sasha finally drifted off to sleep. She carefully wrapped a blanket around her little one, grabbed her cloak, and then her sword and went out, following Gabrielle's footprints in the snow to the one room stable.

The warrior wasn't surprised to find the little bard practicing with her sais, her body already bathed in a light sheen of sweat and her breathing was a little heavy. Her eyes flashed as Xena entered the stable and dropped her cloak off her tall shoulders.

Xena carefully placed the sleeping child in the middle of a small haystack, arranging the blankets and hay to make a nest for the little one.

"Go away, please," Gabrielle growled.

"Nope, not this time, little one. You need some practice?" Xena pulled the sword out of its scabbard.

"I don't think this is a good idea," Gabrielle growled again and Xena could see Dancer in the eyes.

"You're used to practicing, why not with me?" Xena approached cautiously, swinging her sword a couple of times around her wrists and then over her other hand, catching it easily in her hand again. Beginning a dance of weapons.

Dancer's eyes narrowed as her body leaned slightly back, taking a defensive position. "Xena, I'm not... I don't..." Gabrielle tried to talk past Dancer's control.

"It's all right, let it go." Xena's experienced eyes sized up her smaller opponent with a nod of approval. Nikki had trained her little mate well, she thought. The small Greek moved like a Dancer, a deadly one. Xena grinned and launched herself forward with a series of sword strikes and found each of them neatly parried or blocked, she quickly twisted away from the blunt end of one of the sais, sliding just past her jawline. Both warriors separated and began circling, each looking for an opening.

Again the warriors met in the center of the room, sword and sais flashing. Xena realized quickly that the bard had been taught to go for crippling moves as soon as possible and barely dodged a heavy blow aimed for her shoulder but didn't avoid a closed fist alongside her eye from the other direction. She quickly reacted with a kick that sent the little bard back several feet.

Xena knew she could take Gabrielle but didn't want to end it just yet. Dancer's eyes were still flashing with the pent up anger of a hundred matches in the Arena and weeks of repeated beatings and rape. She brushed aside a trickle of blood flowing from a cut above her eye. Xena grinned to herself, at least when Hercules pushed her into releasing some of that anger she hadn't been armed. Xena was facing a deadly opponent who was armed. Countering that was the fact that it was Gabrielle, her mate. Xena was counting on Gabrielle coming through and conquering Dancer.

Xena just hoped that she didn't get too injured before Gabrielle won out. Also that she wouldn't have to hurt Gabrielle.

Gabrielle lunged forward and Xena reacted with a parry but found empty space as the gladiator dived forward into a roll and came up under Xena's sword with her sais in the warrior's ribs. Fortunately, Dancer was still in control enough to use the blunt end. Xena stumbled back and instinctively struck out with her free hand, catching Dancer across the jaw and sending the smaller woman stumbling back. Xena held back from rushing to her mate in concern as Dancer spit out blood, touching a split lip.

The Dancer was on her again with a shout and Xena blocked two strikes and found herself holding the gladiator to keep from hurting either of them. She dropped her sword and grabbed Dancer around the ribs and held tight.

"Come back to me, Gabrielle," Xena whispered.

Dancer yelled in anger and bent her legs enough to launch herself back into the warrior, taking both of them to the floor. Xena lost her grip and found herself in a wrestling match with the small woman. The warrior quickly grabbed Gabrielle's foot as the small fighter dived for her sais and yanked the blonde back. Xena growled in her throat as Dancer kicked out with the other foot and caught her in the chest.

Xena was finding herself at a distinct disadvantage. She was holding back and holding back a lot to keep from hurting Gabrielle. Her mate, however, was lost to the Dancer and wasn't holding back much.

Dancer grabbed the sais and Xena decided it was enough. She didn't fight back as the smaller woman tackled her to the floor again and straddled the warrior, a foot on Xena's sword wrist. Xena looked up into Dancer's eyes and the sais held over her throat.

"Gabrielle," she said simply.

Dancer blinked.

"Gabrielle, kiss me."

Xena watched the shift in Gabrielle's eyes from Dancer to bard and the fear start to overwhelm her lover. Gabrielle's foot shifted and Xena gently reached up and removed the sais from her mate's hands. She shifted underneath the smaller woman and pulled Gabrielle down on top of her, pinning the bard against her with her strong arms.

"No, don't run from this. It's part of you now. Kiss me and let that part of you go. I want you, now!" Xena whispered and pulled Gabrielle's head from behind and forced the bard's lips to her own.

Gabrielle resisted a moment and then attacked her lover's lips with a passion that even surprised the former Conqueror. The bard laced her fingers through Xena's hair and her tongue demanded entrance roughly. Xena moaned and obliged, both tongues fighting for dominance in their new exploration of each other. It was as if she was making love to Gabrielle for the first time.

The bard pulled back, sitting back on Xena's legs, breathing heavily. Xena looked up into the heavy lidded eyes.

"I want you now, Gabrielle. I want you to take me, claim me! I want your hand inside of me and your teeth in my neck." Xena sat up as Gabrielle moaned and closed her eyes. "Now!" Xena grabbed Gabrielle's face with her hands and brought the bard's lips back to her own, roughly. She pulled back slightly and let Gabrielle feel Xena's tongue taste the blood from the bard's split lip.

Gabrielle growled and claimed Xena's lips again, pushing the warrior back onto the hay they had landed on. As her mouth was working on bringing more moans out of her warrior, Gabrielle's hands were moving all over Xena's body, sending shocks up and down the warrior's body. The bard's hands grabbed at Xena's tunic and pulled it up with a growl and off of her warrior. Before Xena could move, Gabrielle's teeth grabbed one of her nipples roughly, her hand following suit with the other nipple. Xena cried out and felt her body arching and her loins responding with incredible wetness.

"Yes!" she hissed as Gabrielle's hand began tugging impatiently at the warrior's belt. She claimed Xena's lips again roughly as her hands worked at Xena's belt and trouser drawstring. Xena raised her hips as Gabrielle pulled back and yanked the warrior's trousers down with a growl and then pinned her back to the floor.

Xena wasn't sure if she was seeing Gabrielle or Dancer in the eyes any longer. She moved to grab Gabrielle's tunic and the blonde growled again and grabbed Xena's wrists with one of her strong hands and held the warrior's hands over her head. Xena felt a moment of ... what? Fear, panic? Desire? All of them?

Gabrielle kissed Xena deeply and the warrior could feel the bard's soul reaching out and grabbing her and her body responding as well as her heart. She felt her back arching as the bard's other hand grasped one of her nipples and then the bard started kissing her warrior from her lips to her nipples, first one then the other and back to Xena's lips.

"Please, I need you!" Xena whispered.

Gabrielle let go of Xena's hands but growled when the warrior started to reach for her. The warrior smiled and let the bard continue with her attack upon her body and in a moment her back was arching, she was biting her lips and moaning as Gabrielle bit one of her nipples and a hand went between Xena's legs, discovering how wet the warrior was.

With another growl Gabrielle entered Xena, causing the warrior's hips to buck of their own accord and the warrior to cry out. The dark warrior grabbed fistfuls of hay as her body rocked with the rhythm that her bard was setting and Gabrielle's teeth moved up to her neck, finding the spot that always drove Xena insane. Somewhere in the back of her mind Xena realized that it was her own voice she was hearing crying out, begging the small bard for more and more, her body begging as well.

Xena's consciousness fled as she felt the bard's small fist claim her totally and the teeth threaten to break her skin and claim her blood as well. Everything centered on the rocking sensation and the fingers playing inside of her, threatening to expand the hand inside of her. Xena felt sweat running off her body as her breathing became more and more labored.

Gabrielle moved slowly down along her warrior's body, between Xena's legs, slowly moving her fist inside of her mate, her own eyes heavy with desire. The warrior almost screamed as Gabrielle's other hand found her clit and began massaging the tender and enflamed erotic spot. Xena felt tears falling from behind her closed eyes and her body shaking, hands trembling, opening and closing with the spasms that were wracking the rest of her body.

Gabrielle, feeling the muscles contracting and trembling inside of Xena, increased her speed and bent down to kiss the warrior for a moment and then turned her tongue to her warrior's clit. Time seemed to stop for the warrior as her body and soul rose higher and higher and Gabrielle tried to hold on. Xena couldn't tell how long her body shook and begged and climbed, pinned to her bard. She felt like her soul was only held on Earth by her connection to Gabrielle and the hand filling her and sending her higher.

Xena felt everything go red as a scream was ripped from her body involuntarily, her body taking over totally, giving over to her bard. Wave after wave assaulted her, like being tossed about on waves of a rough sea.

As Xena struggled to breathe again she opened her eyes and found her bard holding her, soothing her, wiping tears away from her warrior's face.

"Oh gods, what was that?" she grinned.

She was pleased to see Gabrielle blushing and reached up to touch her mate's face gently.

"I'm sorry if I was a little rough," Gabrielle said softly.

"Don't apologize, damnit. I knew what I was doing," Xena grinned.

Gabrielle arranged herself next to her warrior, snuggling into Xena's shoulder, sighing with contentment with the familiar comfort.

"You knew?" Gabrielle whispered.

"I've been there, remember?" Xena smiled.

Suddenly Gabrielle was leaning on an elbow and looking deep in Xena's eyes. "You've been there," she repeated. "After a battle or a fight, right?"

"Yes," Xena admitted, feeling the beginning a blush coming to her face.

"Why didn't you turn to me if you were feeling that way?" Gabrielle asked with a frown.

"I was afraid," Xena admitted in a soft voice.

"Of what?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Of hurting you. I was afraid of losing control and hurting you, physically and emotionally. Things can get out of hand when the blood lust hits."

"No kidding, wait till you see your neck," Gabrielle grinned. "Xena," the bard hesitated, looking down at the warrior's hands.

"What, little one?" Xena smiled.

"How's your energy level now?" Gabrielle said boldly, blushing all the same.

"Let me show you." Xena grinned and rolled the bard onto her back.

"Xena," the warrior hesitated, looking deep in green eyes. "Don't be gentle, please."

Xena closed her eyes and moaned, feeling the fire of passion overcome her again. Her energy level hitting a new high. The warrior answered with a moan and quickly began stripping her mate of her clothing. As she reached for Gabrielle she felt a growl leave her throat and heard an answering one from her mate as her hand reached between Gabrielle's legs and she claimed the bard's lips at the same time with her teeth and tongue.

As several fingers entered the bard, Gabrielle bit down hard on Xena's shoulder and her nails dug into as well. Xena, what little conscious thought leaked through her passion fogged mind, reflected that Gabrielle seemed to enjoy those teeth. Left over remnants from being a bacchae?

Xena moaned and roughly added more to her hand and rhythm and bit down on the bard's neck, almost drawing blood herself. Her thumb found the bard's clit and Gabrielle cried out, almost pulling Xena over her own edge again with just the sound.

"Yes! Take me!" Gabrielle growled, tossing her head back in passion.

Xena growled and shifted slightly, causing the bard to whimper when Xena removed her hand from the bard. Xena turned the bard into her and quickly entered Gabrielle from behind and biting down on the bard's neck from behind. Gabrielle cried out, grabbing the hay, hands flailing as if grasping in drowning. Xena pulled back to whisper in her bard's ear.

"I remember the bacchae, my love. This is how I wanted you to take me right then, so badly. Remember how I moaned as you drank from me? I felt your body connect to me right then, I could feel your passion. It wasn't just the blood. I should have taken you right then after that fight."

Gabrielle moaned, arching back into the warrior.

"Xena!" she cried.

"Yes, my love?" Xena smiled, nibbling on the bard's ear, slowing the rhythm of her hand, pulling a frustrated cry from her mate.

"Take me, damnit! Now!" Gabrielle pleaded and then gasped as Xena added more fingers and increased the speed and depth of her thrusts. Gabrielle cried out, almost screaming right then as her body began to shake at Xena's hand. "Gods, yes!" she growled and then did scream as Xena bit her neck again.

Xena felt the bard's body thrashing and bucking, her hips rocking back to meet Xena's fingers, demanding more and more and the warrior moaned, pulling the bard's body close to her, whimpering with the contact of skin to skin and the bard's rising passion.

"Oh gods," she whispered, feeling her own edge approaching again as she took her mate higher and higher until Gabrielle was crying and whimpering, wordlessly begging for release. The bard bit her own lip, opening the fresh wound and tasting her own blood, and suddenly she felt like a lightning bolt went crashing through her. She screamed again.

Xena felt her own body thrusting against the bard, matching Gabrielle's rhythm and then the bard's muscles contracting again and again as the bard screamed her name and curled into a fetal ball in the warrior's arms. Xena cried out with her own release with Gabrielle and then curled around her mate.

"I love you, Xena," the bard whispered

"I love you, Gabrielle," the warrior whispered, using her sword to grab her cloak and spread it over them.

Xena didn't say anything about the scars on her mate's back from lashings of a whip nor about the scar of the gladiator brand on her shoulder. They could handle that later, she thought, nuzzling down into sleep with her love.

When Hercules and Iolaus returned two days later they both raised eyebrows at the sight of the cut above Xena's eye, bruise along her jaw and the bard's cut lip and black eye but said nothing when the women didn't volunteer any information. They also took in the massive bruising at each woman's neck and decided they probably didn't want the details of those bruises.

Xena and Gabrielle also noticed, with smiles, similar bruises on the necks of the Greek warriors.


	8. 08 Ides of March

**Disclaimers:** As usual, I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc etc etc. For the suits and skirts, don't bother suing me, it definitely wouldn't even be worth the court costs.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** The story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender. If this is illegal where you are or bugs you; leave, change your laws and/or open your mind. No graphic sex in this one (everyone's a little busy) check the next part. grin

**Violence:** Gladiatorial games and a rough description of crucifixion. No bad language. Warning! This story gets a little rough for our favorite characters and can be painful to read. It was painful to write.

**Feedback:** Yes! yes! Da! Ja! beg beg All feedback will be responded to (except any homophobic ones - those will be laughed at and thrashed).

**Personal thanks:** to Sam, my beta reader. The magnificent person who listens to me bitch and calms me down when my disk crashes with 20 pages of my work! She also catches my weird sentence structure and dyslexic way of thinking.

To the wonderful web-masters/mistresses and Ex-Guards for demanding more and keeping me working.

To whoever invented WebFerret, it makes research a lot easier!

* * *

Iolaus frowned at the sound of a rider approaching. Xena and Hercules weren't due back from hunting for another day. He put down the bucket of water and pulled off a glove and drew his sword. He waited in the light snow of the territory the Romans called Agri Decumates, Gaul.

The Greek felt his pulse begin racing and his stomach turn over when the rider came into sight, a Roman soldier approaching at a trot. The Roman spotted him between the creek and the cabin and stopped in the clearing surrounding the cabin. The soldier approached the man slowly with his hands up and palms extended.

The Roman's eyebrows raised in surprise when the cabin door opened and a small blond woman stepped out cautiously with a bow and arrow, arrow notched. She was dressed like the blond man facing the Roman with a sword, in a woolen tunic and trousers tucked into fur lined boots.

"Are you the Roman citizen Brie?" The Roman called, stopping in the snow.

Gabrielle cocked her head in puzzlement and stepped further out the door.

"I'm Brie, citizen of Rome," she answered, slightly lowering the arrow while Iolaus moved closer to the cabin.

"I bring a message from Brutus, aide to Julius Caesar," he indicated a message tube in his belt.

Gabrielle lowered the bow and straightened out of her stance. "Then you are welcome once you drop your sword," Iolaus moved to the door with Gabrielle.

The Roman's eyes flashed with anger but he pulled his sword and approached the two cautiously, hilt extended. Iolaus sheathed his own sword and took the Roman's.

Gabrielle moved aside and motioned into the cabin to the Roman who went through the door cautiously.

"I am Corin, Centurion," he said simply.

"I am Brie and this is Ivar of the Northern tribes," Gabrielle responded, indicating Iolaus. She sat down at the table and the Roman joined her. Iolaus took up a position next to the fire, always keeping an eye on the Roman. Gabrielle poured a goblet of ale for the Roman.

"Thank you,"

The cabin was of simple Northern design. One main room with beds against the walls, the main area being around the fireplace. The Roman noticed the small child playing on one of the beds, staring at him with frank curiosity.

Gabrielle opened the wax sealing on the tube and pulled the parchment out and began reading, frowning. She got up and handed the parchment to Iolaus and went to a shelf above one of the beds. Grabbing a piece of parchment, pen and vial of ink she returned to the table and began writing carefully.

She noticed the Roman's surprised look and smiled at him.

"I was trained as a bard,"

"I'm sorry, just surprised. I know of you. Brie the gladiator, the only female to win the wooden sword of freedom in the Arena. My brother was there and wrote me of the match. He said you were astounding," the Roman grinned and Gabrielle felt herself beginning to blush.

"I was fortunate and more skilled that day," she said. "How did you know I was the same Brie, the one that was in Rome,"

"Caesar sent word to the borders that you might return to your people and if you were to return to Roman territory that he wanted to be informed of it. When Brutus sent the message to one Brie of the northern tribes who also is a citizen of Rome, I put two and two together and got you," he grinned.

"Clever, you'll go far,"

Gabrielle rolled the parchment up and placed it in the message tube, lit a candle and sealed the end of the tube once again. She handed the tube to the Roman who stood easily. Iolaus handed him his sword without a word.

Gabrielle opened the door for the soldier.

"Thank you for delivering the message," she said simply.

"Thank you for the ale. By the way, I didn't see you if Caesar should ask," he grinned and mounted his horse easily and turned with a wave, moving down the road.

Iolaus grinned and shook his head. "What is it with you? Everyone you meet suddenly becomes your friend,"

"Don't ask me," his blond friend complained with a smile. "What do you think of the message?"

Iolaus unrolled the parchment and began reading aloud.

"Gabrielle, I hope this finds all of you well and safe. A friend of ours has learned where you and your family are and would like to see you. A reunion at this time probably would not be good so I suggest waiting to see him after the spring snows melt. I know he'll be disappointed if you move north beyond his traveling ability but things will be different in the Spring and I hope all of you can return home in the Spring without worry. Be well, vale. Signed Brutus,"

"Caesar knows where we are and is planning on moving against us," Gabrielle commented, moving back towards the cabin and suddenly grabbed a running toddler as Sasha attempted to rush by her and out the door. She lifted the dark haired child above her head, getting a responsive squeal of delight from the child. The bard swung the child around and jumped into the snow with her mate's daughter, both of them laughing and tickling each other.

"How did Caesar find out?" Iolaus frowned and then grinned, watching his friend and child playing in the snow. Gabrielle shrugged her shoulders and launched a snowball at him, catching him at the chest, sending snow down the front of his tunic.

"Hey! That's cold!" he yelped and began dancing away down the path to the creek to retrieve the water bucket.

When he returned a moment later Gabrielle had Sasha up and moving back inside the cabin to warm up.

"I don't know but he did. Maybe he threatened Brutus once he found out that Brutus actually owned me and knew who I was,"

"Gabrielle, gladiator and citizen of Rome. That still feels weird," he smiled and sat down by the fire and removed his arm from it's sling and began working it back and forth, stretching the almost useless muscles.

"Try being on this side of it," Gabrielle grinned back, pulling Sasha's wet boots off.

"What do we do?"

"What else can we do? We go north and hope that the Spring does bring some changes in Rome," Gabrielle lost her smile. "I want to go home, Iolaus. I was missing for so long, my family must have gone crazy!" The Greeks had moved south at the first sign of Spring in the North, barely getting through the March snow, hoping they would be able to sneak into Greece without Caesar or Ares knowing about it. They all wanted to see their families and their homeland again.

"Over a year without knowing where you were. It drove all of us crazy. Your family, Xena's family, all the Amazons, everyone looking for you. We just didn't think to look in a gladiatorial arena," he teased.

"I certainly didn't choose it!" she managed to smile back but flinched, remembering the various faces of the fighters she had been forced to kill in the Arena. She didn't think she'd ever get used to those memories.

"I wish Herc and Xena would get back. If Caesar thinks Xena is here soldiers are probably already marching," Iolaus complained.

"I know. I don't know if we should stay here and wait for Hercules and Xena or chance moving North and let them catch up with us. I really do not want to fall into Roman hands again,"

"Me either," he whispered, looking at his crippled arm and saw Gabrielle looking at her scarred arms.

"We have Sasha to think about, let's pack," he suggested.

"I agree," Gabrielle quickly began moving about the cabin. She stopped for a moment and looked out the window, hoping against the odds to see her mate and friend riding up. Open clearing and woods met her eyes. "Come on, Xena, time to come back," she whispered, focusing on her mate.

A day later found Iolaus pulling his sword again as Gabrielle grabbed her sais from her boots, standing up on the seat of the wagon and looking back down the road. Iolaus stopped the horses and waited for the bard to give directions, fight or flight.

He was relieved when he saw the bard sigh and put the sais back in their holders and leap from the wagon. "It's them!" she grinned and waited until the two horseback riders approached a couple of hundred yards and then ran to meet her mate, Xena, as the warrior slid from the back of Argo and grabbed the bard into her arms.

"We're fine, Sasha's fine," Gabrielle answered the main questions before Xena could ask them and was rewarded with the warrior's lips.

Hercules grinned, watching from his horse as they kissed and then, after a moment, coughed to break them up. They both grinned and blushed at him.

"Sorry, Herc. Iolaus has missed you terribly," Gabrielle grinned.

"Feeling's mutual," he muttered and moved his horse towards the wagon.

Gabrielle hugged her mate again. "Gods, I hate it when you're gone!" the bard muttered.

"Me too, little one. What's going on? We found the cabin wrecked and signs of a large group of riders on horses. Good thing I knew how to look for your Amazon trail signs,"

"Brutus sent word that Caesar knew where we were," Gabrielle answered as they began walking Argo towards the wagon where Sasha was looking out the back of the wagon, a big grin for her mom.

Xena grinned back and opened her arms as the toddler struggled out of the wagon and ran the few feet to her mom. The warrior lifted her daughter in her arms and hugged the blue eyed child.

"So you got out of there," Xena stated.

"Yes, we thought we'd take a chance on the road rather than be captured by the Romans,"

"I can understand that and I'm glad you did. We were frantic when we saw the cabin and then realized that you had escaped. I couldn't lose you again, Gabrielle," Xena's eyes became pained with the thought of being without her mate again and Gabrielle smiled and hugged both wife and daughter.

Xena watched as Gabrielle climbed back up onto the wagon with a sad smile. So much had changed with her mate. Gabrielle had been gone for over a year, captured by Roman soldiers and sold as a slave. Xena shook her head in amazement once again at what had happened to the bard.

Going from a beaten and raped Roman slave to gladiator in the Arena and winning her freedom with those deadly sais of hers. Just the thoughts of all those men abusing her bard was enough to send Xena into a berserker fury. Gabrielle knew that Xena still had to work a lot of it out of her system and didn't say anything when Xena disappeared into the woods and came back exhausted and her sword needing sharpened. Sai, a dagger like weapon that was absolutely dangerous in the bard's hands. It still amazed Xena at how skilled Gabrielle was with those sais and with most any weapon put in her hands now. The warrior remembered when Gabrielle hated to even pick up a sword, now she was deadly. Watching the bard work out was a revelation, it was like watching a dance, a dance of a deadly animal about to leap on it's prey. Dancer had been an appropriate name, Xena often thought when she watched Gabrielle move now.

And Iolaus, the warrior reflected, taking several sword hits and a good beating trying to save Gabrielle from being taken. Losing the use of his arm and almost all the strength in the hand for it. Over a year of nightmares for all of them but particularly hard on Gabrielle and Iolaus.

It had taken time for the healing to begin, even after Gabrielle had returned to them. Time for Gabrielle to figure out who and what she was and Xena wasn't sure the bard had found all of those answers yet.

The blond was no longer Gabrielle the bard, innocent traveling storyteller and companion of Xena, warrior Princess. She wasn't Brie, Roman slave, either, nor was she Dancer, Roman gladiator and now free Roman citizen. Gabrielle still woke up some nights thrashing and would spend the rest of the night crying in Xena's arms.

Xena grinned at the largest change in her life, Sasha. The small child of her one night with Ares when the God of War had messed with her mind and memories, causing the warrior to forget the last two or so years with Gabrielle. She still cursed that night spent in his arms but not the result. Sasha was a delight to her moms and her adopted dads/uncles - Hercules and Iolaus.

Xena secretly thanked the gods for Gabrielle's acceptance of Sasha. The warrior knew she had been fortunate. The bard had been upset, of course, Xena was upset about the circumstances, but the bard had put that aside and accepted Sasha as her own. Having raised Sasha for the first few months without Gabrielle had been hard and Xena had been worried that Gabrielle might not bound with the child but that had happened faster than Gabrielle had gotten comfortable with her own self.

Sasha grinned back and began chatting with her mom as the warrior rode alongside the wagon, Gabrielle guiding the horses.

Gabrielle yelped and Xena pulled her sword in reflex as a bright light filled the road in front of them. Gabrielle attempted to slow her heart rate down as she looked at Artemis standing in the middle of the road where nothing had been a moment before.

"Artemis?" she asked, eyebrows raised.

"Yes, Gabrielle. I'm sorry to just drop in but its important," the goddess answered.

Xena noticed the tense look and blood on the goddess' hunting leathers.

"What is it? How did you find us?" the warrior asked.

Artemis smiled slightly. "Some of us have been keeping an eye on you and keeping Ares from finding you. Now I need your help,"

"What it is? What's wrong, Artemis?" Hercules asked.

"Gabrielle," the goddess choked and Xena jumped off Argo and moved next to the wagon, closer to her mate. "The Amazons and Centaurs were attacked by the Romans. The survivors are with the northern Province Amazons in Belgica and need you," Artemis lowered her eyes.

Gabrielle felt her head beginning to spin as a roaring filled her ears. She wasn't aware of Xena jumping onto the wagon and grabbing her, holding her up.

"The Centaurs, did any of them and their families get out?" Xena questioned urgently.

"Some of them made it out with the Amazons," Artemis answered.

"Ephiny? Solari? Eponi?" Gabrielle whispered, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks. Xena tightened her hold on the bard, feeling her own heart breaking.

"I can't say who. The Romans are planning on attacking the northern Amazons next. Caesar knows that they can't move north in the winter snow and have no allies left in the Roman territories. He plans on wiping them out and dragging the two of you back to Greece," Artemis answered.

"Caesar will have traps waiting for us every ten miles between here and there," Iolaus complained.

"Yes, that's why you're not going that way," Artemis said through gritted teeth. "If you agree to help,"

Gabrielle turned to look in her mate's eyes.

"You could stay here with Sasha and keep her safe," Gabrielle suggested.

"No way, little one. I was without you for over a year, we're not going to be separated again," Xena insisted.

"What about Sasha, we can't take her into the middle of a war?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Look, I'll be back in a candlemark, I don't want to attract Ares' attention," Artemis said and was gone with a flash.

The four adults looked from one to the other for answers with frowns.

"I have a suggestion," Hercules muttered, not looking at any of them.

"Yes?" Xena urged.

"Have Artemis take Iolaus and Sasha to Eddvar's steading up north and we go to help the Amazons," he said simply.

"I'm not leaving you, big guy!" Iolaus protested and Xena frowned.

"Gods, this is not easy!" Xena complained. "I lost Solan for so long because I sent him away and was trying to protect him. I can't take Sasha into the middle of a fight and I can't stay with her. I have to know what happened to Solan!"

"I can still fight and sit a horse!" Iolaus protested.

"No, my friend. Not in a battle. Someone has to keep Sasha safe and you're the best one for the job now. Eddval, Axel and the family will protect both of you to the death if need be," Hercules said softly, ruffling Iolaus' hair and the blond dropped his head, acknowledging the logic, Iolaus knew that Hercules was right about their adopted Germanic family. The Northerners considered the Greeks family and had welcomed them warmly and would go into a blood feud for any of them.

"Oh gods," Xena muttered.

Gabrielle sat watching the ground in front of the wagon while the others debated and discussed. Her Amazons? Survivors? That meant a large number must be dead or captured. Her friends, her family. The bard snapped up her head.

"Artemis!" she called, surprising the arguing Hercules, Xena and Iolaus into silence. The Goddess of the Hunt appeared instantly. "How many did the Romans capture?" she demanded. Artemis dropped her head and refused to answer. "How many?" Gabrielle demanded again and the bard felt Xena stiffen beside her.

"Twenty, including Ephiny," the goddess said quietly.

"Gabrielle," Xena began, a warning in her voice.

"Don't even think of stopping me on this one, my love," Gabrielle countered.

"I'm not going to let you do this," Xena growled.

"Do what?" Iolaus asked. Then he began frowning. "Exchange yourself? No way! No!" he shouted at Gabrielle.

Xena saw that familiar clenching of the bard's jaw and shook her head. "No, Caesar will just kill you and the prisoners," Xena continued to protest.

"No, he won't," Gabrielle said simply.

"Why wouldn't he? He can't be trusted!" Xena insisted.

"Because, my warrior, you're going to kill him,"

"What?" several voices questioned at once.

"Artemis will take us to Rome where I'll exchange myself as Amazon Queen for my tribe. She'll take Hercules to the Northern tribe where he will help fight the Romans off until we have a treaty with Caesar to leave Roman territory. Iolaus will take Sasha to the north and, with the money I won in the Games, will buy a good chunk of the most wild forest he can find from the tribes and Hercules will move the Amazons and Centaurs north, away from the Romans," Gabrielle stated evenly.

The other three Greeks and goddess frowned.

"You've always been against killing," Xena frowned.

"I've had to re-evaluate that the last couple of years. He threatens you, Sasha, Iolaus and Hercules and now he attacks my Amazons and the Centaurs, including Solan. No, this war has expanded far enough,"

"Damnit!" Xena cursed, unable to find any other plan that had a chance of working. "Caesar won't sign a treaty if he already has you,"

"We'll send word that he may have some of the Amazons but that the survivors have joined up with another group, are dug in securely and the Queen is willing to negotiate the release of the prisoners. He'll deal because he can figure to make a public spectacle of my death and then go in and wipe out the Amazons anyway," Gabrielle reasoned.

"I can't let you do it!" Xena protested again. "If something went wrong, you'd still end up dead,"

"I know that but we can't just walk away either. If we make a stand with the Amazons now everyone will die, including Solan. The Amazons can't fight Rome anymore. You know that, Artemis,"

"Yes, I was hoping you'd plan this,"

"Gods, keeping their plans to themselves except when they need help," Xena muttered.

"Can you get us to Rome, Hercules to the Northern Amazons and Iolaus with Sasha to Axel?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes," Artemis asked.

"Don't you gods lose power outside of your territories?" Xena muttered, unhappy with the situation.

"Sometimes, some of us Greeks get along with the Northern gods very well. You should see Othinn on a Wild Hunt. He's not bad for a male and he likes you," Artemis grinned.

"Terrific," Xena muttered and then turned to the demi-god son of Zeus, "Hercules," Xena pleaded.

"I can't think of a better plan right now either," he muttered.

"Oh gods. Sasha, come here, my little one," Xena turned and grabbed her daughter from the back of the wagon, tears threatening to spill over her eyes.

Gabrielle bit her lip and jumped down from the wagon, grabbing two sets of travel bags, and walked over to Artemis while Hercules said his good-byes to Iolaus and Xena tried to explain to her toddler that she was going to be gone for a little bit but would be back as fast as possible. Gabrielle looked over to Artemis with a silent prayer that they all made it back, but especially Xena.

"After this is over, you'll take her to Sasha and not make her travel over land?" Gabrielle whispered.

"Yes, my word on it. Gabrielle, I don't want you going into this planning on dying. I want you alive!" the goddess hissed at her favorite.

"So do I, goddess. Caesar won't kill me easily," the bard promised.

"Good! Stall for time with Caesar, politics are boiling over in Rome and the ice is melting under that pot," Artemis advised.

Xena jumped down from the wagon and carried Sasha over to her mate and goddess and the two Greek men joined them. Gabrielle ran back to the wagon and led Argo over to the small group and hugged Sasha before handing the small child to her uncle Iolaus, trying not to let the child see her tears.

"Let's get this over with," Xena growled.

In a flash Artemis was gone with Iolaus and Sasha. Xena blinked, trying to fight back tears as Gabrielle reached out and held her hand.

"I'm sorry, Xena. You should have stayed with her,"

"No, not if you're going to do this. According to your plan I'm the only one who can get you out," Xena smiled grimly.

"You always do,"

Xena ground her teeth, trying not to remind the bard that Xena hadn't been able to find or rescue Gabrielle for over a year and a half while the bard suffered whippings, beatings, rapes and fighting as a gladiator. Xena wasn't feeling as confident in her abilities to protect her mate as she once did.

Artemis appeared again and disappeared with Hercules.

"Gods, that is so weird!" Gabrielle complained as they waited. "What about the horses and our stuff?"

Gabrielle turned and found the wagon and belongings gone.

"What?"

"They disappeared with Iolaus and Sasha," Xena grinned.

"Gods, I hate how they can do stuff like that!"

Xena managed to laugh. "If you ever claim your immortality as the daughter of Apollo, who knows what you could do," Xena teased.

"Oh, I am not thinking about that! I don't want that kind of power, thanks!"

"Why not?" Xena asked casually. "You could just zap the Amazons to safety and kill Caesar,"

Gabrielle frowned. "No one should have that much power, not even the Gods. Look what it does to them. Ares is a pain in the neck, causing all kinds of strife just for his amusement, Aphrodite has been known to cause absolute havoc in people's lives and my own father goes around having numerous affairs with women because he can get away with it,"

Xena grinned, "That's my love. Just checking,"

Gabrielle punched her lover on the arm with an amused smile.

"Seriously, little one. This isn't going to be easy," Xena lost her smile.

"When is it easy?" Gabrielle countered as Artemis appeared before them.

"Where to, my Chosen?"

"Just outside of Brutus' apartment. Xena, pull up your hood,"

Xena was impressed, moving through the streets of Rome after dark could be trickery but Gabrielle was silent as a cat and blended with the shadows almost as well as the Warrior Princess. They had waited in an inn until after dark and then slipped out their window into the streets towards Brutus' apartment. Xena had made some discrete inquiries and had found that Brutus and Caesar were in Rome and that the Amazons were scheduled for execution on the Ides of March. Two days away.

Xena quickly scaled a wall and leaned an arm down to her mate and was further impressed with Gabrielle joined her at the top without a sound. The warrior moved along the wall quickly and jumped up onto the balcony of what Gabrielle had pointed out to be Brutus' bedroom. At Xena's hand signal the bard followed and drew out her sais quietly, watching the street and alley below while the warrior slowly opened the doors and crept in.

After a moment, Gabrielle heard a low whistle and slipped in through the doors and shut them behind her.

"Strike a light," she heard Xena whisper and quickly lit the candle she had in her pouch and found a lamp on a small table by the balcony doors. When her eyes focused in the light she could see Xena straddling Brutus with her dagger at his throat.

"Xena! Gabrielle! Are you out of your minds!" he demanded in a low voice.

"Maybe," Xena agreed with a grin and pulled the dagger back slightly. Reaching under his pillow she pulled out a long and sharp dagger and tossed it to the bard, who caught it easily. Xena sat back on her haunches, pinning the Roman to the bed.

"Why didn't you go North? Caesar will have you both on a cross!" Brutus demanded, attempting to sit up but not having much success. He settled for leaning on his elbows.

"You have my family members," Gabrielle answered.

"Oh gods, I hoped you'd have gotten far enough north before you heard," he muttered.

"Where are they, Brutus?" Xena asked.

"In Caesar's dungeons and no one gets in to see them, not even me,"

"Any chance of getting them out?" Gabrielle asked her mate.

"No, we might be able to trick one or two people out of there but not that many. Damnit, Brutus! You knew the Amazons are our family!" Xena hissed.

"Yes, I know that! Do you think I had a choice? It was either that or my son on a cross for letting Gabrielle go!" he growled back.

"No," the bard whispered and Xena was up and by her mate's side in a flash.

"This isn't your fault, Gabrielle. It's Caesar's!"

"Xena is right, Gabrielle," Brutus agreed, sitting up in his bed. "It's Caesar,"

"Well, we've got two days to stop him," Xena smiled a smile that sent chills down the spine of the Roman and then she frowned as he shook his head.

"No, he moved the execution of the Amazons to day next,"

"What? What about the Ides of March?" Xena demanded.

"He's making a special announcement in the Senate. One he says will rock the world," Brutus said bitterly.

"He wouldn't dare," Xena whispered.

"Yes, he would," Brutus nodded his head and Gabrielle went pale.

"He's going to declare himself King or Emperor?" she asked.

"Yes,"

"Rome won't let him," Xena frowned.

"The Senate won't let him," Brutus matched her frown. He wrapped a sheet around his body and walked over to the two women and gently took the dagger away from Gabrielle's hands. "I need that for the Ides of March,"

"Brutus, you?" Xena asked, sitting down at a small table as the Roman gestured to a chair, Gabrielle sat between them. "He's your friend,"

"You once asked if Caesar had any friends. I didn't want to face that question right then but I have to now. I think he's planning on killing me and Octavian and naming the child he has with Cleopatra as his heir after proclaiming himself Emperor. I'm supposed to go back to Britannia but he's chosen my escort for me and there's only enough supplies packed for a one week trip,"

"Not a good sign," Gabrielle agreed.

"They'll kill you, Brutus," Xena said.

"No, I'm not the only one. There will be many of us. The trick will be getting Marc Anthony to listen to reason before he starts using that sword of his. If we can keep him calm, we'll live," Brutus said simply.

"What do we do about the Amazons?" Gabrielle demanded and Brutus shook his head.

"I don't know. With the announcement coming up, Caesar isn't about to postpone or stop the execution. He needs the spirits of the Roman citizens soaring and nothing does that like a good day at the Games. He knows the Amazons are amazing fighters and plans on having several bouts with them before crucifying them," Brutus explained.

"Crucify?" Xena whispered and Gabrielle fought back tears.

"Yes, either that or burn them as torches in the Arena,"

Gabrielle fought back from losing dinner at the thought of Ephiny and her other Amazons on fire.

Xena reached out and held the bard's hand reassuringly.

"Xena," Gabrielle looked into her mate's blue eyes and saw pain.

"No, Gabrielle. We'll find a way,"

"Can you think of one?" she whispered.

"What?" Brutus frowned.

"Gabrielle, no, please," Xena whispered but the bard closed her eyes and pulled her hand away from her mate and reached into her pouch. She handed the Roman a message tube, her jaw clinched.

"Take that to Caesar at first light and send a messenger back here with his response," she told Brutus.

"What is it?"

"My offer of a treaty with Rome as Queen of the Amazons. If Caesar agrees the remaining Amazons and Centaurs will leave Roman territory for the northern woods where, hopefully, they'll never be seen by a Roman again. It also offers a political exchange of prisoners," she explained.

"Who would you exchange for the Amazons?"

"Myself,"

Brutus stood up in shock and quickly grabbed at his sheet, blushing as he tried to retain his dignity of being nude under the sheet. "No! I won't let you! Xena, you can't let her!"

"I don't have a choice, Brutus. We can't let our friends die,"

"What's the rest of the plan?" he suddenly demanded and Xena's eyes narrowed.

"What do you mean?" she asked.

"Don't try and toss me around, Xena. Neither of you would come here without a solution, a way out. How can I help? What is it?"

"I'm going to kill Caesar myself and Gabrielle won't have to exchange herself,"

Brutus shook his head. "I don't think it'll work. If only we could delay the executions until after the Senate meeting, then all of it would be ended. The Senate would gladly accept the treaty terms if they can claim the land and the Amazons leave,"

"When would the executions take place?" Gabrielle asked, frowning in thought.

Xena's eyes narrowed again.

"Depending on the fights, right near sunset," Brutus answered, getting up and pouring wine for all of them, still trying to keep his sheet around him.

"How long can someone last on a cross?" she asked, not meeting Xena's eyes.

"Depends on if he has them nailed to the wood and how badly they're flogged before,"

Xena's fists clenched tightly together. "Gabrielle," she warned with a growl.

"How long?" Gabrielle asked again, ignoring her mate.

"A day or longer, depending on how strong the person is," Brutus answered with a puzzled look.

"Long enough to survive past the Senate meeting and Caesar's end?" she asked.

"Gabrielle," Xena growled again and Brutus went pale.

"No! I mean, yes, it's possible, but not for you!" again he jumped to his feet and began pacing. "That would mean being on a cross from dusk to probably noonday," he protested.

"You're not going in there! We can save the Amazons after Caesar's gone, they're strong enough to last that long," Xena argued with the bard, knowing what was going through her mate's mind.

"We don't know that. Most of them are probably wounded and many more will die in the Arena before the cross. They're tired, hungry, wounded and beaten and saw their families, friends and lovers killed. They won't last and you know it," Gabrielle argued back, the jaw taking on that familiar stubborn set.

"Gabrielle, you don't know what it's like," Xena whispered, tears in her eyes.

"No, I don't but I've been in the Arena and I can hold my own in a fight in there. I'm also strong and, as you've said, my love - I'm stubborn," Gabrielle attempted to smile.

"I was crucified in the field, it's different in an execution. Brutus, tell her,"

"No," the Roman whispered, turning pale.

"Tell her, damnit! Describe it for her!" Xena hissed.

The Roman sat back in his chair and closed his eyes. "The prisoner is taken to a post, his hands chained above him and his clothing ripped down the back. He is then flogged with a whip that has small iron balls on the ends of the strands. It causes massive welts with the first few strikes. The next strikes rip the skin open and continue until the skin is hanging in ribbons. Then the prisoner is dragged to the patibulum, the cross beam of the cross and tied to it. Then 7 inch spikes are driven through the wrists of the prisoner, causing intense pain through the arm. If the prisoner is lucky and the executioner good, the bones can be missed in the wrists,"

Brutus took a drink of his wine, beginning to sweat in the cold night air.

"Then the cross beam is attached to the stipes, the upright beam, and the legs are twisted around the cross so that the ankles are against the sides. Uncomfortable and painful. The executioner then takes a small piece of board and places it over the ankle and drives another spike through each ankle,"

Gabrielle fought to control her stomach.

"Because of the position, the prisoner must raise themselves up to be able to breath. Eventually they can't do it any longer and the lungs begin to fill with liquid. The body is starved of oxygen and the heart begins to fight. A strong fighter can last for two to four days, depending on how much blood they lose during the flogging. Eventually the body stops breathing. Its painful and drawn out,"

"You can't face that, little one," Xena whispered. "No one can willingly,"

"Tell me how to save Ephiny and the others," Gabrielle said simply.

Xena growled, jumping to her feet and beginning pacing. Brutus looked helpless, unable to think of anything different as well.

"All right, but only if I don't come back tonight," Xena bargained with her lifebond.

"Where are you going, never mind, I know where you're going," Gabrielle also stood up and grabbed her mate in a tight hug.

"Xena, I don't like this. Caesar knows you'll come for the Amazons," Brutus protested.

"I know but I have to try. If I can kill him tonight then Gabrielle won't have to even think about exchanging herself and you can get the Senate to agree to the treaty and release the Amazon prisoners," She slipped her dagger back into her belt. "Besides, that would remove the blood from your hands and those of the Senate,"

Brutus blushed profusely.

"If you don't come back?" Gabrielle whispered, holding Xena closely.

"I'll either be dead or waiting in a cell for you to show up to join me," Xena slipped off her bonding bracelet and left it on the table while Gabrielle wasn't watching. The warrior knew if she were captured she'd lose it.

"You won't be alone," the bard whispered and kissed her tall warrior.

"I love you," before the bard could respond the warrior was out the door and over the balcony.

"Gods, she's amazing," Brutus muttered.

"Yes, she is," Gabrielle agreed. "She's only got a couple of hours to get in and get out,"

"What do we do?"

"Wait until after dawn, either she'll have succeeded or you'll have word of her,"

"Oh gods, I hate waiting," Brutus complained.

"Well, you might pass the time by getting dressed," Gabrielle suggested with a smile.

Brutus looked down at the sheet he was still tightly holding and blushed again. "I'll be right back," he muttered, grabbing a clothes off a chair and heading for a dressing screen.

Gabrielle spotted the bracelet and fought back tears.

Gabrielle couldn't believe that she had actually fallen asleep as she blinked rapidly, standing in Brutus' bedroom with her sais in hand in a defensive stance. The pounding on the outer door continued and she heard movement in the other room and went to the door of the sleeping room. She saw Brutus crossing the marbled floors, dagger drawn to the main door. Gabrielle couldn't hear or see who it was.

After a moment the Roman nodded and turned towards the bedroom. Seeing Gabrielle at the door he motioned her into the room. She walked out of the bedroom cautiously.

"I've given the servants the day off," he explained as he sat down on a sofa.

"What is it?" she whispered as she saw his expression and he ducked his eyes. "He has her?"

"Yes, they were waiting for her or you. Fortunately, he doesn't seem to know about the other plan. Maybe that'll work to our advantage, he won't be looking for assassins in the Senate now that he has Xena," Brutus said thoughtfully.

"And me," Gabrielle whispered.

"No, I won't let you do it!" he argued again.

"Do it, Brutus! It's the only way I can save her and my Amazons!"

"Damnit! If this doesn't work I'm pulling you off that cross myself!" he promised as he stormed out the door, grabbing the message tube with him.

Gabrielle let the tears begin to fall silently as she took off her bonding bracelet and placed it next to Xena's. Then she placed her sais with them. Either Brutus would get them back to her or she wouldn't need them.

Xena growled and threw her head backwards, hitting a Roman guard in the nose and was most satisfied when she heard the crunch under her skull. He yelped and the three other guards dragging her along grabbed on even tighter and the one with the broken nose punched her in the small of the back three times. Xena gritted her teeth and continued the struggle with a yell.

The warrior saw red filling her world when she heard Caesar laughing behind her as his guards tried to drag her down the stairs of the dungeon. She almost shook off her guards when one had enough and crashed his fist along Xena's jaw, stunning her.

When her head cleared she was chained to a wall at her wrists and feet. She stood up to relieve the pressure on her wrists and looked at Caesar standing in front of her. She growled at his smug look.

"Xena, you never learn,"

"How did you know?" she asked.

"You have one obsession in your life and that's me. Once I captured the Amazons I knew that would draw you out if I couldn't find that little bard of yours. I was right. Rest up, Xena. Tomorrow you go into the Arena and you won't be coming out,"

"Don't bet on it, Caesar," she hissed and the Roman laughed and continued laughing as he left the cell area.

Xena looked around and wasn't surprised to see a large number of Amazons in cells, chained to walls and chained to the pillars. It hurt her to see so many of them wounded and there at all.

"Ephiny?" she called out and saw movement at one of the cells. The Amazon Queen moved to the front of the bars and Xena growled at the sight of her broken arm.

"Xena? What in Tartarus are you doing here?" she demanded. Xena, looking around realized a large number of familiar faces were missing. She prayed they had made it out and weren't dead.

"Do they know who you are?" the warrior asked, ignoring the question.

"No. Why?"

"Because your Queen has an idea that might get all of us out of here, at least the Amazons," Xena grinned around the bruised jaw.

"What's she doing here!" Ephiny demanded, face turning red with anger.

"She's safe for now. Tell me something first,"

"What?"

"Were there any prisoners in here when you were brought in?" Xena asked, looking around at the other women.

"Yes, one man in for stealing, why?"

"Where is he?" the warrior asked.

"In this cell with us," another Amazon answered.

"How does he smell?"

"What?" Ephiny asked and then her eyes narrowed as well. "He doesn't," she growled and grabbed one of the Amazons. Xena watched as the Amazon unlaced her boot and wrapped the lace around her hands and moved among the women crowding the cell. After a few minutes Ephiny nodded to the warrior.

"It's something I used to do in my Conqueror days," Xena explained with a shrug.

"How did you get here?" Ephiny demanded.

"I tried to kill Caesar but he was expecting me,"

"Gods, will nothing stop that man?" Ephiny growled.

"If we don't then there is someone who might," Xena said grimly.

Four candlemarks later soldiers began filing into the cell area and the jailer began unlocking manacles. The soldiers lined up the Amazons against a wall with their swords drawn. Caesar walked into the room with a frown.

"All right, listen up, barbarians. You will be escorted to the gates of Rome where you will find horses waiting for you. You will have three hours to get out of my sight," he yelled.

Ephiny stepped out of the open cell door and approached him cautiously, holding her arm.

"What's going on?" she demanded.

"Seems someone more valuable than all of you wishes to exchange themselves for you. The Senate agreed, even if I didn't. Marc Anthony will see to your safe passage," Caesar growled.

"It's a trick," Ephiny protested.

"No it's not, Ephiny. Go and get the Amazons to your northern sisters in Belgica," Xena urged.

"Who would trade themselves for us?" Ephiny demanded.

"I would," a voice caught her attention and Ephiny looked at the door at the top of the stairs and almost went to her knees.

"No!" she yelled and was grabbed by two Roman soldiers.

Gabrielle walked down the stairs slowly and over to Caesar.

"I have his word and the word of the Senate that you'll be given safe passage out of the city and out of Roman territory. Head straight for Aeolia's tribe, you'll find help there," Gabrielle ordered.

"I can't let you do this!" Ephiny protested and looked to Xena for support.

"It's done, Ephiny," Xena said simply.

"No, you both can't sacrifice yourselves! No!" Ephiny screamed.

"Get them out of here!" Caesar ordered and the soldiers began herding a protesting number of Amazons up the stairs.

"Go, please. I order it as Amazon royalty. Don't come back for a rescue either," Gabrielle ordered. Ephiny was still cursing and fighting as they closed the jail door.

Caesar turned to Gabrielle and began circling her, looking her up and down.

"Nice trick the Fates pulled on me, wasn't it?" he asked with a grin.

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked, keeping her eyes on Xena.

"I recognize you, Dancer," Caesar hissed in her ear. "I had all of the Empire looking for you and you were in my own slave quarters. Amazing,"

"Now what?" she asked.

"You spend the night in one of these comfortable cells and tomorrow I'm going to send you back into the Arena, both of you. If you live until the afternoon, I'm going to have you crucified. How's that sound?" he grinned.

"Not particularly amusing but I'll take it as long as you keep your word to the Senate about the Amazons," Gabrielle stated easily.

"You know, the Amazon bitch was right, you shouldn't have sacrificed yourself for them, either of you. Xena, you amaze me, actually," he commented as he approached the warrior, his hand to his mouth in pretend thought. "The Xena I knew wouldn't have hesitated to sacrifice all of them,"

"You don't know me, Caesar," Xena growled.

"You're right, I couldn't believe the stories of you being reformed were true. Tell me, did you conqueror her in bed or did she conqueror you there as well?"

Neither woman answered him nor looked at him. Caesar laughed. "Look where you are, Xena, and tell me I don't know you now. She must be amazing for you to sacrifice yourself like this,"

"She is," Xena agreed simply.

"Tell me, Dancer, which would you prefer," he leaned into her neck again and Gabrielle resisted drawing away. "A night with me and a return to the Games or ending up on a cross with your lover?"

"Gabrielle, take it," Xena urged.

"No, I won't leave you and a cross would be much better than a night with him," Gabrielle hissed and Caesar merely kept grinning.

"You might change your mind during the flogging. Ever see a Roman flogging? I would hate to see that beautiful, lightly scarred back of yours hanging in bloody tatters,"

Gabrielle attempted to keep from showing her fear and anger.

"I've seen you fight, I wonder if you'll die as well. Ever hear the most hardened criminal beg as the spikes are being driven into their ankle bones? It's amusing,"

"You'll not hear me beg," Gabrielle promised with a hiss.

"No? I'll guarantee you that I'll hear you scream," he countered with a promise.

A guard approached at Caesar's hand signal. "Put her in the cell opposite of the warrior bitch. They can look but not touch, eh?"

The guard shoved Gabrielle into the cell Ephiny had been in and then hesitated to close the cell door. Caesar noticed. "What is it?"

"The prisoner, Caesar,"

Caesar approached and Gabrielle moved to the far end of the cell, letting Caesar and the guard enter. The guard drew his sword and kept it trained on Gabrielle while Caesar bent over and examined the male prisoner laying on the straw. He loudly began cursing and turned to Xena, face an angry red.

"What?" he demanded.

Xena shrugged with a smile. "Don't look at me, I was over here the whole time,"

Caesar cursed again and walked out of the cell. "Drag him out of there and leave the body here to keep our ladies company," he ordered.

Gabrielle leaned against the bars as the jail door slammed shut.

"Hey, lover,"

Xena frowned at her and then smiled. "Hey, couldn't stay away, huh?"

"No, never. We'll face everything together,"

"Oh how so sickeningly touching!" a male voice sneered and Ares appeared between the two women.

Xena sighed, looking at the War God with a frustrated look.

"Can't I go through the last hours of my life without dealing with you?" she demanded.

Ares smirked back. "What in the name of the Gods are you doing here?" he demanded.

"Getting ready to fight?" she asked with an innocent smile.

"Why did you leave Greece for two years?"

"I wanted to travel,"

"Without Miss Blond and Irritating over there? Don't give me that. Do you know where I found her and what she was doing?" he asked with a grin, pleased when Gabrielle began blushing.

"Yes, I do. She was a slave in a gladiator school and sleeping with her female trainer," Xena answered in an even voice and was pleased when Ares frowned, obviously disappointed.

"Ares, what do you want?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Oh, he wants the usual. He'll get me out of here if I come back to him, right?" Xena answered.

"Right. I'll even throw in Gabrielle in the package. I've seen her fight, she's good. She could be as good as you with a little help," he grinned.

"No deal, Ares. Leave us alone," Xena answered.

"You know," he whispered, moving in close to her body, grinning when she couldn't move away from him. She growled a warning growl as he began to nibble on her neck. "you look absolutely," his hand slid up between her legs as she struggled in the chains. "ravishing,"

A string of curses from a cell across the room made him smile. He grinned and grabbed Xena's jaw and kissed her, forcing his tongue past her lips and then pulled back laughing as she spit at him, eyes flashing bright blue with anger.

"Hey, always been a fantasy of mine," he grinned and was gone.

"Arrrggghhhh!" Xena yelled, spitting after him.

"I could kill him!" Gabrielle muttered.

"Stand in line!" Xena snapped. "I'd better have a chance to kiss you tomorrow, I refuse to die with him on my lips!"

"We're not going to die!" Gabrielle snapped back.

"The odds of surviving that long on a cross are not good, little one,"

"As long as you're with me," Gabrielle whispered, shaking the cell door.

"I told you that you wouldn't go to that cross alone,"

"Oh gods, okay, I admit it, I'm scared," Gabrielle sat down, leaning against the bars.

"Me too," Xena said quietly back to her mate.

"What happens in the Arena?" Xena asked in the darkness.

"They'll come for us in a little bit. Chain us, blindfold us and take us by wagon to the Arena and put us in cells down below. We might be given the chance at some light leather armor and a small breakfast. Then you'll feel the heat of the place, it's like someone pressing on your chest. Then the roar, that feels like someone pounds on your chest. You can feel the energy and hear the animals, they sense it also in another part of the underground,"

"I wish I could touch you," Xena complained.

"So do I, my love. More than life itself right now,"

"Any tips for the Arena," Xena grinned in the dark, knowing Gabrielle could sense it.

"Yup, don't play fair,"

"I think I can handle that one. Can you?" Xena asked with a frown, knowing that killing without emotion in the Arena was one of the things that caused Gabrielle nightmares. Now she was back in the same position again.

"I don't think I have a choice," the bard answered with a touch of anger in her voice. "I just pray Caesar kept his word and Ephiny and the others are safe,"

"Me too, and Hercules, the northern Amazons, Iolaus and Sasha and everyone else,"

"That saving the world thing again," Gabrielle smiled in the dark and felt her heart skip a beat as a key unlocked the upper door. "Oh gods," she whispered. "See us through this,"

Xena frowned as Gabrielle slipped on the light leather tunic and began lacing it up. They had been held below the Arena for hours while other fights had raged on. The bard had been right, the roar of the crowd was like a physical blow to the chest, especially when things got bloody. Xena had seen a number of fighters carried in on litters towards the hospice, most to die in agony or have limbs amputated. Many fighters didn't come back.

Unlike soldiers facing a battle, these fighters kept quiet and to themselves as they waited chained to the wall or benches. Xena noticed that the guards didn't look at the prisoner's faces a lot either. Gabrielle explained that these were the prisoner fighters, they were meant to die in the Arena. On the other side were the fighters from schools and professionals. On that side of the Arena there would be laughter and last minute betting among themselves and the guards.

On this side hope was in short supply.

Xena had been pleased that she and the bard had been chained next to each other, they could at least hold each other and comfort each other a little as the time dragged on. As it got closer to the afternoon and a simple meal of stew and bread with water was brought in Gabrielle got quiet. When the last of the fighters left the holding area the guards unlocked their chains and motioned to the stack of armor and the bard quickly moved to find a leather tunic that fit. Xena followed her bard's example.

"When do we get weapons?" Xena asked.

"We don't," Gabrielle answered simply.

"What?"

"We're enemies of Rome. We go into the Arena without weapons,"

"Then we'd better finish the first fight quick and grab their weapons and shields,"

Xena drew the bard into her arms and felt Gabrielle relax and hug her back. "I love you, little one,"

"I love you too, Xena,"

The bard broke the contact at the sound of the crowd roaring. Xena frowned as she noticed the change in Gabrielle's eyes and shift in the way the bard held her body. The ex-warlord realized that she was looking at Dancer, dangerous gladiator.

The sound of the doors opening caused a shift in the warrior as well as her blood began humming and her pulse started racing.

After five rounds of fighting Xena and Gabrielle leaned on their swords, breathing heavily. Gabrielle went down on one knee, catching her breath. They had fought at least ten men and they were all dead. The bard wiped her bloody hand on her skirt and dried the hilt of her sword with the hem.

Xena placed her hand on the bard's shoulder as the slaves removed the bodies of their most recent kills. Both warriors ignored the roaring and impatient crowd and both glanced at Caesar at the same time. The leader was lounging on his sofa, grinning at the two women. He tossed a grape up into the air and caught it in his mouth easily. The Roman raised his goblet in a mock toast.

"He's too cheerful," Gabrielle complained.

"Yup, he's got something planned. He doesn't want us to die in a fight, he'll want to humiliate us and make us suffer with the execution. This can't go on much longer,"

"If we drag out the fight we get tired and might make a mistake, if we finish them off quickly he'll just send more in," Gabrielle stood up and gauged the movement of time by the sun. Still too long till sunset.

"Don't rush it, Gabrielle. Brutus might be able to get most of the senators to agree to the treaty around Caesar before tomorrow's session,"

"Most of them are here, Xena. It's a long shot. Gods, it's cold for Rome!" she complained.

"Here come some more," Xena muttered as the doors opened.

The warrior bard and Warrior Princess made a good team in the Arena, everyone had to admit who saw the matches that day. When facing heavily armored opponents they worked as a team, dodging under heavy sword swings to dance in and strike enough blows to tire the fighter out until a fatal blow could be struck. Like wolves stalking a reindeer.

When fighting lightly armored opponents they fought back to back, protecting each other and not giving the other fighters any opportunity at a blind side or weak opening.

Time seemed to drag on for the fighters and the body count rose by the end of another four matches. The total of fights unheard of in the Arena, especially by two women warriors.

Xena held a hand against a light sword wound along her ribs and Gabrielle sank to her knees as the slaves cleared away the latest bodies.

"Xena," the bard gasped. "I can't...,"

"I know," the warrior agreed.

Both couldn't help but look at the posts at the north end of the Arena, set up just for them.

Xena dropped the bloody sword with a snarl as seven soldiers ran in from one direction and another seven from the other. She leaned back into Gabrielle and felt the bard's answering touch along her thigh and the bard dropped her shield and sword as well. Xena spun on her heel and found her mate standing up to reach her as well as their bodies melted together, lips meeting once more.

Rough hands grabbed them and pulled them apart, pinning their arms behind them. Both women found daggers at their throats. Neither resisted.

"Citizens of Rome! You have witnessed the brutal fighting skills of these enemies of the State. Now it is time for them to pay for their war against Rome, their sentence is death!" Caesar yelled to the crowd who roared their approval.

Gabrielle couldn't help but feel her heart skip a beat when slaves began dragging a patibulum out of the holding area with a ladder. She counted only one cross beam.

The bard saw Xena frowning and look up at Caesar. Gabrielle followed her eyes and sought Caesar's eyes and growled when he merely laughed at their puzzlement.

"Citizens of Rome! Death by crucifixion for the Queen of the Amazons!" the crowd roared it's approval. Gabrielle saw Brutus standing next to Caesar, trying not to let emotions show. She prayed that she hadn't been played for a total fool and that the Roman might actually turn on his would-be Emperor. "For the Warrior Princess, death by beheading," he paused with a smile, "tomorrow at midday. Until then, she can watch her lover die for Rome,"

Gabrielle was stunned. She wouldn't face death with Xena? After all this time? After all they had been through? The bard had faced death in the Arena before but always with the thought that Xena was safe with Sasha. Now she'd died before Xena and her mate would have to watch? Xena would face death alone?

Xena went berserk. The guard behind her dropped his dagger when she smashed her skull into his nose and the guard on her left, having loosened his grip, found himself being thrown into the guard on her right, smashing heads together with a bone jarring crack.

The warrior let out with her famous war cry and grabbed up a spear just as another soldier got too close and ran the spear through him. She grabbed his sword away and slashed another soldier's throat. The remaining soldiers surrounded her and more were pouring into the Arena.

"Xena, no!" Gabrielle called out, struggling with her guards until she felt blood at her neck and stopped struggling.

The warrior took out another two soldiers before she was taken to the ground screaming by a net, followed by blows from fists and sword hilts. Xena was dragged backwards to one of the posts and chained with her hands behind her. Caesar laughed heartily as the warrior struggled against the chains, cursing and screaming at him. The crowd roared it's approval.

"Xena! Save your strength!" Gabrielle yelled but the warrior couldn't hear her.

The knife at her throat disappeared and the bard was shoved forward and tripped at the same time. Before she could react she found herself turned over and being dragged by her arms over the sand towards the other post. She was thrown roughly down on the ground and positioned on the patibulum. The cross beam was resting on blocks of wood so the slaves could tie her to it easier. The bard ignored the rough edges at the back of her neck and let the slaves tie her without resisting. Gabrielle tried to control her breathing and rapid pulse without success. She knew that if she were merely tied to the cross then she stood a good chance at surviving at least for a day, if nailed, it could be harder.

She had only a moment to be grateful that Caesar seemed to be skipping the traditional flogging when she felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of a soldier approaching with spikes and hammer.

"No," she whimpered involuntarily and closed her eyes.

Xena thought she would rip her hands off at the wrists from the chains when she heard Gabrielle's screams and the sound of the hammer hitting the spikes.

"Xena!" the voice finally broke through the warrior's red berserker haze. She raised her head, breathing heavily. With a growl she rattled her chains again and again they held firm. Xena whimpered at the sight of her bard on the cross fifteen feet from her.

Gabrielle was bathed in sweat even though it had grown quite cold in the Arena after the crowds had left. Xena blinked in the torchlight, realizing that it had grown dark.

"How long," she croaked through her raw throat.

"Three candlemarks," Gabrielle gasped.

Caesar had also foregone spiking the bard's ankles to the cross, merely having them tied to the wood beam. This was a mixed blessing, both bard and warrior knew. On one side it saved the bard shattered bones and pain, on the other side it made pulling herself up on the cross more difficult, thus ensuring a shorter time on the cross before her own body would drown itself and collapse her lungs.

"Talk to me," the bard requested, pulling herself up with a whimper.

Xena felt herself whimper in sympathy. Her own wrists were a bloody mess from her struggles against the chains but the sight of the spikes sticking out from her lover's wrists brought fresh tears to her eyes.

"You're the bard, little one," she protested.

"Please, help focus," Gabrielle's body slumped and she cried out in pain as her body weight pulled on the spikes. She brought her weight back up with a struggle.

Xena began talking. What she talked about she could never remember. All she knew is that she talked and kept talking, watching her lover struggle endlessly against time and pain.

The sky was turning purple in the pre-dawn when Xena couldn't talk any longer, her voice long gone from screaming and talking. Gabrielle's eyes were unfocused in the pain and concentration. During the night Xena had talked with her bard in a tone she had learned from Lao Ma, sending the bard into an intense form of concentration, focusing beyond the pain, focusing on nothing other than tensing and relaxing her muscles again and again through the night.

Xena watched the sky, cursing the slow movement of the rising sun. She knew the Senate wouldn't meet until mid-morning and she had no idea when the assassins intended on striking against Caesar. She hoped it was soon, someone would have to distract Marc Anthony and they would have to move fast.

Then everything depended on Brutus getting Marc Anthony to agree in freeing her and Gabrielle. Time, it would all take time and the warrior wasn't sure how much more Gabrielle had as the bard slumped again, coughs racking her small frame.

"Gabrielle, fight it!" she growled, fighting to find a voice. "Come on!"

The bard threw her head back and struggled to raise her body again, gasping for air. Xena heard a growl out of her mate as Gabrielle bit her chapped lips in pain and concentration. The bard's muscles were twitching in cramps repeatedly, reminding the warrior of when her mate had been poisoned.

It was about two candlemarks past sunrise when the bard's body slumped again and she stopped responding to Xena's cries and screams and the bard's coughs got weaker. The warrior pulled uselessly at her chains as the cold wind whipped through the bard's short blond hair, her skin a deadly pale.

"Xena! Gabrielle!"

The warrior raised her eyes to see Brutus running across the sand towards her with several slaves and guards following. He skidded to a stop behind her and the warrior felt her chains being unlocked. She watched two of the slaves grab the ladder and raise it to the cross that held her lover.

Xena looked to the sky and judged the passage of time to be at midday.

Brutus stepped around and pulled Xena to her feet and held her as she steadied her legs under her, watching the slaves over his shoulder as they took pry bars and removed the spikes from Gabrielle's wrists. The bard didn't move or respond to the pain and Xena shoved past Brutus, stumbling across the sand to her mate.

The slaves reached out and cut the ropes holding Gabrielle's arms and Brutus pulled out his dagger and cut the ropes holding the bard's legs. A part of Xena's mind noted that his dagger was blood stained and realized that it must be Caesar's blood if he was there with her.

The slaves gently lowered the bard into the arms of Brutus and Xena. The Roman knelt beside Xena as she sank to the sand with Gabrielle in her arms. He waited as she quickly checked the blond woman.

"Oh gods, she's so cold," Brutus whispered.

The Roman felt tears streaming down his cheeks at the sight of Gabrielle. Her blond hair had been matted from her day in the Arena and then a night on the cross but the wind had dried it and was gently blowing it across her forehead. Her face had taken on the racked look he knew well from those executed, the face of extreme pain finally at an end. Her lips were chapped and bloody and he winced at the pool of blood forming in the recesses of the bard's wrists and noticed how blue her skin seemed.

He closed his eyes as Xena began to cry. Then opened them with a snarl.

"You!" he pointed to two of the guards. "Get litters in here, I want them moved to a wagon waiting just outside the North gate. On Marc Anthony's orders, move!"

Marc Anthony leaned over his horse to look in the wagon at the two women lying on the straw, the small blond in the arms of the dark warrior. Xena opened her eyes wearily and brushed away her tears and held Gabrielle's body close.

"Brutus will see you safely to your Amazons," she nodded. "Now that Caesar is dead, is your war with Rome over?" he asked.

Xena closed her eyes and then looked at the handsome general. "If your war with the Amazons is over," she whispered, throat still raw.

"Get them out of Roman territory and it is," he stated.

Xena nodded. "My battle was personal. It's over," she whispered and he nodded, moving his horse away.

A coughing fit from the bard brought her attention back to Gabrielle.

The bard opened her eyes and smiled at the blue ones looking at her.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey," Xena answered back. Brutus looked back into the wagon with a frown.

"There's water and food to your left, Xena. Also bandages and salve for the wounds," he looked down at Gabrielle who had closed her eyes again. "Is she okay?"

"No. Fluid on the lungs, muscles strain, blood loss, possible infection, exhaustion, dehydration, but she will be. It will be close, Brutus,"

"I know. I know," he muttered, urging the horses through the streets of a maddened Rome. Xena shut her eyes and mind to the sounds around them as Brutus swore, cracked his whip and threatened anyone in their way. Xena didn't need to look over the boards of the wagon to realize that Rome was insane right then with the news of Caesar's assassination and Marc Anthony's rise to power immediately.

"Thank you, Brutus," she said hoarsely. "I owe you,"

"Call it even, Xena. Maybe this can make us even,"

"What do you mean? You save Gabrielle from the Arena as a gladiator, you kept her from Caesar, you saved both of us from execution and you helped save the Amazons,"

"I was the one that lead the attack on the Amazon villages," he muttered.

"What?" Xena's tired mind tried to absorb this new information.

"Caesar sent me. He said it was either the Amazons and Gabrielle or my son on a cross. I think he was hoping that I would kill Gabrielle with the Amazons and then you would kill me and he would kill you. A convenient way to rid himself of several enemies and gain even more power,"

"I'll try, Brutus," the Roman merely nodded.

"I love you," a whisper brought the warrior's attention back down to her mate.

"I love you too," she answered. The warrior smiled as she rummaged through the packs Brutus had brought and pulled out the bonding bracelets. She laughed a grim quiet laugh, realizing that it would be awhile before either of them wore the bracelets again. She reached for the bandages.

The wagon caught up with the released Amazons later that afternoon and at the Northern Amazon village two days after that.

Brutus pulled the wagon up slowly inside the Roman encampment, next to the Commander's tent. The Roman general in charge exited his tent with an obvious scowl on his face.

"Brutus, welcome to my camp. What in the name of Mars is going on? We were just about to attack and finish off the barbarians when the rider from Rome arrived and said to hold, there was a cease fire and now you come in with more Amazons,"

Brutus held up a hand and passed the reins of the wagon horses to Xena, sitting next to him on the wagon seat. He jumped down from the wagon and clasped the other general's forearm in greeting.

"You heard Caesar is dead," Brutus began.

"Yes, a messenger arrived yesterday. Marc Anthony is now in power,"

"Yes, for now," Brutus pulled out a message tube and handed it to the general. General Tiborius opened the tube and read the encased parchment with a frown. He looked at Brutus with a look of puzzlement and anger.

"I'm to let them go?" he demanded.

"Yes, the Amazon Queen has made a treaty with Rome and the Amazons have agreed to leave Roman territory. Let the Amazons pass," Brutus said simply. Tiborius turned with a snarl and began issuing orders to his surrounding officers and aides. Brutus turned and looked up at Xena.

"It's done, get your people out of here,"

"Thank you, Brutus, for everything," the warrior smiled, motioning the Amazons to move through the Roman ranks towards their sisters in the village.

Brutus looked down at Gabrielle in the wagon. She managed a smile.

"Goodbye, Gabrielle. Be well,"

"Thank you, Brutus,"

The warrior urged the horses on and ignored the frowns and scowls from the Romans moving aside the barricades to let the wagon pass along the road towards the Amazon village.

The Amazons had moved barricades on their side of the conflict when they saw their sisters riding towards them from the Roman camp. Shouts of joy broke out on the Amazon side as relatives, friends, and lovers reunited.

Ephiny leaped from her horse and into the arms of Solari who dropped her crutches as her mate embraced her.

"I saw you fall, I thought you were dead!" Ephiny cried, burying her face in mate's hair.

"I'm all right, love," Solari whispered, tears also falling from her eyes in happiness.

Xena moved the wagon into the Amazon ranks and broke into a grin as Hercules appeared from behind one of the barricades with Solan, her son.

"Mom!" the blond teenager yelled and ran for the wagon as Xena jumped from the seat and grabbed her son in a tight hug. She pulled back slightly with a worried face as she examined the bandage on his head, taking the place of his usual headband.

He shrugged. "It's nothing, just a scalp wound,"

She grinned. "You're getting big," she commented as he grinned in response.

Hercules looked tired as he walked up to the warrior, a frown on his face. "Gabrielle?"

"In the wagon, can you bring her into one of the huts until we get everyone ready to leave?" he nodded and started towards the wagon, Xena placed a hand on his arm. "Hercules, she's been hurt," she said, preparing him.

The demi-god stopped in shock as he looked down at the small bard in the back of the wagon. "Oh gods," he whispered.

Unknown to Hercules, the bard actually looked a lot better than she had two days before but he was still shocked at how pale she was, the bruises and especially at the sight of the bandaged wrists sticking out from under the blanket. The bard opened her eyes and attempted a small smile.

"Hey, big guy," she said softly.

"Hey, yourself,"

"Not bad as looks," she whispered and closed her eyes again coughing. He frowned and climbed into the wagon and gently lifted her into his arms and climbed out the back, cradling Gabrielle in his arms as he walked to a hut with Xena and Solan following, both frowning.

Solan looked to his mother and she shook her head. "I'll tell you both when we get her settled,"

Half a candlemark later, Xena finished telling her friend and son what had happened in Rome. Of her capture by Caesar, the exchange of the Amazon prisoners for Gabrielle, the fight in the Arena, the crucifixion of the bard, Caesar's assassination and their rescue by Brutus and Marc Anthony.

Solan was looking very pale and Hercules was muttering under his breath at the description of their small friend being crucified. The demi-god looked over at the sleeping bard with a pained expression.

"Will she be okay?"

"If we can clear up her lungs, yes. The bones in her wrist weren't broken, thank the gods,"

"How about your wrists?" he asked, nodding towards her own bandages.

"Scrapped up some, I kinda lost it when I was chained there,"

"I can imagine," he grimaced at the thought of Xena being chained to a post while Gabrielle was being nailed to a cross beam. He made a mental note to ask the Healer to check her muscles and nerves for any damage.

Ephiny entered the hut and quickly hugged Solan and frowned at the sight of the sleeping Amazon Queen.

"She's sleeping a lot," she commented.

"The body's trying to heal. It was close," Xena said softly, fighting back tears.

"Everyone's ready to move," she stated, readjusting the sling around her neck.

"Good, let's get out of here. I'll feel better with several miles between us and the Romans," Xena ordered.

Xena pulled the blankets up over her and her bard and settled in the back of the wagon after they had gotten several miles away from the Amazon Village and the Roman soldiers. Ephiny had reported that a small group of soldiers were following behind at a respectful distance and Xena had expected that. They all expected to be followed until they reached the border area of Germania. The warrior only hoped that Iolaus had been successful in purchasing land or permission for the Amazons and Centaurs to settle somewhere away from other settlements.

The warrior knew it was a temporary measure but one she hoped would hold off another move or war for a few years. She knew they'd face either the Romans or unfriendly Goths in the future as land became more and more scarce.

Gabrielle whimpered and moved closer to her warrior, settling into Xena's shoulder with a sigh. Xena felt a shiver run over her body as the bard's gentle lips nuzzled her neck, her warm breath stroking the warrior's ear lobe.

"You could have had Artemis take you to Sasha, you didn't have to stay," the bard whispered, gently laying an arm over her warrior's ribs under the blankets.

"I couldn't leave you, little one. I came so close to losing you again. I couldn't go through that," Xena whispered, kissing Gabrielle's forehead and then moving slightly down to kiss her lover's lips tenderly.

"I'm sorry it was so close, I couldn't hold on any longer,"

Xena wiped a tear from her eyes as she squeezed her mate closer. "Don't apologize, little one. Caesar meant for you to die that night, that's why he didn't spike your ankles, it makes it harder to pull the body up to breath. You lasted longer than he anticipated,"

"Is it over?"

"With Rome, for now," Xena reassured her mate. "I'm sorry about Nikki,"

Gabrielle closed her eyes and fought back sudden tears, remembering her Gladiator trainer, friend and sort of lover.

"Ephiny told me she took several soldiers with her before she fell. Shouting to Valhalla and Othinn with a grin on her face. Reminds me of someone else I know," the bard attempted a small smile. She could picture Nikkita of the Northern Amazons swinging her crutch and sword with a laugh before falling to Roman spears and swords. Gabrielle would miss the tall, blonde warrior.

Xena held her close.

"Brutus returned our weapons and bonding bracelets," Xena said gently to her mate.

"Hoped he would," another coughing fit racked the bard and caused her to whimper in pain. "I love you,"

"I love you, little one,"

Later that afternoon the warrior sat with her back to a tree by the roadside while everyone rested and ate lunch. Gabrielle sat between her legs, leaning back into her love.

"You know, during that long night, I thought of some words I wanted to say to you but I couldn't get them out," Xena said softly, wrapping her strong forearms around her bard.

Gabrielle leaned into Xena's arm, welcoming the warmth. "What, my love?"

"Promise not to laugh, you're the bard, not me," Xena growled and Gabrielle smiled and nuzzled Xena's arm.

"Promise,"

"When your head dropped forward that morning, I thought I was going to die right then. The thought of you dying, facing that torture without me, I was insane,"

"I remember," Gabrielle did remember, even through her pain of keeping her body alive she could see Xena only a few feet away tearing at the post and chains that held the warrior away from her. The madness in Xena's eyes had been frightening but not as frightening at the callous way Caesar had merely laughed at Xena's struggles and Gabrielle's torture. She mentally made a promise not to remind Xena of that part of the afternoon.

"Then I knew I would follow you, no matter what it took. No," Xena placed a finger on the bard's lips to cut off any protests. "my choice, love. I knew then I couldn't live without you and I also realized I no longer feared that we'd be separated on the other side. I've always been afraid that I'd lose you in death but something told me that I wouldn't that day and these words came to me,"

Gabrielle waited patiently, she knew it wasn't easy for the warrior to talk about feelings and even harder for something like this.

"Feel the cold wind blowing, freezing the ground on a winter's day,

I wish I could have saved you, but now the time has come

to say our last goodbye and to look into your eyes

I watch the burning tears arise

your way ends here on that cross

tonight on the Ides of March"

Gabrielle felt tears beginning to fill her eyes and felt Xena catch her breath as well, working around her own tears.

"You're precious life's been taken, pierced by the nails

driven through your flesh

you were the best thing in my life

still I never took the time to make true love to you

the snow gently covers my skin, releases me from my burden of my sins

tonight on the Ides of March"

"Hold on, trust a little longer until we pass the gate to eternity

then we will be together, share our life forever

you and me, tonight on the Ides of March,"

Gabrielle turned in her lover's arms to kiss and hold her lover as they both cried at how close they came to dying. After a moment Gabrielle pulled back, cuddled in Xena's strong arms.

"But you have made true love to me," she protested.

"No, I've held back," Xena's eyes dropped slightly and Gabrielle frowned, raising Xena's chin until the warrior looked at her in the eyes. Green meeting blue. "I always thought I would die before you and we would be separated. I always accepted that but it held something back in me, hope. I never really believed in plans for a long future with you, even when Sasha was born and you came back to me. I thought it was easy to face death until you faced it without me,"

Xena frowned, gathering her thoughts.

"I thought it would be all right, facing it together and then that bastard put you on that cross and let me live to watch. At first I went crazy but then I realized that we had beaten him and everyone else, Ares included,"

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"I knew we'd be together soon, even if I had to force them to kill me and that I'd find you waiting for me. Caesar wanted to separate us, Ares wants to separate us, the world wants us apart most of the time. They lost because I believe we'll be together,"

"Forever," Gabrielle agreed, kissing her warrior's lips again. Then she grinned. "Wow,"

"Wow?" Xena questioned.

"If you've held back in life and in love, what will it be like to make love to you now, I wonder?" Gabrielle grinned and was pleased when Xena began blushing.

"Just remember, I know where you're ticklish!" Xena warned and Gabrielle began giggling and squirming.

"Hey, no fair! I don't have hands yet!" the playful moment was cut short by another coughing fit. Xena held her mate close until the bard's body stopped shaking.

"I guess it'll have to wait a bit," Xena groaned.

"Guess so," Gabrielle gasped and then snuggled into Xena's arms again, trying to catch her breath. "I'm getting tired of having to do the recovery bit," she complained.

"Xena!" Hercules' voice brought the warrior up with sword in hand. She looked from behind the tree and frowned.

"Not again," she muttered. Gabrielle rose up slowly beside her with raised eyebrows. The encampment stopped as they took in the sight of Artemis in the center of the road. Ephiny bowed her head and Xena frowned.

"Easy, warrior. I came to thank you for saving the Amazons and to especially thank you, Gabrielle. I knew I had chosen well when I picked you,"

Xena was pleased to see her mate blushing, much like the old Gabrielle.

"It had to be done," the bard shrugged.

"Well, I owe you both and I know a way to repay that debt. Ephiny, take the Amazons north for two days travel and you'll meet up with a German named Axel and his family. They'll take you to your new lands deep in the forest they call the Black. It's wild and hard living but you'll be out of Roman hands probably for years,"

"What about us?" Hercules asked.

"You all could use some time off from saving the world," Artemis raised her hands and Xena looked around to see that she, Hercules, Solan and Gabrielle now somewhere else. She looked around and grinned as she recognized the village. Xena noted the fact that their wagon, with their few belongings had accompanied them. They all looked towards the inn of the village when someone yelled at them.

Hercules let out a yell of surprise and pleasure when he saw Iolaus standing in the doorway of the inn with Sasha in his arms.

Xena grinned at a familiar figure walking out of the inn as well.

"Mom!" the warrior reached back and helped her mate stand up. Gabrielle had improved a lot since being taken down from the cross but she was still weak and very short of breath. Xena placed an arm around her mate's waist to steady her.

"What about Ares?" Gabrielle muttered.

Artemis appeared once again in front of them. "Don't worry about dark and brooding. Aphrodite is going to keep him busy for quite awhile,"

Xena smirked. "I don't think I want the details to that!"

Artemis shrugged her shoulders with an equal smirk. "I certainly don't!" she agreed and was gone.

"Come on, little one. We've got some rest to catch up on and my mother's cooking to help fill you out again," Xena grinned, lifting the bard into her arms, heading for her waiting mom and little daughter.


	9. 09 Children of Gods

**Disclaimers:** The usual I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Ares, etc. etc. etc. Don't bother suing me, it's not even worth court costs.

**Sex/Subtext/Alt Fiction:** No subtext - it's out there in plain reading. This concerns some characters who are in loving and sexual relationships with people of the same gender. If this is illegal where you are or bugs you, then you have the following choices: leave and don't come back to my usual stuff; open your mind; change your laws; come back when you're older; move. The sex gets hot and heavy (I hope), in other words, a little descriptive.

**Violence:** some pretty good beatings in here and descriptions of past violent acts, including brutal murder and rape. I'd rate the violence as "R" and the language describing the violence of rape is a little rough.

**Storyline:** Xena and Gabrielle must find a way to deal with Ares now that they're back in Greece with Sasha, the daughter of Ares and Xena. In doing so, Xena discovers some truths about her parents and faces her own darkness and Gabrielle must face it with her.

**Feedback:** yes, yes, yes. Please feed the bard. I love hearing what people think of this stuff. I enjoy writing it and I hope you enjoy reading it.

* * *

"Xena!" Cyrene yelled with a grin as the warrior approached the inn with Gabrielle in her arms. Xena returned the grin and Gabrielle smiled at her mother-in-law.

Hercules hugged Iolaus and Sasha and ruffled the smaller man's hair.

"How long have you been here?" the demi-god asked.

"About a candle-mark. I was telling Cyrene about the last two years."

"I've been worried sick!" Cyrene commented, moving aside so Xena could move inside with Gabrielle. The older woman's quick eyes had taken in the bard's pale and drawn skin and bandages on her wrists, matching ones of her own daughter.

Xena was grateful that there were only a couple of farmers sitting at the tables and sat Gabrielle down carefully into one of the chairs at a table near the fire. Gabrielle smiled as Cyrene came in, followed by Hercules, Iolaus and Sasha. Iolaus let Sasha down out of his arms and the toddler squealed in delight in seeing her mom, Xena and rushed into the dark warrior's arms. Xena grinned and hugged her daughter tightly and looked at her mom.

"You've met your granddaughter," Xena grinned.

"Granma!" Sasha grinned as well and Cyrene reached out her arms and took the toddler.

"So Iolaus introduced us. Are you okay?" the innkeeper sat down at the table with Gabrielle, holding Sasha in her arms.

Gabrielle nodded but Cyrene thought the bard looked very tired and sick.

"What happened?" Iolaus asked as he and Hercules also sat down.

Xena's eyebrows raised in question as Torris, her brother, came out from behind the bar, carrying a tray of goblets.

"Hey, Xena. Hi, everyone," he said simply and walked back into the back room.

"Don't mind him, he's still adjusting," Cyrene said with a shrug, reminding Gabrielle of her mate's habit of shrugging.

"I noticed he didn't make it to the wedding," Xena muttered, pulling up chairs for her and Solan.

"So what happened in Rome?" Iolaus demanded.

Gabrielle nodded to Xena when a coughing fit took her breath away. She was grateful that her mug was filled with cider and not the port that Xena favored. Cyrene frowned at the depth of the cough, noting the sounds of fluid on the lungs.

"How far did you get Iolaus?" Xena asked.

"I told your mom how Gabrielle was captured and sold to slavers and I was hurt. How she ended up in the Arena as a gladiator and got back to us with help from Brutus. About you having a baby in the middle of a skirmish and I got as far as Artemis showing up on the road and zapping us all over the known world."

"Artemis told us the Amazons and Centaurs had been attacked by the Romans. Gabrielle's idea was to go to Rome and exchange herself for the prisoners while I killed Caesar."

"Xena," Cyrene whispered, the worry showing on her face.

"I know, Mom, but he was worse than Cortese and he had our family."

"Was?"

"The heralds haven't reached here yet? Caesar is dead, assassinated in the Senate of Rome by the Senators themselves. Marc Anthony has taken power." Hercules stated simply.

"You didn't kill him?"

"No, he caught me when I tried to get to him. He was expecting me." Xena answered with a grim smile. "Gabrielle traded herself for the Amazons, leaving us with Caesar."

Cyrene glanced over as Gabrielle coughed again, the coughs deep and wracking.

Xena pulled her chair next to her bard's and held her mate. Gabrielle leaned heavily into her shoulder.

"We found out that Brutus and some of the other Senators had a plot to kill Caesar and once he was dead would accept a treaty with the Amazons. Caesar put us in the Arena to fight." Xena suddenly found it hard to continue, remembering the terror when Caesar had announced that the Queen of the Amazons would be crucified and Xena forced to watch during the night while she died. The would-be emperor planned on killing the warrior the next day by beheading but not before she watched Gabrielle suffer and die.

"Caesar crucified Gabrielle and forced Xena to watch," Hercules continued for his friends.

Iolaus turned very pale and Cyrene thought she was going to be sick. She reached out a comforting hand to Gabrielle's shoulders, who attempted a small smile.

"How long was she there?" Iolaus asked quietly.

"From sundown to midday," Xena answered, fighting back tears.

That answered the bandages on her daughter's wrists, Cyrene reflected. She knew Xena must have gone insane watching her mate dying while chained. The mother was surprised that her daughter hadn't ripped her own hands off to get to Gabrielle.

It also explained the bandages on Gabrielle's wrists, the innkeeper knew about crucifixion. Seven inch spikes driven through the wrists and ankles, leaving the body hanging in an unnatural position, unable to breathe fully. Eventually the body would break down and the victim would die, suffocating to death. Fluid on the lungs or heart collapse.

Gabrielle coughed again and whimpered, closing her eyes as she curled into Xena's arms.

"Brutus got us out of Rome and back to the Amazons and then Artemis zapped us here in reward," Xena finished.

"Take her up to the room on the right, I'll heat some bath water and some herb steam water to help break up the lung fluid," Cyrene ordered as Gabrielle kept her eyes closed.

"Here, I'll take her up, Xena." Hercules offered, gently taking the bard into his arms.

She whimpered slightly, drawing her hands in close to her body. Xena's face reflected her worry as she followed her friend and mate up the stairs.

"Gods, will it never end for those two?" Iolaus muttered.

Cyrene grinned at Solan. "Glad to see you again."

He grinned back and reached out to tickle Sasha. "Hi, I'm your big brother."

Xena was surprised to find the person knocking on their door the next morning was Torris and not her mother. The warrior had already dressed and was getting Sasha dressed while Gabrielle slept. Torris looked at the sleeping bard on the bed and looked uncomfortable, bringing a frown to Xena's face.

"Can we talk, Xena?" he asked simply.

"Let me get Sasha's boots on and I'll be down. I want to let Gabrielle sleep as long as possible. A bed is a definite change from the back of a wagon."

"All right, I'll be downstairs." He left without acknowledging the conversation.

"I wonder what's crawled under his skin, as if I didn't know," she muttered as she struggled with a squirming toddler. She grabbed Sasha into her arms and leaned over to check on Gabrielle's breathing and frowned at the rasping sound.

Xena grinned at the site of Iolaus waiting by the fireplace, showing Solan a knife trick. The warrior thought it was a good sign that the small Greek wasn't suffering from the nightmares as much, especially since Hercules had taken to sharing his bed and soothing away all the nightmares.

Xena caught site of the demi-god sitting at one of the tables watching Iolaus and her son and her grin grew wider at the look of affection on his face. Hercules caught her watching him and blushed. She walked over to the table and sat down.

The serving girl, Aglaea, brought over food for both mother and daughter.

"Morning." Xena grinned at Hercules and he grinned back, reaching out and tickling Sasha's chin.

"Morning. Why don't I take her, your brother is waiting outside," he suggested and Xena handed over her dark haired daughter with a frown.

"I wonder what is so damned important I can't feed my daughter first?" she muttered, grabbing her bowl and eating quickly as she headed for the door.

Outside the inn she found Torris standing under a nearby tree, leaning against it with his arms folded. Xena fought down the familiar feeling of irritation. He looked so much like he did when she was young, foreboding and unforgiving. Xena placed the empty bowl and spoon on a bench and walked up to her older brother, trying not to let her body betray her irritation.

"Torris, what's up?" she asked in an even voice.

"I, uh... I'm sorry about Gabrielle's injuries, I heard you telling Mother about the crucifixion and Caesar's assassination."

"Thank you, Torris." Xena could sense there was more and wasn't giving an inch to her older brother.

"I know Gabrielle's been good for you and I'm grateful for that. I'd like to ask that you not be affectionate in public. It's just that it's awkward for me as a Council Elder."

Xena clenched her jaw and made an effort not to throw her older brother through the tree he was standing against.

"What makes you think anyone even notices, Torris, and what business is it of yours?" she growled, eyes narrowing in anger. Xena was just grateful Gabrielle wasn't there to hear this.

"Xena, you come in every few months or years but I'm the one who stays, damnit, and puts up with your reputation, good and bad."

Xena was amazed that he actually looked angry. "Torris, which Xena would you rather deal with? The Warlord I was or the woman I am now?" she decided to try reasoning rather than bashing his head in.

"What does that have to do with this?" Torris frowned.

"Gabrielle is responsible for the difference. She is the light in my life and has saved my soul on several occasions. Accept her as my soul-mate or not, I don't care."

"Selfish as usual," he growled and Xena stopped herself after taking a menacing step forward.

"I don't know why I'm even discussing this with you except to tell you this," she grabbed him by his tunic and pulled him close to her. The anger in his eyes was flashing but he didn't resist. "You had better not treat Gabrielle any differently than before you knew we were lovers or the Council will be looking for another Elder, got me?"

"Why do you even come back here?" he demanded.

"Certainly isn't for you! I don't want Gabrielle hearing about our conversation either. She's been through enough as it is." Xena released him and started to walk away.

"Afraid she'll be ashamed of being your bed mate?" he taunted and found himself on his back in the dust with Xena sword at his throat.

The warrior blinked and stepped back, sheathing the sword with trembling hands.

"Torris, you have no idea how close I just came to losing it with you. I watched Gabrielle crucified in front of me, do you think I'm going to let you hurt her?" she demanded, spinning on her heel and heading towards the woods at a trot and then broke into a run when she reached the treeline.

Cyrene frowned, watching the interplay between her offspring from the kitchen window. She couldn't hear the words exchanged but the rage on Xena's face and Torris' disdain had been very clear. The mother's heart skipped several beats when she had seen her daughter throw her son to the ground and draw her sword, faster than the eye could follow. For a moment Cyrene had been very scared for both of them, knowing what a death like that would do to Xena and the family.

Cyrene cursed her only living son for whatever he had said to set Xena off that much. She smiled as Hercules walked into the kitchen with Sasha in his arms.

"Hey, where's Xena? I think Gabrielle is awake, I heard her coughing."

"I'll take care of her, Xena's off in the woods for a bit." Cyrene tried not to let the demi-god see her worry. He caught sight of Torris dusting off his clothes and the man's scowl.

"I see the discussion didn't go well with your kids," he said with a sad smile.

"No, Xena almost killed him." Cyrene agreed.

"What?" Hercules whispered.

"Seems Torris upset my daughter about something and I've got a good idea what about. I'll take care of Gabrielle, let Xena cool off for a bit. Can you and Iolaus handle Sasha?"

"Yeah, not a problem. Solan is going to take her for a walk around the village. He hasn't been out of the Centaur village much and wants a look around."

"If he's anything like his mother one village won't hold him long. What happened to his adopted Centaur father?"

Hercules frowned. "Killed by the Romans. That's how Solan got that cut on the head, trying to protect him."

"Gods, when will it end?"

"I don't think it ever will," he said sadly.

Gabrielle tried to keep her cough quiet but found it impossible. She hated to be sick and she hated feeling as weak as she did. Having the bandages on her wrists and her hands practically useless didn't improve her mood either.

Cyrene cautiously opened the door as she heard a wooden cup go sailing across the room with a growl. Gabrielle sat back on the bed with another round of coughing, blushing in embarrassment.

"I'm sorry," she said between coughs.

"Don't be. Remember who my daughter is? I've seen temper tantrums before." The older woman grinned and picked up the cup, setting her tray down on the bed next to the bard. She frowned as she felt Gabrielle's forehead. "You're taking a fever."

"I know. Next comes the healer and lots of foul tasting teas." Gabrielle complained, taking a drink of the soothing hot tea.

"And weeks of recovery," Cyrene predicted. "Want me to send for Hecuba and Lila to visit?"

Gabrielle looked at Cyrene with a grateful expression.

Cyrene smiled, "Consider it done."

Xena's mom had been right about the long recovery but it wasn't the weeks that they had all feared when fever and fluid settled into the bard's system. Xena figured that it must be the fact of who Gabrielle's true father was, Apollo, God of the sun and of healing. It was only two weeks before the bard was back on her feet, slowly rebuilding her strength.

Gabrielle's mother Hecuba and her sister Lila visited the inn for several days, bringing overwhelming joy to the little bard as she recovered. The warrior bard still shook her head, so much had happened over the last two years.

Her mom looked older but her eyes lit up when she talked about a neighboring farmer who was also a widow her age. Gabrielle had grinned when her mom blushed at the bard's teasing about romance.

Then there was Lila, married and with a small infant at her breast. Her little sister had married the local blacksmith and was happy with the match. Her son, already big for an infant, threatened to be his father's size. Gabrielle grinned though, being married and a mom hadn't tamed Lila's stubborn streak or her quick tongue. Hecuba confided that the big blacksmith was like a puppy dog around her sister and absolutely doted on her and their daughter. Gabrielle was thrilled, knowing how rare love matches could be.

Her mom and sister had also been delighted to see the bard, even if she was wounded and sick. Gabrielle had toned down the dangers and horrors she had faced as a Roman slave and then gladiator but they could both read between the lines, especially when they saw Xena's jaw tighten. The bard hadn't been able to tone down the suffering she had gone through on the cross though, they could see the results.

Countering that horror had been Solan and Sasha, their new adopted grandkids and cousins. Solan had taken with his little sister and was a wonderful big brother, playing with the toddler for hours on end. Hecuba had been pleased with the family her daughter was building and told both Xena and Gabrielle so, bringing a happy grin to the bard's face and an embarrassed blush to Xena's.

Hecuba, Lila and son had just left Amphipolis and Xena suggested a walk to the little bard and was pleased when Gabrielle felt up to it. The warrior led them to the small stream just behind the inn and picked a grassy spot and welcomed Gabrielle into her arms as she leaned against a tree.

"What would you think about settling down here?" Xena asked softly, wrapping her strong arms around Gabrielle.

"What about dark and war-like?"

"We'll have to face it someday, maybe if we can appeal to the gods through Hercules, Zeus can get fuzz-face to leave us alone until Sasha is of an age to decide her future for herself."

"Won't be easy, he'll keep bothering us."

"Yes, either that or settle in the north with Axel. We need to settle for a couple of years and I'm tired of you being in danger," Xena whispered in her mate's ear and Gabrielle leaned back further into her warrior with a happy sigh.

"I'm not happy about it all the time either. There's something that Apollo told me that's puzzled me." Gabrielle frowned in thought and Xena could sense Gabrielle gathering her thoughts.

"What was that, little one?"

"He said that when I was ready to call on him, that I had inherited certain giftings from him and to especially call when you began questioning your parentage."

"What could he mean by that?" Xena countered with a question of her own.

"I don't know. That's just what he said."

"Maybe it's time for some answers before Ares gets word about Sasha," Xena frowned.

"How do we do that?" Gabrielle asked, running her hands playfully over Xena's arms, marveling at the small scars that matched her own from numerous cuts. The bandages had finally come off the bard's wrists but she still wasn't used to the ugly red wounds on both sides of her wrists. She was grateful she still had use of her hands, they were improving every day.

"I guess I start with Mom."

"What about your brother? He wouldn't be too happy to have us around."

"Has he said anything?" Xena demanded and Gabrielle could feel the warrior's muscles tensing.

"No, my love, but it's obvious how he feels about us." Gabrielle smiled a sad smile.

"He can go to Hades for all I care," Xena muttered. "I need to talk to Mom."

"Until then," Gabrielle purred, suddenly distracting the warrior from the mystery by nibbling on her earlobe. Xena growled and felt an answering growl from her bard as Gabrielle turned in her arms and slowly forced the warrior from leaning into the tree onto the grass. Xena moaned softly and held her bard close, having no choice since Gabrielle refused to release her hold on the warrior's clothes or her lips.

"This... isn't... exactly private!" Xena protested between gasps as Gabrielle's teeth found her neck and her hands worked their way under Xena's tunic top to grasp her breasts, causing her nipples to beg for more attention.

"Then I guess I can't strip you naked, can I?" Gabrielle grinned and then laughed as Xena yelped at the thought of being naked by a not-so-secluded stream in her hometown.

Before the warrior could struggle out from under her, Gabrielle slipped a hand under Xena's skirt and past her undergarment. Xena moaned and threw her head back in sudden passion as the bard discovered how wet the warrior was.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle whispered, always amazed when she touched her lover. It always felt so wonderful, like touching the power of the gods, the bard thought. "You're so wet and so beautiful," she whispered, bringing another moan from her warrior.

Realizing the public situation they were potentially in, Gabrielle quickly entered her mate and attacked Xena's neck again with her teeth. Xena moaned and grabbed Gabrielle's shoulders tightly, biting her lip.

"Anyone could...walk..." Xena tried to protest and lost coherent thought as Gabrielle added more of her hand to her attack and increased the speed and depth.

"Then you'll have to keep quiet," Gabrielle smirked in the warrior's ear.

"Arrrgghhhh! I'll...get you...oh gods, don't stop, please!" Xena found herself begging as her body rocked with Gabrielle's rhythm. The bard's thumb found Xena's clit, and the warrior stifled a scream.

"Never, my love." Gabrielle bit down again and felt Xena's fingertips digging into her shoulders and the warrior's body shuddering as waves threatened to overtake her. "Now, my love."

Xena bit into Gabrielle's shoulder as the waves overcame her, stifling a scream.

The bard straightened Xena's skirt and lay next to her gasping warrior, gently playing with Xena's hair, an amused look on her face.

"Oh you are so in trouble," Xena gasped and smiled when Gabrielle's eyes and nose crinkled in amusement. Xena moaned deeply as the bard brought her fingers to her mouth and gently licked them.

Before Xena could recover her breath the bard had leapt to her feet and grinned down at her mate.

"Where do you think you're going?" Xena demanded, sitting up on her elbows.

"I promised to help your mom with setting up for dinner," Gabrielle said, trying an innocent expression.

"Oh no, you don't!" Xena threatened, starting to her feet. The bard giggled and danced away towards the inn with Xena hot on her heels.

Cyrene grinned as the two dashed into the kitchen area of the inn. Both suddenly stopping and looking like two kids who had been caught skipping school. Gabrielle glanced back and saw her mate's playful expression turn serious and nodded to her warrior and moved towards the other room.

Gabrielle stopped and kissed Cyrene's cheek and then went out of the room, leaving mother and daughter alone.

"Mom?" Xena asked softly as her Mom walked out of the back room with an armload of carrots. Her mom looked up and grinned and handed her daughter a knife. Xena settled into peeling and cutting the vegetables for the evening meal.

"What's up, little one?" Cyrene asked as her quick hands made short work of the vegetables.

"I don't know how to ask it," Xena complained.

"Direct questions usually work best," Cyrene commented with a smile.

"Gabrielle and I want to stay on here for awhile and to do that I have to face Ares. I want the backing of the gods to keep him out of our lives and Apollo hinted to Gabrielle that there was something mysterious about my parentage." Xena held her breath, trying to control her shaking hands.

"Wow, definitely a direct question. I'm glad you two would like to settle down here. I can certainly use the help around here and you know I love Gabrielle very much."

"Mom?"

Cyrene sighed heavily and closed her eyes. "Yes, there's more about your heritage than you've been told. I guess I just hoped it would never come up. A mom wants a normal life for her children."

Xena nodded, understanding that one. She knew having the daughter of a god was going to add additional burdens to being a parent and no one knew what those were yet. Then again, Xena's life hadn't exactly been "normal" either.

"It's not Ares is it?" the warrior whispered, shuddering a little.

"No!" Cyrene said quickly, thinking the same thoughts as her daughter. Even for Greek Gods that would be just a little too close to home.

"Come on, Mom," Xena urged.

Cyrene sat down at the table and motioned Torris back out the door when he poked his head in. He disappeared with a scowl. Xena sat down across from her.

"This isn't easy, Xena."

"I know and I really don't care but it might be important in dealing with Ares about Sasha." Xena reached out and placed her hands over her mother's and Cyrene sighed again.

"When your father was away I was approached by a woman, a stranger. She revealed that she was the goddess Hecate." Cyrene hesitated, remembering how scared she had been to face the dark goddess.

"Hecate?" Xena whispered. Hecate - the goddess of the dark moon and of magic?

"Yes, I am part of her worship in this area. We gather and hold suppers in her honor and we exchange knowledge of magic and secrets."

Xena raised her eyebrows, she had never known her mother to be particularly religious and this secret worship of a dark goddess of magic was a surprise.

"What did she want?" Xena asked.

"She was running from Hera, seems she had an affair with Zeus and Hera was fit to be tied," Cyrene grinned.

"Figures, he gets around almost as much as Apollo." Xena shared the grin.

"You know how Hera feels about Zeus' offspring with mortal women, Hecate asked if I would help them." Cyrene hesitated.

"Help? As in how?" Xena urged her mother to continue.

"She asked if I would take her child, we would both be mothers and I would raise the child." Cyrene said softly, not looking Xena in the eye.

Xena felt a chill travel over her body and a roaring fill her ears. What? She shook her head.

"What? Are you trying to say that I have three parents and two of them are gods?" Xena whispered.

"Yes," Cyrene tried to pull her hands away from Xena but the warrior resisted, holding her mother's hands tight.

"But I'm human." Xena protested. She had died, come back to life and had suffered enough wounds to prove to anyone that she wasn't a god, she thought.

"That was Hecate's gift, that you would inherit my human side. I carried you and gave birth to you and we hoped that you would live your life without attracting the attention of the gods," Cyrene answered.

Xena surprised her mother by laughing and sitting back in her chair.

"Then along comes Ares!" Xena smirked and Cyrene had to smile with that twist of events as well.

"Not only do you take up with him, now you've got a daughter by him to deal with," Cyrene smiled ruefully.

"I know, I know, wouldn't have been my choice for father if I'd been in my right mind," Xena complained.

"She's beautiful," Cyrene countered, bringing a big grin to Xena's face.

"That she is. Gods, what in Tartarus do I do with this information? Hera would still probably kill me just out of spite."

"I don't know, little one. You know Ares is going to cause you problems if you don't find a way to keep him out of your life." Cyrene mentioned.

"Ack!"

"Well that might explain why you're drawn to the shamanism," Gabrielle ventured as they sat under the same tree by the stream, bard in the warrior's arms.

Xena didn't tell her bard that it was also probably why Alti was drawn to her energy. The daughter of the Dark Goddess, gods, Alti must have been drooling to get a hold of that energy, Xena thought. No wonder she wanted me to kill the Amazons, she knew I had the power and the darkness to do it and harness it, she thought to herself, once again cursing herself for her past. She shook those thoughts aside.

"Yeah, what do we do about Ares?" Xena complained.

"Haven't a clue yet, lover."

"Maybe I can help."

Both women jumped to their feet and had weapons in their hands when with a flash of light Ares stood in front of them. Xena moved to stand beside Gabrielle, a snarl on her lips.

"What do you want, Ares?"

"I sense a mystery that needs solving. Why do you need to 'do' anything about me? And why was Aphrodite dead set on keeping me away from you two?" he asked with a smug grin.

"Maybe because she thought we needed a day off from you?" Gabrielle asked with an innocent smile, causing Ares' to snarl back at her.

Ares closed his eyes and Xena felt a chill run up her spine as he concentrated. The warrior felt a sense of dread as he opened his eyes with a grin.

"A child? We have a child?"

"Get out of my head, damn you!" Xena snarled with an overhead swing which he quickly blocked with his own sword, appearing in his hand with a flash.

"Is that anyway to treat the father of your child?" he grinned, blocking another blow and spinning out a side kick as Gabrielle sprinted forward with her sais, kicking her in the chest and sending her flying back into the tree.

"Gabrielle!" Xena cried out, managing to land a blow on the side of Ares' head with her sword hilt but took a backhand from the God of War, sending her flying back next to the bard who was shaking her head and holding her chest.

Ares grinned and disappeared.

"Gabrielle!"

"No, go - Sasha!" Gabrielle gasped and Xena was gone at a run towards the inn.

Xena rounded the corner of the inn only to be stopped short by the sight of Ares flying through the door, landing on the door and his backside. The God of War shook his head with a snarl. Hercules stepped out of the doorway and grinned at Xena.

"Hi, we had company," he merely said. He turned back to Ares. "I told you at their wedding that if you didn't leave them alone I was going to keep pounding your head into things until you couldn't remember your own name."

Ares disappeared as Hercules reached for him. The demi-god turned to Xena, taking in her bloody lip and drawn sword. Xena suddenly turned and began running back towards the stream with Hercules following.

They found Gabrielle standing by the tree wincing and cursing. Xena quickly examined her mate and smiled. "No broken ribs but you'll have quite a bruise there, love."

"I know, is Sasha all right?"

"Hercules sent him scurrying away."

"This time," Hercules said grimly.

"I know, we've got to find an answer." Xena muttered as they began walking back to the inn to find Solan and Torris lifting the door back to the doorway. Hercules shrugged his shoulders with an embarrassed grin at Solan.

Xena smiled as she opened the door to their room and found Gabrielle playing with Sasha on the bed. She also nodded approvingly when she saw the sais in the bard's hand. Gabrielle sat it down next to her.

"He's not likely to come through the door," Xena grinned.

"No, but he's been known to send goons on his dirty work." Gabrielle grinned back.

"Momma!"

Xena grinned even wider and opened her arms as she approached the bed and grabbed her daughter up in a hug. Gabrielle smiled and leaned back against the wall, watching her mate and daughter interact.

"We need to figure something out because I could get used to this," Gabrielle commented.

"So could I," Xena agreed.

"Really, Miss Never Settle Down in My Life? You barely even stop anywhere for more than a day." Gabrielle teased, causing her mate to blush.

"Well, I think motherhood this time around has gotten to me." Xena admitted. "What about you, my love. Ever want to have one of your own?"

"As long as I'm with you, I'm not sure how we'll arrange that one. I am NOT sleeping with Ares!" Gabrielle grinned.

"Oh you are so in trouble!" Xena growled as she sat down on the bed, sitting Sasha down. "Get her, Sasha! Tickle fight!"

The bard squeaked and tried to keep a pillow between herself, her mate and her daughter as everyone began tickling each other, bringing tears of laughter to their eyes. No one was ever sure who won that fight.

A short time later found Gabrielle reciting a tale to Sasha and her warrior. Snuggled in Xena's arms with Sasha between them. After awhile Xena reflected once again that she could get used to this as the bard and daughter slept curled up next to her, the bard wrapped protectively around Sasha.

The next morning Gabrielle found Xena unusually quiet over breakfast while Solan chattered away with Sasha and Iolaus.

Torris, bumping into Gabrielle coming down the stairs, merely mumbled something and left the room. The bard rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"I wish he would get over it," she muttered.

Gabrielle sat down, rubbing the sleep out of her eyes. She smiled at her mate's blue eyes and Xena reached out to hold her hand.

"This is the first time you've slept past dawn." Xena commented. "Like old times."

"Told you I could get used to this," Gabrielle smiled back.

It had long been a joke among them that Gabrielle was not a "morning person." Nope, no way. Not only difficult to wake up at times, but she usually fought for every extra minute asleep she could get. Unless it was Xena's lips waking her up, the warrior smiled to herself.

Then the bard had been taken as a slave gladiator and hadn't slept past dawn since, until now. Xena reflected that her mate must be healing in spirit as well as body.

"Any ideas, Xena?" Gabrielle brought the warrior back to the present.

"Actually, I do. I need you and everyone else to guard Sasha while I make a short trip to the mountains."

Gabrielle frowned. "Not without me, no more separations, remember?"

"I need to do this alone and I know Sasha will be safe with you and Hercules."

"What are you planning? You're not going to take on Ares by yourself!"

"No, I'll be fine, my love."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed, she hated it when Xena kept things to herself but merely nodded. "When are you leaving?"

"Right away."

Xena was surprised to find her mom waiting at the stable with Argo and another horse already saddled. Xena's quick eyes noted her mother's riding clothes and the packs on the back of the other horse.

"What's up, Mom?" Xena asked cautiously.

"I figured you'd want an early start to get to the mountains." Cyrene answered simply.

"How did you know?" Xena grinned as she mounted Argo.

"I know you, my daughter. I'll help you."

"Mom, I didn't want you to think..."

Cyrene held up a restraining hand. "I love you and I understand. Let's go."

Xena gave silent thanks for the Mom she had as she followed Cyrene out of the stable.

Xena was content to let Cyrene led them once they got to the mountains. Her mother seemed to have a destination in mind and Xena didn't ask. Her mother had refused to answer any questions during the trip, frustrating her daughter to no end.

Cyrene carefully walked her horse up a narrow trail to a cave Xena had spotted earlier. When her mother dismounted Xena followed but Cyrene turned and stopped the warrior.

"Wait here for awhile. I'll call for you."

"Mom, what do you have planned?" Xena demanded.

"The same thing you do, I'm going to talk to your other mom." Cyrene answered with a smile and then disappeared into the cave.

Xena sat down on a rock with an impatient growl, noting her mom had taken the heavy pack with her.

To the impatient warrior a candlemark seemed twice as long but she held her place. She knew from working with Alti that magical rites could take awhile and that her mom probably needed absolute concentration. The warrior shook her head, still having problems imaging her mom as a magician.

"Xena," her mother called softly after the sun had gone down.

Xena turned and found her Mom standing at the mouth of the cave with a torch, her body and face hidden by a hooded cloak. As the warrior approached her mother held a finger up to her lips indicating silence and then pointed to Xena's weapons. The warrior quickly placed her weapons on the blanket she had been holding around her.

The priestess motioned Xena to follow her into the cave. Xena could pick out the scent of incense, a combination of spices and herbs, she thought. Also candle wax and fresh water. The warrior figured there must be a stream at the back of the cave.

The priestess placed the torch in a holder in the wall and motioned the warrior closer, around a corner of rock. Xena wasn't surprised to see a stone altar with several items on the smooth rock. The warrior waited as her mother, the priestess moved past her and stood behind the altar.

On the altar stood a golden wine cup and in front of this was a plate of bread, fish, eggs and fruit. Additional items included a rope, a dagger and a pair of keys and an offering bowl. To the far left and incense bowl.

"Welcome, Seeker of the Night. Here, hidden in the darkness you shall find what you seek. But before you take one step further, be warned; this place is sacred to She Who Shows the Way and She Who Commands the Nightmare. If you have been called her by Our Great Queen, be you welcome. If you intend to profane this place in word or deed, then a curse be upon you for all your lifetimes." Cyrene intoned in a powerful voice and Xena felt a chill go up her spine. Her mother wasn't just part of the local worship of Hecate, she realized, Cyrene was the priestess.

Xena moved forward slowly and reached into a belt pouch and dropped several coins in the offering bowl, poured a few drops of wine on the floor of the cave and added incense to the bowl. Cyrene nodded approvingly and motioned her daughter to stand in front of the altar.

"The rope symbolizes the cord of life and it also represents what binds you from the truth." the priestess picked up the rope and approached the warrior slowly and Xena extended her hands behind her, sensing what was expected. Cyrene quickly bound her daughter's hands and motioned Xena to her knees. "The crossed keys represent the crossroads where we leave offerings for the Dark Mother, to bring the wisdom that allows us to make the right choices when faced with them."

The priestess picked up the dagger and walked around the altar again to face her daughter. "The dagger expresses the desire to cut away the darkness so that wisdom might arise. Is this what you seek?"

"Yes," Xena answered simply.

With quick strokes the priestess cut a small "x" at Xena's left breast, just below where her armor would cover. The priestess then quickly held the chalice to catch several drops of the blood and then returned the chalice and dagger to the altar.

Cyrene walked behind the altar and raised her hands in invocation.

"Hecate the Beauteous, you I invoke

You of the roads and crossways,

Of heaven, of earth, and sea as well.

You, among the tombs, dancing with dead souls the Bacchic rite.

You, daughter of Perses, lover of desolation,

taking joy in deer and dogs, in the night.

You, terrible Queen! Devourer of beasts!

Ungirded, possessed of form unapproachable!

You, bull huntress, universal sovereign Empress:

You mountain roaming guide, and bride, and nursemaid,

I entreat, O Maiden, your presence at these sacred rites.

With grace to the oxherd and a joyful heart eternal."

With another quick movement the priestess had taken up the dagger and sliced a cut across her palm and let some of the blood drip into the wine. She raised the chalice high in offering and poured several drops onto the cave floor and then walked around the altar and presented the chalice to Xena's lips. The warrior drank several swallows easily and the priestess moved back behind the altar and drank several swallows.

With a start both women realized that there was another figure in the cave with them as a hooded figure stepped out of the shadows from the back of the cave. Cyrene quickly went to her knees with her head bowed and Xena bowed her head as well.

"Rise, Cyrene." a strong and musical voice ordered. The figure pulled the hood back and Xena was surprised to see a woman that looked very much like Gabrielle, only slightly older. "Relax, I appear as one you would trust. You have done very well, Cyrene." Hecate commented, walking over to Xena and around her. Xena raised her eyebrows, feeling like she was in a market place being judged for a sale. Hecate then laughed and pulled the warrior to her feet and Xena blinked, the rope was gone.

"I know the problem with Ares, I've been keeping an eye on things since you got back from the North." Hecate said simply.

"What do we do about it?" Xena asked bluntly.

"I would suggest that you not rely on the gods to protect you or yours. Hera could cause problems at any time, Ares could get even more demanding, Zeus could change his mind about protection at any time."

"That would suit me fine, I hate depending on the gods for anything." Xena agreed with a growl, bringing a smile to Hecate's face.

"Even though you're mostly a god?" Hecate countered.

"I prefer the human part, thanks."

"Xena!" Cyrene squeaked but Hecate merely laughed again.

"It's all right, Cyrene, it's what we had hoped for." Hecate contemplated the warrior for a moment. "So you don't want to be a godling, that's all right with me and I'm sure Zeus would rather you stay a secret from Hera as well. She's finally settling down about Hercules but that can change at any moment. The need then is to level the field between you and Ares."

"How do we do that?" Xena asked, curiously. "Hind's blood? Dagger of Helios?"

"The only things that can kill a god by a mortal? You forgot the bones of Cronos. No, I don't think so. The threat would work for awhile but how long could you stay by Sasha's side every minute of the day?"

Xena frowned.

"Then how?"

"A gifting from me. What gives Ares an advantage over any mortal?" Hecate questioned.

"Besides his immortality, the fact we can't hurt him."

"If I give you and Sasha that gift, that any weapon you take to hand could hurt him?"

"Again, I'd have to protect her every minute of the day until she was older." Xena continued frowning.

"It would even the balance between you and once I threaten him with my own magic, he'll back off." Hecate promised. "Most of the Olympians don't like to cross me."

"He'll hurt Gabrielle," Xena suddenly looked concerned only to be confused when Hecate smiled.

"He can but he probably won't try. She already has the gift from her father."

"What do you mean?" Xena whispered.

"Warrior daughter, Gabrielle died on that cross."

Cyrene moved quickly around the altar to help support her daughter as Xena's knees went weak. They both looked at Hecate who had a sad smile on her face.

"What?" Xena whispered.

"Apollo brought back the spark of life to her and Gabrielle herself fought to keep it alive on that cross. Her love for you kept her alive and fanned that spark to a flame. That's why her recovery was hard, death was fighting hard to take her. She won't be sick again, any wounds that she gets will heal quickly and it will take more than any other human can take to kill her."

"That's why Ares took her out so quickly and why I know I heard her ribs crack but they were fine when I checked on her," Xena muttered and Hecate nodded.

"Yes," Hecate confirmed.

"What is the cost of such a gifting for Sasha and me?" Xena asked, eyes narrowing.

"You have to die," Hecate answered simply and Xena heard Cyrene gasp beside her.

"Again?" Xena asked with a rueful grin and both warrior and priestess were surprised when Hecate laughed again.

"Afraid so and this will require you to do something that might be impossible," Hecate warned.

"What's that?" Xena demanded, she hated dealing with the gods, damnit!

"Trust me to bring you back."

Xena frowned, eyebrows furrowing. She turned and began pacing. Trust? Trust a goddess? Trust anyone but Gabrielle? The warrior turned to face Hecate and Cyrene, her two mothers, still frowning.

"If you can't, I understand. I'll take you, Gabrielle, Solan and my granddaughter to the north."

Xena began pacing again. She finally stopped and faced both older women.

"All right, let's do it," she said simply. Hecate looked pleased and Cyrene looked fearful.

"Goddess, sometimes the initiates don't survive," the inn keeper said softly.

"They were either ready for death and not for life or their faith wasn't strong enough. Is yours, warrior?" Hecate suddenly demanded, her eyes hard.

"You know I'm not one for worship of the gods," Xena countered.

"How is your faith in life and love?"

"What do you mean?" Xena questioned.

"There was a time when you would have welcomed death, a time when you thought you deserved it. Even now you doubt whether you've made up for your past. You still carry that guilt."

"After all I did, how could I not?"

"If you carry that with you there is a chance you won't cross back over, even with my guidance. Your love of life, for Sasha, Solan and Gabrielle must be enough to resist the darkness," Hecate warned.

"For Gabrielle and my children I would fight Hades himself!" Xena hissed and Hecate nodded.

"Then at dawn it begins, my daughter."

Xena wasn't surprised when, just before dawn, Hecate sent her hunting in the woods, the blood of life needed for the cross-over ritual into the dreamscape of the soul. Then the warrior was to climb the mountain, to go as high as she could and spend time meditating and purging her soul and mind of her guilt for the day. To eat nothing and drink little. Having some shamanism training from Alti, the meditation and lack of food was normal for a beginning journey, the warrior knew.

The hunt went well, a deer practically standing still for her arrow shot and the warrior made the climb easily. What didn't come easy was facing her past again. With an irritated growl she threw a small rock bouncing down the cliff as she sat on the edge. How many times would she have to face this, she thought. Then she corrected herself. Had she ever really faced it?

With a sigh the ex-warlord closed her eyes and forced her breath to steady out and let her mind take her back.

By three candlemarks the warrior was bathed in sweat even though it was quite cold on the mountain top. She had completed the chanting and connecting with the spirit of the deer and mixed her blood with that of the animal.

Then the warrior drank the blood and felt herself slipping through the confusing, terrifying and weird space between the worlds and crossing into the dreamscape. Xena turned to face her past.

The warrior saw her childhood, remembered the feelings of being different from the other children of the village and nearby villages. The only one accepting her Lycius, her beloved brother. Her mind forced her to relive their weapons practice, he was the only one that tolerated her desire to learn how to fight. Then the images of going into battle against Cortese, watching her brother fall to an arrow and then to Cortese's sword. The horrifying sight of her brother's body being dragged behind a horse, mutilating his body.

The only sign of the warrior's torment on the outside was a small whimper escaping her lips.

Her mind continued. Xena rallying the men and boys of the village to fight back and avenge their dead. Being bested by Cortese, being abused by him and his men and left for dead. With another whimper Xena watched her younger self swear revenge by her brother's blood and her own, her eyes flashing, bordering on insanity.

The older warrior wishing she could go back in time and tell the young girl not to accept the hand of the stranger appearing in front of her. The stranger that promised to help her in her revenge, to show her how to fight and conquer the world. Promised her power, enough power so that her violation would never happen again. The young girl had felt the hairs on the back of her neck standing up and sensed that this wasn't no ordinary mortal and took his hand.

Xena forced her mind to slow down. Always, since giving up the Warlord, her mind tried to travel quickly over the next ten years, blurring the images together. This time the warrior forced her memories to slow down. The battles still blended together but her brutality didn't. Those who stood in her way, those who had something the Warlord wanted, or those who simply annoyed her - Xena remembered them. Not their names and not many faces but she remembered the tortures, the deaths, the humiliation people suffered at her hands.

Xena could feel the heat of the day, smell the blood and gore, feel the tension on the battlefield. How many battlefields? The cries and screams of the warriors was deafening but the hardest was watching herself. The warrior was forced to watch as the Warlord took delight in the slaughter, in the power of her skills and sword. The maniacal grin and eyes as she took out opponent after opponent. A cleaved skull here, a warrior trying to hold his stomach in place after her sword had ripped it open, another grasping at his throat after her chakram had flown by. The older Xena felt the tears streaming down her face as she walked among the battlefields, seeing the wounded and dead. The warrior in her still knew that sometimes a battle couldn't be avoided but a lot of those on the field were simple farmers that had gotten in the Warlord's way. These weren't soldiers, they were victims. Her victims.

One by one the voices of the dead began to curse and berate her until it was an overwhelming roar in the warrior's ears, sending Xena to her knees, covering her ears in an useless gesture.

Xena closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing, accepting that the voice were right. She let the pain wash over her and through her and the voices disappeared.

Xena then turned to the darkness in her mind and soul. The warrior wasn't surprised that her mind struggled against her and fought against the resistance. Xena felt a growl deep in her throat and struggled with herself.

Finally the images began coming, trying to rush over her. With more effort she slowed them down until some of the faces came into focus. Then the events took shape and Xena whimpered with shame.

The sight of Amazons impaled on tree limbs, broken bodies, broken limbs. Of Alti's power crazed face. Xena kept her breathing normal as Alti's voice whispered in her ear, seductive, powerful. Her lure of power was almost more alluring than Ares', the warrior reflected. The warrior's own inherited shamanic talents drew the evil sorceress like a wolf to a wounded lamb. The Amazons had paid for that power, they had become the lambs under Xena's hands and Alti's desires.

Xena let each face appear before her as her astral body shook and cried with regret and shame. She silently begged each for forgiveness as they faded from her sight.

The rush of the blood after a battle, after a slaughter, hit her like a force, knocking her astral body backwards. Sending the warrior to her knees shaking.

The faces of the women and men she herself had brutalized as Warlord, to satisfy her bloodlust after a battle. The barmaids, the female slaves, prostitutes - how many had felt her fist along their jaws and then inside their bodies? How many still carried the scars from her whip or dagger? She knew all of them carried the emotional and mental scars. How many had shed countless tears as they serviced the Warlord, tongues at her sex and shame on their faces at being forced?

Which was worse: the slaughter or the rapes? Xena howled as her guilt overwhelmed her. How could Gabrielle touch her if she ever knew this side of Xena?

Xena fought to maintain control and face the demons. When did she lose the will to live? The ex-Warlord could almost pinpoint when revenge and justice no longer mattered, when all that mattered was power. When did that power become empty? Is that why she brutalized her sexual mates? Was she trying to feel something, anything?

Is that when it all slipped away from her? No, she admitted to herself. It all slipped away when the young girl took the hand of the God of War and welcomed his training and promises.

How many died at her hands merely because she couldn't feel anything?

Xena felt the tears streaming down her face and released her body and mind, collapsing backwards. Her mind came back to her physical body with a shudder and a scream of grief.

The warrior pulled her fur cloak around her as she curled into a ball and let the tears flow, occasionally smacking the rocks with her fists or palms, trying to release the pain.

The sun was in the afternoon sky when Xena sat up and rubbed a handful of snow over her face. She felt exhausted but knew she wasn't finished. With a sigh, the warrior sat back up and concentrated on her breathing again. Her body screaming in protest as she pushed the physical aside and went back into her mind, drinking the deer's blood again.

The warrior forced her mind to bring up the memories of that village, of losing control over her army. Xena almost was grateful for the memories of the gauntlet her men had forced her to endure when they threw her out. It wasn't punishment enough for what she had done. The irony was that they were punishing her for not being brutal enough in those last days. Xena winced at the blows, almost physically remembering them as her younger-self struggled through the line of men intent on killing her.

Then the warrior was remembering how lost she had felt without her men, without the power. Trying to attack Hercules again only to be shown compassion. The older Xena felt a whimper of sympathy for her younger self, running around the countryside, totally lost with herself. No longer the Warlord, no longer with purpose and no longer empty. Instead a feeling of shame and guilt were beginning to gnaw at the warrior, causing more pain than the gauntlet had.

Why had she saved the baby? What did she care anymore? The answer was in the question. If she had to ask the question then the answer was that she did care.

Xena remembered being so scared right then. Nothing made sense anymore, she couldn't be the Warlord and care about anything. Hercules wanted her to stay with him and work through it. Work through what, the young Warlord demanded.

The guilt had been like a heavy mantle on her shoulders and the warrior was determined to walk away from it. The older Xena now knew how foolish that idea had been. As if burying her weapons and walking away from the Warlord would have changed what Xena was - a warrior.

The very still body of the meditating warrior smiled slightly as the first memory of Gabrielle came into focus. The brave young woman trying to bargain to save the women of her village from slavers, even offering herself in exchange.

Xena forced these memories to go as slow as her painful memories had. To force herself to remember all the good things she had done. How many people had they actually helped along the way to this point? Not just the major events like Cecrops and defeating Bacchus, but just stopping some robbers on the road? Stopping wars and battles? Even saving Joxer's life a couple of times. That ought to make up for some of the bad stuff, Xena smiled to herself.

Not giving into Ares all those countless times. Always at the center of everything was Gabrielle. Even when the warrior had been forced to travel without her, always waiting for her had been Gabrielle.

Until Perdicus. Xena forced her mind to continue on, wanting to turn away from the painful memories but determined to face everything. Her jealousy over Gabrielle leaving and marrying the soldier. Her pain because Gabrielle had been willing to leave her and her own guilty pain for letting the bard go without telling Gabrielle how she felt.

Her own guilt for not protecting Perdicus from Callisto and the guilt for her relief when he was dead and Gabrielle came back to her. It only helped a little that she now knew that Gabrielle had also felt guilty about the relief the bard also felt over Perdicus' death.

Then the overwhelming joy when the two women had finally faced each other with the truth about their feelings. Xena couldn't describe how different her heart felt from the Warlord after she and Gabrielle finally kissed.

The warrior let these memories flow over her and the healing feeling they brought with them. Gabrielle's smile, her hair shining in the sun. The delight in watching the young teenager turn into a beautiful young woman. The joy in seeing those green eyes go from devotion to love to passion.

Then the mixed feelings and memories of their bonding. Of being accepted by the gods themselves, of being blood bonded, soul bonded for all eternity. The horror of Gabrielle's poisoning by the Romans and the intense suffering no one could have survived. Even now it was too painful to watch her beloved suffering under the poison. Gabrielle's body twisting and arching in unnatural positions as she screamed in agony. Xena brushed away the tears as her astral body rocked with the pain and the feeling of being helpless.

The time spent beginning to heal only to have Ares mess with their lives again, stealing Xena's memories of Gabrielle.

The warrior resisted letting her body squirm from those memories. Spending a lust filled night with him made the warrior very uncomfortable to remember but she persisted through the memory. Forcing herself to remember almost killing Gabrielle under Ares' influence, only the bard forcing her warrior to remember their blood bond saving both of them.

Xena had thought most of their troubles were over then. She mentally bit back on moving away from the next memories, bringing them to the surface.

Her joy and horror at discovering she was pregnant, with a child of Ares. Ack! That hadn't been easy to deal with. Again it was her bard that saved her, welcoming the child and reassuring the warrior of her love and acceptance. Her joy at Hercules and Iolaus stepping in to lend a hand in getting them out of Greece and Roman territory - away from Ares and Caesar.

Then the day the warrior thought would cause her heart to break, the crippling of her friend Iolaus and the disappearance of Gabrielle for almost two years.

The warrior was horrified to actually be able to see the scene this time, not having been there to help her friend and mate. Xena curled into a small ball as she watched Iolaus fall to the swords and fists of the rogue Romans and Gabrielle fall under her horse, trapped. Xena screamed with Gabrielle as the bandits began hitting and then raping her until she was unconscious.

Xena still marveled at the changes in her little bard when Gabrielle had finally returned to them, a full fledged gladiator and Roman citizen. How good the bard had become at fighting now but still somehow the gentle spirit was still under there.

The memories shifted to Sasha's birth, the joy in giving life to her daughter mixed with the bitter of Gabrielle not sharing that moment with her and of the death of her German friend Sasha for whom Xena's daughter was named.

Xena let the feelings of warmth for their adopted Germanic family wash over her in healing and the joy of Gabrielle's return and rediscovering of their love. The warrior let the recent memories flow a little faster, they were still very fresh in her mind. The crucifixion, her absolute terror as the bard died on the cross, then salvation.

Through it all was Gabrielle, always. Xena realized with a start that not even Solan came close to having that light in her life, maybe not even Sasha. This left Xena with a puzzle of how to feel. She knew she would die for Sasha and Solan, that she would take on the Gods, all of them for her daughter and son. The warrior also knew that Gabrielle would be right there with her without a question or hesitation. Xena also knew that she wouldn't even consider facing anything ever again without Gabrielle.

With total acceptance the warrior realized that she did trust someone unconditionally and loved someone unconditionally: Gabrielle. When did that happen, she wondered? She had always held back from giving over every bit of herself to someone. Hades, she didn't give much of anything to anyone before Gabrielle, she amended.

Somehow the small bard had gotten past those walls and now Xena had to accept the fact that she couldn't live without the bard. She did want to live - both for her children and her mate.

The darkness no longer reached out to claim her for her sins. If she could have a love like Gabrielle's in her life then the darkness couldn't control her any more. Xena admitted that she had friends, true friends and family now. Something the Warlord never could. Her mind went back to her body.

As Xena stretched her cold and stiff body she sighed heavily and smiled.

The Warlord was truly dead.

Xena wasn't surprised to see Cyrene and Hecate waiting for her when she returned to the cave just after dark but she was surprised to see Gabrielle there. The bard grinned and rushed into her lover's arms, holding Xena tightly. Xena raised her eyebrows in question over the bard's head at Hecate, who now looked more like an older Cyrene.

"You are blood bound together and you trust her unconditionally, she will be your anchor on your next journey."

Xena frowned and pulled back to look into Gabrielle's face. "If something goes wrong you could be pulled in with me."

"I know, Hecate explained that to me. Do you even need to ask?" Gabrielle smiled and Xena shook her head, drawing the bard back into her arms.

"No," Xena responded, kissing her mate gently. "What happens now?" she asked Hecate and her mother.

"You have done well, Xena. Now to reach the gift you must pierce the darkness I rule and grab it."

"Not just your usual wave of the hand blessing?" Xena grinned.

"No, these are serious, your own bard had to die for hers."

Gabrielle pulled out of Xena's arms. "What?" she demanded, turning to the goddess. "What are you talking about?"

"Hmmm, I see your father hasn't talked to you yet. You'll have to trust me, warrior bard, and wait till I'm done with your mate," Hecate said gently.

Xena spotted the clinching of Gabrielle's jaw and waited to see which would win out, her bard's stubbornness or her logic. The warrior knew how much Gabrielle hated mysteries, especially about herself. Finally, Gabrielle nodded acceptance but her eyes told everyone there they had better have explanations for her when they were done.

Cyrene and Hecate set up comfortable bedding for the two younger women to lay on and then Hecate drew several small vials and pouches of herbs out and began mixing them together with the blood from the deer. Gabrielle swallowed with a shudder as the goddess worked.

Cyrene sat next to her daughter as they chanted and began the meditations for crossing over.

"What's in the cup besides blood?" Gabrielle asked.

"Several hallucinogenic herbs and some poisonous ones. Xena will come close to dying permanently, only the strength of her spirit and love for you and her children will keep that from happening," Hecate answered simply.

Xena sat down on the bedding and smiled at her mate, trying to look reassuring. Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in a disbelieving gesture and grinned.

Cyrene sat on one side of the couple and Hecate knelt at the other. Cyrene, the priestess, pulled the dagger off the altar and Xena held her left hand out and her mother quickly cut a line across Xena's palm. Hecate quickly caught the blood in the cup with the other mixture. Then Gabrielle held out her hand and Cyrene repeated the motion and Gabrielle's blood mixed into the cup as well. Xena reached out and grasped her mate's hand, once again mingling their blood.

"Seems we do this a lot," Gabrielle smiled and Xena smiled back and then grew serious.

"You're my tie to this world, don't let go of me."

"Never," the bard answered strongly.

Xena reached and accepted the cup from Hecate. The warrior hesitated a moment.

"Love is always the answer, my daughter, even in the darkness." Hecate spoke calmly and Xena drained the cup.

Gabrielle resisted the panic that tried to grab her as Xena's eyes rolled back in her head and the warrior's body began to shake uncontrollably. The bard's eyes quickly sought Hecate's blue ones to find her seemingly unconcerned. Cyrene looked concerned but unmoving. Gabrielle tightened her grip as Xena's hand relaxed in hers.

Cyrene leaned forward and helped lay her daughter's body down on the bedding.

"Relax and close your eyes, Gabrielle. Lie next to her and let her feel your strength," Hecate ordered. The bard quickly shifted her body to lie next to her warrior and closed her eyes.

Gabrielle suddenly felt like her world was spinning, even with her eyes closed. She resisted thrashing out, determined to hang on to Xena's hand.

Gabrielle opened her eyes to find the sky a strange shade of blue and the trees were gray. The bard sat up and looked around slowly and saw Xena turning over and looking at her with astonishment.

"Gabrielle! What happened!" the warrior demanded as she quickly scrambled next to the bard.

"I don't know I closed my eyes and I was here, wherever that is!"

"Relax, children. You will face this together," Hecate's voice whispered to them.

"No! I don't want her here!" Xena yelled at the air.

"Why?" Gabrielle demanded as they climbed to their feet.

"It's dangerous enough on the other side being connected to this realm, being here is ten times more dangerous. This place can get rough," Xena tried to explain.

"What's the matter, Xena, afraid of what she'll see?"

Gabrielle was stunned to see her mate's eyes go wide with a touch of ... of fear? The warrior spun on her heels quickly, drawing her sword in a swift motion. Gabrielle peeked around her mate to see who was speaking.

Standing with her legs in a wide stance about 50 yards away was a woman in Northern Amazon Shaman garb, totally in black with a headpiece of leather, beads and bones. She was older than Xena but it was hard to determine her age, Gabrielle decided.

The bard felt a chill at the look on the woman's face and the madness in her eyes. Somehow this woman felt even more dangerous than Ares at his worst. Xena's reaction didn't reassure the bard.

The warrior let loose with one of her famous war cries and leaped into the air, somersaulting several times and landing right in front of the other woman, bringing her sword down on the seemingly unarmed figure in front of her.

Before the sword could strike the woman raised her hand and struck Xena in the chest. The bard was stunned when the light touch sent her mate flying backwards to land at her feet. Xena shook her head and regained her feet. Gabrielle drew out her sais in a defensively stance.

"Alti, what do you want?" Xena demanded.

The woman laughed and pointed her hand again and both warrior and bard found themselves at the base of some of the trees. Gabrielle groaned and shook her head, glancing over and saw Xena wincing as she stood up again.

"That's Alti?" Gabrielle asked as the woman called Alti laughed at them.

"Alti, a sorceress from the Northern Amazons. She's pure evil," Xena said grimly, eyes narrowing.

"Oh, Xena, I'm hurt. Surely you give me more credit than I deserve. After all, I think you've killed countless more people than I have," Alti protested with a smile.

With a wave of her hand the warrior went flying backwards again, landing hard, Xena's eyes flashed as she regained her feet.

Gabrielle joined her mate as they approached cautiously and then separated, each approaching slowly, weapons drawn.

"At least I never tried to destroy their souls except through you."

"Xena, maybe you're not giving yourself enough credit. Have you told your Amazon Queen what you did to the Amazons of the North?"

Gabrielle saw Xena stop dead in her tracks, her jaw tightening. Xena felt a growl coming from her chest and exploded into a scream of rage as Alti laughed at her reaction. Once again the warrior launched herself into the air. Gabrielle quickly released one of her sais, hoping to gain a hit while the sorceress was detracted by Xena.

Alti flicked her hand and sent the sais flying back towards its owner. Gabrielle yelped and ducked as it came within a hairs width of her head. Xena found herself facing Gabrielle with Alti's hand at her throat, her sword on the ground. Alti began squeezing and Xena's eyes went wide with the realization that she couldn't move her arms or legs in defense.

The bard screamed and rushed them, tackling both of them, freeing Xena from Alti's grip. With the quickness of her gladiator skills, the bard buried her sais deep into Alti's throat and stumbled backwards off the sorceress and almost over Xena as the sorceress laughed at her. Xena and Gabrielle regained their feet together as the shaman rose to her feet and removed the sais. She looked at the weapon with appreciation and then it melted like wax in her hand.

"Xena, I think we're in trouble," Gabrielle said softly.

"Uh huh," the warrior agreed.

Alti casually waved her hand in the air and Gabrielle went to her knees as if backhanded. The bard tasted blood on her lips. Xena moved to stand in front of the bard.

"Leave her alone, Alti. This is between you and me."

Another series of blows rocked the bard's body back and forth. Gabrielle swayed heavily on her knees until a heavy phantom blow sent her backwards, holding her left eye.

"Xena, why can't I play with your new little bitch? You used to share with me. Besides, didn't she share you with Ares?"

Xena felt her insides go cold with rage.

"That had nothing to do with me and Gabrielle!" Xena shouted.

"Don't you think it bothered her just a little bit for you to have wild and untamed sex with the God of War so soon after your wedding to her?"

Xena heard Gabrielle growl.

"Did you ever confront her with that one, bard?" Alti demanded.

"She wasn't herself," Gabrielle growled back.

"Don't tell me it doesn't drive you insane to think of her making love with him?"

Xena snarled but the shaman only laughed at her.

"Who do you think she prefers? A god or you? And a child she has to share with him, nothing to do with you?" the sorceress laughed.

"I love Sasha, go to Tartarus!" Gabrielle hissed.

"Tell her about the Amazons, Xena, or I'll show her." Alti threatened, changing tactics.

"When I was in the North I trained as a shaman under Alti. She was worse than Ares ever thought of being. She wanted the power to destroy a person's very soul and steal that energy. I was drawn into that power and I betrayed the Amazons. I killed them, very brutally." Xena growled.

Gabrielle closed her eyes, realizing now why Xena didn't want to visit the northern Amazons.

"It was very brutal," Alti agreed as Gabrielle got to her feet again. "She impaled a lot of them on tree limbs," Alti giggled.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered and Xena struggled against the guilt tearing at her.

Alti flashed her hands again and the warrior fell back into Gabrielle's arms, her body assaulted from numerous unseen blows. The bard whimpered as Xena's head rocked back and blood began flowing from a vicious wound above the warrior's eye. Then her body jerked and the warrior grabbed her ribs in pain.

"How did those broken legs feel, Xena?" the warrior screamed in pain and grabbed at her legs.

"Or how about that gauntlet?" Alti laughed and Xena rolled over in Gabrielle's arms, blood flowing freely out of her mouth.

"Stop it!" Gabrielle shouted at the sorceress.

Alti merely laughed and shoved her hand forward, sending the bard falling backwards, choking on a bloody nose, a possible broken nose. Gabrielle sat up, her eyes blazing in fury.

"You're good with that magic stuff, how about a real fight?" the bard demanded.

"Ah, what fun would that be? Tell me, how did those spikes feel on that cross?"

Gabrielle screamed in pain again and grabbed at her wrists as blood began flowing. Then the bard found herself face down on the ground as her body struggled for air, the body remembering what it was like to suffer on the cross after being crucified.

Alti laughed again. "A physical fight, I don't think so. You see in this realm, the strongest mind wins, not the strongest body."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and she concentrated, looking at the blood flowing out of her wrists. Focusing everything on the wounds, unaware that she was sending herself into a self induced trance, her breathing steadied and the blood stopped, the wounds closing into the healing scars that had been before. Gabrielle crawled quickly back to Xena, who was shaking her head, trying to regain her senses.

"Come on, warrior! Think! You trained under her!" Gabrielle shouted, lifting Xena up into a sitting position. "We can't touch her, fight her on her level!"

"Oh, you are clever, bard. Xena, your taste in sexual toys is getting better. This is amusing, Xena could never beat me." Alti grinned.

Xena closed her eyes and concentrated on her breathing again. She quickly opened her eyes and held up her chakram, catching Alti's next lightning bolt with it, sending it flying into the trees. Several more bolts followed the path of the first one. Xena grinned and stood up slowly with Gabrielle's help.

Alti smiled and lowered her hands. "Very good, Xena. Are you ready to face everything now? Including Gabrielle's price?"

"What are you talking about?" Gabrielle asked.

"Poor bard, no one's told you yet what your dark price is, have they?" Alti asked with a sneer.

"What is she talking about, Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"With every light there must be darkness. Xena already has her darkness, it's the light she's attempting to reach."

Xena's eyes narrowed as Gabrielle stood beside her, both of them watching Alti, wondering what was next in this mixed up world.

"You two are bound by blood and soul now, to reach the light Xena not only had to face her darkness but she has to face you with it," Alti grinned.

"I faced my darkness," Xena said flatly.

"Yes, and you faced it very well but you haven't faced Gabrielle seeing it. Isn't that what you've always feared, Xena, that she would see the truth as to what you're really like?" Alti purred, moving a couple of steps closer but without overt threat.

Gabrielle stepped defiantly in front of Xena after seeing her lover begin to shake.

"I know what she was like. I know about the deaths and the slaughter and I know she's not like that now!" Gabrielle hissed.

"Yes, but do you know about the rapes?" Alti asked, her eyes dancing with delight.

"Rapes?" the bard frowned. "I know what soldiers are like, she couldn't control her men."

"I'm not talking about the men. You know about the battle lust now, bard, ask Xena how she dealt with that. Ask her if all those young women were willing. Ask her how many of them were screaming or crying when she forced herself on them."

Gabrielle felt like she had been hit with a maul. With a flash her body was remembering her own numerous rapes at the hands of the Roman soldiers, slavers and owners. The bard screamed and went to her knees as her body and mind protested the hands and fists and men thrusting themselves on her, forced by Alti to physically and mentally remember.

"You know what rape feels like, bard. You know what it's like to be powerless over your own body as someone else claims it, didn't you know that's what excited Xena the most?"

Alti clapped her hands and laughed with delight.

"Tell me, Xena, have you ever used your whip on her? Or the handle end of your sword or dagger?" Alti laughed at them. "Which one of your rapists put those scars on your back, bard? Xena or the Romans?"

Gabrielle flinched as an unseen whip lashed across her back, ripping her tunic, spreading blood down her back. She focused again, bringing her breathing back to normal. Then Alti's words sunk in about her beloved. Gabrielle turned to face her lover.

"Xena?"

As she slowly turned to face her mate Xena went to her knees in defeat. The warrior's head dropped forward and her sword arm dropped as well.

"Xena?" Gabrielle whispered, seeing the truth in the shattered spirit in front of her.

"Haven't you ever told her how you like it when they scream in frustration and pain? How you loved forcing an unwilling victim to service you?" Alti purred softly.

Xena's body shook as if being caressed by an unseen lover and she screamed in protest.

The bard's eyes went hard as her jaw tightened.

"You bitch," her voice hissed and Xena's heart shattered.

Then the warrior realized that Gabrielle was spinning to face Alti. Which evil was she referring to, Xena wondered as her tears fell.

"I don't care, damn you!" Gabrielle shouted at the sorceress. "She's past that! That was your student, not my mate!" The bard spun and knelt in front of Xena, lifting the warrior's chin until blue eyes met green ones. "Do you hear me? I don't care about the past and I don't fear you. I don't fear your passion. I don't fear your battle lust. I do not fear you!" Gabrielle stressed each sentence, trying to verbally pound it into Xena.

Xena clung to her mate as Gabrielle pulled Xena to her feet and held her tightly.

"But what about your darkness, bard?" Alti purred again.

"What do you mean? Xena knows I've killed and that I had another lover and why."

"Xena might reach that light as long as you forgive her past and the potential of it returning again. She believes totally in your light, what will she think of your dark side?"

"What are you talking about? Quit dancing around it!" Gabrielle spun to face the shaman and felt comforting hands on her shoulders. She leaned back into her warrior, trying to calm her breath and heartbeat.

Alti seemed to have stopped shooting lightning bolts and throwing punches for awhile, and Gabrielle wondered if the sorceress was going to talk them to death.

"When Apollo pulled your spirit back into your body and lit that spark of life in you again on that cross, he had to accept that his gift of light had a balance of darkness that would eventually come to the surface."

"Apollo? The cross?" Gabrielle whispered, suddenly feeling lightheaded as she glanced down at the healing wounds of her wrists. "I died?" the bard glanced back and Xena nodded.

"Hecate told me today."

"Then what in Tartarus is this darkness business?" the bard demanded.

"She didn't tell me," Xena's face was pained.

Gabrielle reluctantly turned back to Alti, her eyes on fire.

"All right, you're dying to tell us. What?"

"Did you ever wonder why all those village girls you saved from Bacchus had no memory of being bacchae but Gabrielle did?" Alti questioned, bringing a frown to both women.

"What?" Xena asked and the two women found themselves looking in on the scene of the Bacchae cave, like phantom spectators. The bacchae danced around the fountain of the blood of Bacchus, Gabrielle included. The bard felt her breath quicken.

"How did it feel to pierce Xena's neck with your fangs?"

Xena felt her bard shiver. Gabrielle moaned as they watched the bacchae Gabrielle sink her fangs into Xena's throat, holding the warrior close as she drank in the blood.

"To feel her warm blood flowing past your fangs? To feel her fear and desire in the blood, in her body. To realize that she wanted you right then and you terrified her at the same time? Do you hear her blood calling to you now? Can you feel your fangs aching to show themselves?"

A moan escaped from the bard and this time it was Gabrielle that sank to her knees, her hands and arms falling to her sides.

"No!" she whispered.

Xena knelt behind her mate and wrapped her arms protectively around the bard as Gabrielle began trembling violently. Alti laughed in delight.

"Yes, you weren't totally successful in saving your little bitch, Xena. She tasted some of Bacchus' blood on her tongue that night before you knocked the chalice away from her and then she tasted human blood - your blood."

Alti laughed and Gabrielle wailed, falling into Xena's arms.

"She could feel your terror, Xena, and it excited her! How she licked her fangs after letting you go."

"No!" the bard screamed in denial but they could both see the delight the bacchae Gabrielle took in drinking Xena's blood and the desire on Xena's face.

Xena growled at Alti.

"Gabrielle, listen to me! Gabrielle!" Xena held the bard tightly as Gabrielle fought against the overwhelming darkness surrounding her spirit.

"This doesn't change anything! It changes nothing between us!" Xena tried getting through and finally she felt the bard's muscles relaxing a bit and she kept repeating it until Gabrielle finally looked her deep in the eyes. The warrior fought to open her heart totally, knowing that the bard could see into her soul right then.

"Doesn't it, Xena? Are you sure?" Alti purred, moving around them and whispering in their ears. "Which will you feel when she begins to make love to you, fear or passion at the thought that maybe her darkness will surface and she'll take your blood again, maybe killing you? Aren't you afraid that darkness will spark yours again?"

Gabrielle shuddered again and struggled to break free from Xena's arms but the warrior held her tight, refusing to let Gabrielle fall to the darkness.

"No, I'm not afraid of her," Xena answered.

"Can either of you be open with each other after this? Both of you afraid of the other's darkness coming over you in the heat of passion? You've never seen Xena whip the skin from a woman's back and then shove her hand into that same woman, have you, bard? And you, Xena, does the thought of her fangs excite you? That she may seek others out for their blood? That Bacchus can now sing to her?"

Gabrielle sought her lover's eyes again, the fear shining in her eyes brightly.

"No, I'm not afraid. We'll face it together, we'll face the darkness in both of us.

You've lost, Alti. The light will always win out over the darkness. I accept the darkness in me and I accept the darkness in Gabrielle."

Gabrielle buried her head in her warrior's chest, sobbing in relief. After a few minutes she pulled up and wiped her eyes with a rueful grin for her lover. She looked up at the pacing Alti. The sorceress was no longer smiling.

"We'll deal with it. I trust her with my life and my soul," Gabrielle said simply.

With a scream Alti was gone.

Gabrielle looked into Xena's eyes and grabbed the warrior behind the head and pulled her into a passionate kiss. Xena moaned and responded freely.

They fell backwards with an electric shock, both realizing at the same moment that they truly didn't feel any fear with each other, even with the dark revelations.

Gabrielle laughed and Xena grinned, leaning back on her elbows as she contemplated her mate.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed at the mischief in Xena's eyes. "What?"

"Just remembering what you looked like with fangs," Xena said with a smile and then a laugh as the bard tackled her, first tickling and then kissing her. The bard finally broke off the kiss, gasping for air as she laid her head on Xena's chest. The warrior held her tightly.

"Time to go back, little one." Xena said with a smile.

"This is the first time I've felt totally complete with you since the Romans. It feels like something's fallen into place," Gabrielle whispered and was relieved when Xena nodded.

"I know. I was always so terrified of showing you that side of myself. I know that's not me; but it was." Xena hugged her mate.

"It's part of you, part of your history. We can't change the past, my love."

"Just like we can't predict the future. I love you, little one."

"I love you, warrior mine."

Xena wasn't surprised to find her body aching when she opened her eyes. She sat up quickly, looking towards Gabrielle and found her mother and Hecate sitting with them. Xena sighed in relief as the bard started opening her eyes, moaning with the physical assault from Alti that carried over into their physical bodies.

"Easy, Xena." Cyrene said softly, urging her daughter to lie back down as she applied a wet cloth to Xena's cut forehead. Xena caught Gabrielle's eyes as Hecate wiped the blood from the bard's nose and mouth. The bard attempted a smile and they reached out for each other's hands at the same time.

Hecate smiled at both of them.

"You have both done well. Spend the day here, resting and being with each other. Cyrene and I will pay Ares a visit."

"What are you going to do?" Xena asked.

"Threaten parts of his anatomy that he's rather fond of," the older woman laughed. "He knows I can do it too. Once he realizes that you're both on somewhat equal footing with him, he'll listen to reason."

Xena could tell her mom had been worried and now looked tired and relieved. Having seen shamanic journeys before, Xena could imagine how much pain her mother must have been in when her daughter and Gabrielle's bodies starting showing the physical effects of Alti's spiritual attack. Sudden cuts, bruises, broken bones, enough to terrify any mother, even a priestess of Hecate, the warrior thought and loved her mom even more for her strength.

Hecate stood and Cyrene joined her. Xena sat up on her elbows and noticed that the altar items had been packed away and there was a fire near the entrance of the cave. The smell of fresh meat cooking made her stomach rumble, reminding her that it had been over a day since she had eaten. Both mothers smiled.

"Food, water, comfortable bedding. Rest, both of you." Hecate ordered and Xena and Gabrielle blinked, realizing that both older women were gone.

"Wow, I'll never get used to that," Gabrielle complained with a smile. With a groan of protest she slowly crawled across the small space and curled inside Xena's arm, resting her head on the warrior's shoulder with a comfortable sigh.

Xena smiled, enjoying the familiar feeling.

"So what do you know about the gift thing from Apollo?" Gabrielle asked after a few quiet minutes.

"Hecate told me that you won't get sick again,"

"That's a relief!"

Xena grinned. "That you'll heal from wounds faster and that you'll be hard to kill."

"Hmmmm, what about you?"

"The same, I think. That we're practically even with Ares except for the shooting energy bolts and transport thing."

"Kinda like Hercules," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Yes, exactly."

Gabrielle grinned as her stomach rumbled and got up slowly and went to the fire to finish the meal. Xena walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around her mate as she knelt down. The warrior began nuzzling the blonde's neck with a growl.

"You'll make me burn this!" Gabrielle threatened.

"Hmmm, food, then you." Xena relented, lightly nibbling on Gabrielle's ear, sending a shiver of desire through the bard's body.

"Oh gods," the bard whispered. "Oh yeah, food, okay." She quickly dished out the meat and vegetables and then giggled as Xena began feeding bits of the food to her. "You are such a romantic! Has anyone ever seen this side of you?"

"Nope, no one."

"Good, I like that." Gabrielle's voice was husky and Xena felt the familiar fire spreading over her body when she saw the desire in Gabrielle's eyes.

The rest of the meal went quickly and Xena gathered her mate into her arms as they relaxed by the fire, letting their bodies heal their various wounds. Xena figured they'd be bruised and cut for the next few days but already their broken bones were healing quickly.

"Gods, Xena. I don't remember when I've felt this relaxed." Gabrielle commented, lightly nibbling on her warrior's hand as Xena's other arm wrapped around her waist. She leaned back into Xena and smiled as the warrior nuzzled her neck.

"I agree. We've been on the move and under stress for over two years; ever since the wedding." Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her mate's and snuggled into her warrior.

"Even with the cuts and bruises," Gabrielle added with a smile around the split lip.

Xena chuckled in agreement, trying not to rattle the loose teeth in her jaw. "Rest for awhile, little one," the warrior was pleased when she felt Gabrielle's body relax even further in her arms. Xena leaned back and let her eyes close as well, content to hold her mate forever.


	10. 10 Even with Ares

**Disclaimers:** the usual: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Solan, Ares, etc etc etc. Don't bother suing me - this is for entertainment purposes and no harm is intended nor profit (I wish!).

**Sex/Alt Fiction/Subtext:** Yes. Not really subtext because the relationship is between two people of the same gender and it gets sexual, loving and emotional and graphic. Same gender relationships with other characters are also referred to. If this is illegal where you are or you are under 18 years of age, or it bugs you - leave. Come back after you change your laws, get older or free your mind

**Violence:** A good groin shot, a couple of beatings (major character warning), stabbings and a few deaths. The deaths aren't too graphic, just sword strike descriptions (no gore). Finally, one god gets his ass kicked. Oh yeah - the word "ass" is mentioned a couple of times.

**Feedback:** yes, please! I love getting feedback and responding to it. I also love discussing the stories I write and X&G in general.

Hunter Ash

* * *

Torris scowled as the two women walked into the inn just before lunch.

"What in Hades did you two do to each other?" he demanded as he took in their bruised and battered faces and bodies. Xena growled and Gabrielle's eyes flashed angrily. Cyrene quickly stepped between her two children and turned to Torris, her oldest son.

"Torris, they did nothing to each other and they aren't going to tell you what happened, so don't ask again," she ordered sternly.

Torris grumbled but moved off to help serve the lunch customers. Cyrene turned and smiled at her daughter and the warrior's mate.

"Hi, Mom. Thanks," Xena smiled around the swollen lips.

Cyrene took in the sight of her two daughters and smiled a rueful smile. Torris had been right, they were a mess physically but their eyes showed contentment, for the first time in a very long time, the innkeeper thought to herself.

"Go upstairs and change, Sasha is with Solan, running around somewhere in the village."

Xena smiled at the thought of her toddler daughter and young teenager son, very pleased that the boy had taken to his half sister so well. Sasha just charmed everyone she came in contact with, her mother thought.

"Hecate?" Gabrielle questioned, bringing Xena's mind back to focus.

"She had a talk with Ares. He grumbled a lot but agreed to back off until he talked with you," Cyrene smirked.

"Gods," Xena muttered.

"Come on, lover, let's get changed and find the kids," Gabrielle suggested.

As they climbed the stairs to their room, Xena reflected on how strange the last two days had been for the couple. To try and counter Ares' godly advantages, Xena had gone on a shamanistic journey at the guidance of her goddess mother Hecate, goddess of magic and the dark moon. Both the warrior and Gabrielle had faced darkness about themselves and each other and embraced both the dark and light. Leaving them to put both halves together in their lives and in themselves.

The journey had been difficult and dangerous, especially when Alti showed up and attacked the couple, physically and emotionally. Making Gabrielle relive the pain of the crucifixion at the hands of Caesar, Xena to relive the pain of the broken legs, courtesy of Caesar, and both of them to face the emotional pain of their own dark sides.

For Gabrielle it had been facing Xena's abusive sexual past towards women and men, for Xena it was facing Gabrielle's potential bacchae blood coming to the surface.

Hecate had also promised to threaten Ares into leaving the couple and their children alone, even if he was Sasha's father.

Xena shook her head as she closed the door behind them. She didn't believe that Ares would give up so easily.

"What are we going to do about Torris?" Gabrielle asked, holding Sasha on her lap as they finished their dinner that night. The toddler was beginning to get tired and both moms were hoping she'd nod off soon. It had been an evening when the little one had been a bundle of energy after spending the day with her big brother and just watching her and keeping her out of trouble had worn both women down.

Xena smiled at her mate and daughter across the table.

"I'm not sure, my love. He feels displaced and his ego is bruised."

"He also hates that we're lovers," Gabrielle observed.

"I know, I'll try talking to him again. I've been thinking," Xena said thoughtfully and blushed at Gabrielle's raised and teasing eyebrows. "There's a small house just outside the village at the edge of the woods, a good piece of land that could be for sale, if you'd like to take a look at it."

Xena smiled at the excited look on her mate's face.

Then Gabrielle frowned, "When did we get money? Mine went to buy the Amazon land in the north."

Xena began blushing and stammering. "Well, I uh," Gabrielle raised her eyebrows again. "I have several stashes around Greece."

"From your Warlord days?"

"Some of it."

"We're going to talk about this," Gabrielle promised.

The talk turned into a debate. The bard insisting that it was blood money and wanted nothing to do with it until Xena pointed out that Gabrielle's money had also been blood money.

Both had been shocked at those words and the truth behind them.

Gabrielle had stormed out of the inn and had taken a long walk, debating with herself all the way. She could rationalize that she didn't have a choice in becoming a gladiator and certainly didn't have a choice whether she won those matches and the money or not. It was either win or die.

Then the other side debated with her. She had still bet on her matches and the matches of others and had used that money. It had been for a good cause, the Amazons needed that land to escape the Romans, she reasoned. But then, wasn't securing a future for her and Xena a good cause, especially with the kids now?

When Gabrielle had returned to the inn she hadn't mentioned the money again, just agreed to look at the house, to Xena's relief.

With a smile, Gabrielle shook her head, as the crowd began gathering in the tavern, anxious for her to begin her storytelling. Had it only been a month since she and Xena had settled down?

The bard grinned and grabbed a fleeing toddler as Cyrene came pounding out from the kitchen, hot on the tail of said toddler. Sasha squealed and giggled in Gabrielle's arms. The bard handed Cyrene her grandchild.

Cyrene grinned at the bard's delighted face.

"Is Xena coming by tonight?" she asked.

"I'm not sure, I hope so."

"Me too, I'm sending Sasha home with Solan now, maybe he can get her to calm down!" Cyrene complained with a playful smile.

The innkeeper noticed the bard's disbelieving shake of the head as she handed Sasha to her older brother as soon as he walked through the door. The growing teen grinned and tickled his half-sister and kissed Gabrielle on the cheek.

"See you at home, Gabby Mom," with a laugh he was out the door.

"He knows I hate 'Gabby'" Gabrielle complained with a laugh.

"Hard to believe isn't it?" Cyrene asked.

"What's that?"

"You and Xena settling down, complete with a teenager and toddler."

Gabrielle laughed easily, leaning against the bar as Cyrene joined her. "Yeah, I never believed Xena would settle down and I'm still not sure I believe it."

"How's it going with the blacksmith?" Cyrene asked, picking up mugs and placing them on a tray.

"Really well. I think she's surprised at how much she's enjoying working with Dexicreon. He feels she's got a real talent for it."

"I just worry about Ares, with Hercules and Iolaus gone," Cyrene frowned and Gabrielle shared it.

"I know, he just gave up too easily for my comfort. Well, off to storytelling and earning my keep."

Cyrene playfully swatted her daughter-in-law's arm. "Earn your keep, my foot."

The innkeeper was grateful for the help. Amphiplous was a growing town and it was all that she could do to keep up, even with help from Torris with the heavy stuff and one serving girl. Having Gabrielle helping with the serving and then bringing in customers with her bard talents was a godsend to Cyrene and both Xena and Gabrielle knew it.

It also freed Torris to devote more time to his growing feed grain storage and brokerage dealings and out of their hair.

A candlemark later and Gabrielle found herself grinning from ear to ear when her mate walked through the door and took a seat near the back, returning her smile. Several strangers glanced back, wondering who could ever have caught the attention of the beautiful and talented young bard. Several had confused faces when they spotted the warrior woman. Only one made the mistake of smirking. Seeing the coldness seep into the tall woman's eyes and the deadly expression on her face, he quickly ducked his head back over his cup of wine and turned to listen to the bard. Xena growled and made a mental note to keep an eye on him when she and Gabrielle left.

Gabrielle never missed a beat in the rhythm of her story even though she caught ever nuance of the exchange between the drunk and her mate. She knew that only months before Xena would have simply walked over and pounded the man senseless. The bard wondered if the change was the result of motherhood, Xena's desire to settle down, her trust in Gabrielle's ability to take care of herself, or simply that she was getting more comfortable with her trust in their love.

Gabrielle made her own mental note: this one to tease and question her mate about it later.

Even though Xena wasn't dressed in her usual leathers, she could still intimidate the best of them, Cyrene thought with a smile. She had also caught the exchange between the man and her daughter and breathed a sigh of relief when Xena merely glared. The barkeep stopped the serving girl and instructed her to keep an eye on how much the idiot drank that night. One of Xena's unofficial jobs had developed into bouncing rowdier patrons out of the inn before they could do any damage and Cyrene really didn't want it to come to that, especially if the man's attention centered around Gabrielle. The older woman knew Xena was handling herself well but when it came to her beloved, well, Xena could be unreasonable, Cyrene chuckled to herself as she took a mug of port to her daughter, careful not to obstruct her daughter's line of vision of both the man and Gabrielle.

"Don't mind him," Cyrene said easily as she placed the mug on the table.

Xena blushed and smiled. "That obvious?"

Her mother laughed. "Honey, why do you think everyone in Greece knew you two were meant for each other long before either of you did? Just don't kill him."

Xena grumbled but smiled as her mother moved onto her work. The warrior felt herself softening as she looked at her mate. She was always surprised at the jolt that settled around her heart when she looked into those green eyes. How could she have missed it for so long? she wondered and then answered her own question. Fear. She had been so afraid of losing the bard's friendship that Xena almost didn't risk finding the love hidden there.

It felt like a lifetime ago since they had visited Gabrielle's family and the ensuing emotional battleground that led to the revelation that they were so head over heels for each other that they were hurting and Gabrielle was about ready to leave her.

Once again, Xena thanked the Fates for Lila, Gabrielle's little sister, for her eavesdropping and confronting the warrior with Gabrielle's feelings. Taking on Gabrielle's father, sudden and unexpected acceptance from Gabrielle's mother and sister and then, Gabrielle herself, it was all so unexpected and amazing.

Xena let her mind drift back to their first morning together as lovers. The memory of Gabrielle sunning naked on rocks next to a small river still took Xena's breath away. The bard already had her heart and soul and by noon they had claimed each other's bodies as well. They had been almost insatiable since.

Then the world had turned upside down in their lives. Their wedding had gone fairly smoothly, the warrior reflected. Well, except for Ares crashing the wedding night. Her bard still teased her about facing Ares in the middle of the common grounds with only a skirt on, bare breasts flashing, this never failing to get a blush from the warrior.

Then the public bonding and the Romans poisoning Gabrielle, her mate. Gods, Xena thought, it was probably only Gabrielle being the daughter of Apollo that saved her. The long and painful effects had taken a toll on the bard and had left Xena exhausted and emotionally drained. It left her open for Ares to fool the warrior into thinking he was Joxer, it was enough for him to trick her into an offering at one of his altars, giving him an opening into her life again and erasing her memories of Gabrielle.

Xena gulped down half of her port, trying to get past the memories of Ares. One week, she grumbled to herself, one messed up week and she almost killed Gabrielle. And then found she was pregnant with Sasha.

Gabrielle noticed the frown on her warrior and the second mug of port that her mate ordered. She hated when memories crowded Xena. She cursed the past once again, after all they had faced, the memories still haunted both of them.

Nightmares still plagued both of them, though not as frequently as they had. The worst was when the memories invaded their minds during sex, both cursing these memories the most as well as the guilt they each had to fight. Each tried to reassure the other that they each understood about the memories and didn't take it personal but the guilt was still there.

Gabrielle despised those moments: her body writhing and responding to Xena's hands, lips and tongue only to freeze, ruining the moment. The bard would find herself in Xena's arms, trying to fight against the memories of the rapists, with Xena struggling to bring her bard back to the present, holding Gabrielle as the bard cried once again in rage and pain.

Xena's memories were harder to deal with, those of the Destroyer of Nations and the faces of her victims - both on the battlefield and in the bedroom. Xena growled at the thought of how Gabrielle would have to hold her and coax the warrior back to the present. It shamed the warrior to know that Gabrielle knew what those memories were about. Xena shook her head, Gabrielle still accepted her and loved her, even though Xena had been an abuser like the men who had raped Gabrielle.

Once again Xena felt unworthy of her mate. Then she looked up into her bard's eyes and felt that jolt around her heart again. Once more the warrior knew that she could never face life without Gabrielle again.

Nearly two years without her bard had almost killed her. Only Sasha's birth had kept her going, and knowing Gabrielle was alive, the warrior hadn't give up hope.

Xena smiled at her mate.

Gabrielle was relieved to see the smile on her mate's face. She wasn't worried about the two mugs of port, which was nothing for her mate. It was the memories that worried the bard. They could bring the warrior down for days if they took hold. The smile was a good sign. Gabrielle went into the last of the story she was telling, careful not to catch the eye of the man who had challenged Xena.

Xena loved watching Gabrielle weave her magic with a story. Those green eyes could come alive and dance, bringing each word to life. Xena had seen a room of men reduced to subtle tears at one of her bard's tales.

Xena also loved the fact that Gabrielle was writing and telling her tales again. She hadn't touched pen and paper after her slavery with the Romans for months, even when trapped inside by snow in the Northern country during the harsh winter. Xena had been worried that Gabrielle wouldn't go back to it and despaired that the abuse and killing might have killed the sense of wonder the bard needed.

After buying the house and property, Gabrielle had started writing again and then offered to tell stories at the inn for Cyrene. Both the innkeeper and Xena had been holding their breath, hoping for that. Of course, Cyrene had readily agreed, insisting Gabrielle take a portion of whatever coin she collected and a wage for waiting tables during lunch and dinner.

Xena watched her mate finish her tale and then accept the applause and demands for more. With a tired smile she declined another story and the basket passed around the customers. Gabrielle walked over and handed the basket to Cyrene and turned to approach her mate when the man from before stepped in front of her.

Gabrielle shook her head.

"Do you have a death wish, friend?" she asked with a rueful grin as she peeked around his shoulder and saw Xena's eyes flashing, the bard could almost hear the growl from across the room.

"I thought maybe we could have a drink together, a beautiful and unattached woman like yourself," he grinned, legs wide and thumbs hooked in his belt, his stance challenging her to decline and try to move around him. Gabrielle knew that if she tried he would reach out and grab her by the arm or maybe even around the waist, thus ensuring his quick and maybe timely death from one very upset Warrior Princess.

"I am attached, I am very married," she informed him.

"To who, a female? That's not what a beautiful woman like you needs!" he leered.

Gabrielle quickly considered her options and, in effect, his future. She leaned in closer to him, bringing a surprised smirk to his face. With one quick movement she reached down slightly and grabbed the one sai she still continued to wear, even in the village, and brought it up between his undefended legs, hard.

The handle and her fist sank into his groin. She backed up as he doubled over and fell to the floor, gasping for air. The bard quickly sheathed the sai and looked down at the man turning several shades of red, blue and white.

"Cyrene, I think he's had too much to drink," she commented while Cyrene tried to keep from smirking. The man's two friends quickly grabbed and picked him up.

"I think you should take him up to his room," Cyrene suggested sternly as they began to drag him away.

Gabrielle tried to fake an innocent look and smile as she approached her laughing warrior.

"What?" she questioned and then squeaked when Xena stood up and embraced her in a passionate kiss. "Xena!" she protested when the warrior finally let her up for air. Good-natured laughter surrounded them and then howls when Xena grabbed her and threw the bard over the warrior's shoulder and headed for the door.

Gabrielle pounded uselessly on her warrior's back, turning extremely red. Applause, howls and rowdy suggestions followed them out the door.

"Xena! You are impossible!" she yelped and tried to catch her breath as Xena let her down and continued walking towards their new home.

"Nice move with that idiot," Xena commented, wrapping her arm around the bard's shoulders.

"Thanks, good thing my over protective mate makes me carry a weapon even in town," Gabrielle grinned, leaned up and placed a kiss on her mate's cheek, causing Xena to blush.

"I love you, Gabrielle."

"I love you too, warrior mine."

The warrior closed the door to their new home with a slam and pinned her bard against the door with her lips and body. Gabrielle moaned and wrapped her fingers in Xena's dark hair, holding her mate even closer as her tongue fought back for dominance.

Xena's hands were all over her mate and one finally worked their way under the bard's blouse to grasp her breast, playing over a sensitive and erect nipple. As Xena's other hand grabbed her tight ass cheek Gabrielle moaned again and felt her knees go weak. The warrior growled and brought a thigh between the bard's leg, keeping her pinned to the door.

Gabrielle finally broke free, gasping and clinging to her warrior.

"Bed! Now!" she demanded.

The bard yelped again as the warrior lifted Gabrielle over her shoulder and made her way through the darkened house to their bedroom. Xena dumped her mate onto the bed with a grin, trying not to laugh aloud at the bard's indignant look.

Gabrielle couldn't hold the look any longer and laughed herself. This playful side of her mate was something that had surprised and pleased her. It even surprised her even more when Xena was playful and affectionate in public.

Gabrielle lit the lamp next to the bed and looked over at her lover.

Xena's eyes narrowed at the mischievous glint in her mate's eyes and leaned back against the door as Gabrielle's hand stopped her from moving.

Slowly, with maddening patience, the bard began unlacing her blouse, one lace at a time. Xena felt her face beginning to blush as the bard ran her hand over the material, revealing erect nipples underneath. Instead of removing the blouse the bard next moved to her belt and slowly unhooked the belt, dropping it beside the bed and unlaced her skirt tie. Xena's breathing quickened as Gabrielle's hips moved off the bed and her head fell back in exaggerated desire.

Then the bard moved to her boots, gently removing her sais and placing them on the table next to the bed. Her hands trailed over the supple leather of the boots and up her thighs, feeling the tight muscles underneath. Xena whimpered as the bard groaned when she ran a hand lightly over her own groin region. The warrior restrained herself back against the door with nerves of steel and the gritting of her teeth.

Gabrielle slowly unlaced the boots, again moving slow enough to drive her mate to a frustrated growl. Standing next to the bed, the bard grinned an evil grin and removed the boots.

With continued slow movements, Gabrielle stepped out of her skirt and revealed to her mate that she wasn't wearing anything underneath. Xena's breathing became even more shallow and rapid as her hands began to shake. She crossed her arms with, she hoped, a stern and strong expression but could tell from Gabrielle's dancing eyes that the bard wasn't fooled by her nonchalance.

The blouse followed the skirt and Xena tried to remember to keep breathing as the bard slowly approached her, body moving like a cat in the shadows.

Xena unfolded her arms and let Gabrielle begin unlacing her own tunic top, the bard moving much too slowly for the warrior. A small whimper escaped, bringing a smile to Gabrielle as she lifted the tunic off her mate and gasped at the sight of her lover.

The bard thought once again that she'd never get enough of Xena, even if they lived forever. She leaned up on her toes and kissed her warrior softly, careful not to touch her body to Xena's, teasing the warrior. Her mate groaned and closed her eyes, knees almost buckling.

Gabrielle slowly unbuckled the warrior's belt and let it fall to the floor, followed by the trousers. A warning growl kept Xena's hands braced against the door as the bard went to her knees to remove Xena's short boots.

Xena's legs began trembling to match her hands as Gabrielle's hands began caressing her legs, first on the outside of the thighs and then on the inside, just stopping short of her sex. This brought out a moan from the warrior and caused her to thump back against the door.

Gabrielle lightly trailed her hand between Xena's legs and groaned at how wet her mate was as she and leaned on her warrior's thigh. As her fingers parted her lover's lower lips and began teasing Xena, Gabrielle blew lightly across the dark patch of hair in front of her, Xena's legs almost buckled again and the warrior's fingers interlaced through the blonde's short hair.

The warrior cried out as the bard's fingers entered her and her tongue found Xena's clit. The warrior's hand hit the door as she tried to steady herself.

"Gabrielle, please!" the warrior cried. The bard drew back and pulled Xena to the floor and quickly positioned herself between her lover's legs again, pulling more cries out of her lover as Xena's hips began to rock with the rhythm the bard's hand and tongue were setting.

Gabrielle drew up for a moment and watched her lover's face as Xena's body began to climb higher and higher.

"Gods, I love you, woman," the bard said softly and Xena's blue eyes met hers with answering passion. Gabrielle interlocked her hand with Xena's while she increased the speed and depth of her other hand and returned to worshipping her lover's body with her tongue.

Xena felt her muscles contracting around the bard's hand and her throat protesting as her cries began getting louder and stronger until she felt the beginning of the edge. Then her cries turned into whimpers as her body shook, begging for release.

"Let go, lover," a voice whispered and Xena screamed her lover's name and felt her body curl up around her bard's hand. Gabrielle crawled up and took the warrior into her arms while Xena caught her breath.

"Goddamn cold floor," Xena muttered as she snuggled into Gabrielle's arms.

The bard laughed and pulled Xena to very shaky feet. Fortunately it was only a few feet to the bed.

Xena grinned and fell on top of her mate and began kissing Gabrielle passionately, bringing a leg between the bard's and Xena, in turn moaned, at how wet her mate was for her.

"Oh gods, what you do to me," she whispered in Gabrielle's ear and then moaned as the bard bit down on her neck. Xena responded with a growl and thrust her hand between the bard's legs and her own thigh. Gabrielle threw her head back with a cry of passion, sending a jolt through her lover's body as their bodies connected together in the passion.

The warrior began a dance with her fingers and hand, taking her mate up and then backing off, again and again until Gabrielle was a mass of shaking muscles and nerve endings that were on fire.

"Please!" the bard finally begged, gripping Xena's shoulders painfully.

The warrior grinned as she raised up from nipping lightly at one of the bard's nipples. Xena slightly moved up the bard's body and kissed Gabrielle again. The bard's hands moved from the warrior's shoulders to her hair and the back of her neck as their bodies rocked together.

"Now! Please!" Gabrielle begged again and sank her teeth into the warrior's neck.

Xena moaned and thrust hard into the bard, while her thumb found Gabrielle's clit. The bard cried around her teeth but refused to release her hold on her lover's neck, sending shivers down Xena's entire body as she began to shake with her bard at the approaching orgasms.

How many waves shook Gabrielle's body? Neither of them could tell, her cries followed by Xena's and continuing as both shook out of control.

Xena opened her eyes and found Gabrielle curled up in her arms, both of them breathing heavily. Xena smiled and pulled the blankets up over them as Gabrielle sighed and nuzzled her way to her favorite position in the warrior's arm, head resting on her shoulder.

Xena wondered if she should say anything to Gabrielle about the drop of blood on the bard's lips as she kissed it away. The bard smiled and returned the light kiss, settling into sleep in her lover's arms.

Xena looked up from the anvil in surprise at the sight of her older brother heading her way, the anger on his face evident even across the village common. The warrior placed the horseshoe she was working on in the water bucket and walked out from behind the anvil, removing the leather apron and adjusting her sweat-band.

Torris, she could tell, was so angry that he couldn't even speak when he finally got up to his younger sister. His face was red and hands were clenched by his sides. Xena waited, willing herself not to narrow her eyes or provoke him in any way with her expression.

"What is it, Torris?" she asked in a non-stressed voice.

"What in Hades was that scene last night?" he finally choked out.

"What?" Xena frowned.

"Gabrielle nearly castrates a customer and then you... you!" he began waving his arms around as he shouted. Xena maintained a calm appearance, not giving into temptation to look back and grin at Dex, working the forge. She knew that would just send Torris right over the edge.

"Gabrielle did not almost castrate anyone. She took care of a potentially abusive situation and didn't permanently damage anyone."

"Turning his... his... that into jelly wasn't damaging?" he demanded.

"It was either that or face me," Xena said simply with a shrug, which only seemed to irritate her older brother even more.

"What do you call that scene you pulled?"

"Picking up my mate from work?" she teased and grabbed his fist as he attempted to swing at her. She easily held his hand in midair as he struggled to complete the blow and finally gave up, pulling back, sputtering in rage.

"I have to hear about it from the other Council Elders! My sister throwing her damned female sex mate over her shoulder! Like a customer buying a whore!"

Before Xena's eyes and mind cleared, Torris found himself on the wrong end of Xena's powerful fists and on the ground nursing a broken nose and bruised jaw. Xena struggled in Dex's powerful arms, which were wrapped around her. She finally tried to calm her breathing as she glared down at Torris' bloody face and ripped tunic.

Dex relaxed his hold but didn't let go as he felt the warrior's muscles relax. Torris scrambled to his feet, holding his nose and glaring back at his sister. They both looked around at the small crowd gathering around, including Cyrene running from the inn with Gabrielle.

"Xena! Torris!" Cyrene yelled as she parted the crowd to get to her children with Gabrielle following. She turned Torris to face her and took off her apron to hold it up to his nose and glanced at Xena to make sure that her daughter was all right physically and mentally.

Gabrielle started to pass by Cyrene and Torris and was startled when Torris reached out and grabbed her by the collar and to pull her back.

"If you hadn't come along she'd never have come back!" he hissed, pulling the bard off balance and stunning her with a fist just above her eye, sending Gabrielle to the dust. Cyrene and several villagers grabbed him and dragged him back several feet while Dex tightened his hold over an enraged Xena.

Cyrene quickly went to Gabrielle and helped the young woman to her feet as a couple of other villagers rushed to help the bard up. She attempted a smile, wiping at the blood flowing down past her eye. She quickly turned and went to her mate, taking Xena's face in her hands and began talking to her warrior.

Gabrielle knew the look in Xena's eyes. She had seen that same berserker madness in Xena's eyes when the Romans drove seven-inch spikes through the bard's wrists when Caesar crucified her. It had taken Xena hours to come out of that rage.

Finally, Gabrielle saw Xena's breathing begin to slow down and her eyes start focusing.

"Gabrielle?" she whispered and the bard nodded to Dex, the big man gently removing his arms from around the warrior. He gave her a quick squeeze on the shoulder and returned to the shop.

Xena looked around and noticed everyone had gone about their business but were still keeping an eye on the couple, seeing how the interesting afternoon was going to end.

Gabrielle smiled and nodded. "I'm here, my love, and I'm fine."

"You're bleeding," Xena protested.

Gabrielle took her warrior's hand and led her to the shade of a nearby tree.

"It's nothing, my love," Gabrielle said simply as Xena tried to wipe the blood away gently, to get a look at the cut above her eyebrow.

"Where's Torris?" Xena growled.

"Inside the inn with Cyrene. Xena, promise not to hurt him."

"Gabrielle," Xena growled, warningly.

"Please, this is going to be hard enough to work around."

"He hit you!" Xena hissed, her eyes narrowing and flashing.

"Yes, and he tried to hit you. You also broke his nose and maybe his jaw," Gabrielle said simply.

Xena glared towards the inn.

"Pounding him anymore isn't going to help," Gabrielle argued with the silent warrior.

"Would make me feel better," Xena countered and was surprised when Gabrielle smiled and took Xena's face in her hands again.

"I love you, my warrior. The best thing right now is for both of you to avoid each other. I don't know what else to suggest."

Xena sighed, letting her anger flow away. "I don't either. He's not likely to move away and I'm beginning to like it here a lot."

"Me too," the bard slipped her hand into Xena's and began walking her back to the blacksmith's shop area. She leaned up and gave her warrior a quick kiss on the lips. "I don't want you to go all stoic because of him either," Gabrielle warned and started walking towards the inn.

Gabrielle frowned as she walked into the inn and saw Cyrene wiping away the blood from Torris' nose with a wet cloth. Xena's older brother caught her eye and looked away. Cyrene frowned at her son.

"Get in line, Gabrielle, I want a look at that cut," Cyrene ordered.

"I'm fine, Cyrene."

"I'm not going to lose a good bard to infection! Bad enough my son will now have a bent nose and his meals will be non-chewing for awhile."

"Is his jaw broken?" Gabrielle asked, still keeping her distance.

"No, but it won't feel good for awhile. Maybe it'll keep his mouth shut!" Cyrene snapped and Torris growled, getting a slap upside the head from his mother.

"If you could talk I'd make you apologize! I know you and Xena used to fight all the time but you do not lay a hand on a woman! Even if she is your sister and especially Gabrielle! Do you realize how close you came to dying?" Cyrene demanded while Torris grumbled.

Gabrielle sat down at a table with a heavy sigh. Fortunately it was after the lunch rush and there weren't any other customers.

Torris looked over and glared at her. Gabrielle finally snapped and she was standing over the man before Cyrene could move to stop her.

"Listen, damnit! I am not going away! I faced a lot worse than you to be with Xena, don't make me show you what I learned from them! Find a way to deal with it already! I'd think you'd be happy for her," she shouted and then spun on her heel and went to the kitchen to clean up.

After wiping her wound off, the bard found she was still pent up and went out the back and to head headed for the tree next to the stream behind the inn, a favorite place of hers and Xena's. With an angry growl she began practicing a weapons routine with her sais, working out some of her anger.

She was always quick to try and calm Xena down, now she found she also had trouble dealing with her anger. With a shout she threw her sais, burying them into a nearby tree. Gabrielle grabbed them and spun in a complicated pattern, letting them fly into the tree again with another shout.

The bard attempted to smile when she saw Xena standing nearby, leaning against a tree. Gabrielle blushed and retrieved her sais and walked over to her mate.

"So much for the peacekeeper," she muttered.

Xena drew her into the warrior's arms, holding her close.

"I love you so much," Xena said simply. "Mom told me you had words with Torris. Fortunately for his ass, he'd already left."

"It was more a case of having words AT him," Gabrielle grinned, nuzzling Xena's chest, tightening her hug.

Xena leaned against the tree and slid down, pulling a giggling Gabrielle with her. The bard snuggled into her warrior's arms with a contended sigh.

"We need to go take Sasha off Mom's hands for awhile before dinner," Xena whispered.

"I know, I'm teaching her letters while your Mom makes dinner," Gabrielle informed Sasha's mom with a grin.

"Really?"

"Yup, she's smart."

"Takes after her Gabby mom," Xena grinned.

"I'll get you for that tonight," Gabrielle promised.

"I hope so, little one."

"Hey, beautiful, how about a kiss?" a male voice demanded from behind the bard one night and the speaker nearly got an elbow in the jaw. Gabrielle almost dropped her serving tray when she turned and saw Hercules and Iolaus standing behind her grinning.

The bard sat the tray down and leaped into the demi-god's arms for in a big hug and then, with a grin, proceeded to hug Iolaus as well.

"It's good to see you both! What brings you two this way?" she asked and then raised her eyebrows when she realized there was a figure standing behind Iolaus. She caught the eyes and shy grin of the growing boy.

"Ketli?" he nodded and then grinned when the bard hugged him as well, switching her greeting to Germanic.

Gabrielle's grin faded when she saw the expression in Hercules' eyes.

"Oh gods, it's serious, isn't it?"

"'Fraid so, where's Xena?"

"She should be here any minute for supper. Grab a table and I'll join you in a bit."

The warrior was also pleased when she walked in and to see saw her friends sitting at a table with Ketli, the young orphan from their adopted northern Germanic family, and her own kids. Then she also saw the tension in the men's faces.

Gabrielle walked over with a mug of port and food for her mate and a quick kiss before scurrying off to finish serving dinner to the other customers. Xena made the rounds of the table, giving hugs to everyone and taking Sasha into her arms.

Xena caught the two men's grins.

"What?" she demanded as Solan giggled and ate quickly to cover it.

"Just thinking how good motherhood and settling down have been good for you both. How long since we were here?" Hercules smiled.

"Five months," Xena switched to Germanic. "You have grown, Ketli Axe Hand."

The boy blushed and grinned. "Sasha is beautiful, Ylsa," he answered, using her adopted Germanic name and watching the child. Xena nodded in agreement and sat her daughter in her own chair and took in the German boy.

The boy had grown from the seven year old she had last seen. Now he was taller and leaner with blond hair and flashing blue eyes that betrayed his northern origin. The warrior was glad to see his quick smile, though, he hadn't exactly had an easy life, she reflected.

The dinner continued with small chatter, catching up on what had gone on between the friends, Solan discussing his continuing training in tracking and hunting with Xena, the warrior mother proudly discussing her daughter's speed of learning, and Ketli's impression of his travel to Greece with his adopted fathers.

Xena had raised an eyebrow at that one, getting a blush from both men and a laugh out of the warrior woman.

The warrior led her guests and family to the small house at the edge of the forest, knowing that Gabrielle would skip storytelling with Hercules and Iolaus in town. Both Greek men were impressed with the small home and the delight in which Xena took in showing them around and Solan's pride in his growing fur collection from his hunts. They sat by the fire drinking port and cider while waiting for Gabrielle.

Xena could sense the tension in the room and was grateful when Solan volunteered to put Sasha and Ketli to bed.

Gabrielle sighed when she walked in the door and walked over to hug the men and Solan again. She settled in front of the fire between Xena's legs, leaning back into her mate.

"This isn't good, is it?" she asked, breaking the tension finally.

"No, it isn't," Hercules confirmed and stared into the fire. "Since Caesar's death Rome has been in confusion and in an uproar. After the assassination, Brutus was given the governorship of Crete. Marc Antony tried to seize power but Caesar's will legalized the adoption of his grandnephew Octavian and gave him most of the estate. Octavian went to Rome to claim his inheritance, which includes all succession rights of Caesar, and has been courting the aristocrats but especially Caesar's veterans."

Hercules took a sip of his port. Xena began massaging the bard's shoulders.

"Antony got his assignment changed from Macedonia to Gaul. Thousands of troops have been joining with Octavian, even though he doesn't have the authority to raise troops. Antony is getting very worried and has been plotting with Brutus. That led to a temporary truce between them including an alliance. Brutus went to Gaul, in secret, to negotiate with Antony and raise public opinion for Antony. Nothing does that better than a battle victory," Hercules said bitterly.

"Battle? In Gaul?" Gabrielle whispered. Frowning, Solan moved his chair closer to that of his moms.

Iolaus ducked his head, wiping away sudden tears.

"Oh gods," Hercules muttered as he wrapped an arm around his mate's shoulder. "Brutus led Antony's troops right to the Amazons and Centaurs."

"What?" Xena whispered in disbelief.

Hercules nodded, fighting back his own tears. "Axel, Iolaus, Ketli and I went to visit them, to arrange trading for the winter furs just after the attack. We found three survivors, one burned beyond hope and two who are now with Axel's tribe. They told us what happened."

"Only two lived?" Gabrielle whispered, grasping Xena's leg tightly as the room seemed to spin.

"Yes, a little girl named Tyro and an old woman named Sterope."

"Ephiny, Solari?" Xena choked out, wrapping her arms around her mate's chest.

"Brutus ordered their execution himself."

The two women gathered Solan into their arms as his tears finally broke.

"How?" Gabrielle asked, eyes flashing brightly into Hercules'.

"Crucifixion. They said he questioned the Amazons and tortured them, trying to find out where you were," Hercules said softly.

With a shout Gabrielle broke free from the embrace and dashed out the door. Xena hugged Solan even tighter for a moment and then pulled back, looking closely at her son.

"I'm okay," he said simply. Xena nodded and grabbed her cloak and followed Gabrielle into the night.

Xena found her mate sitting by the same stream that ran behind her mother's inn, rocking back and forth, her arms wrapped around her knees. The warrior knelt down and gently placed the cloak around Gabrielle's shoulders and took the bard into her arms, both letting the tears flow.

The next day the small group of mourners rode up the mountainside until they reached a bare spot on top of one of the smaller ones.

Soon a huge bonfire was laid and ready and everyone gathered around. Solan began a drumbeat with Iolaus keeping a base beat with him. Hercules handed a torch to both Gabrielle and Xena and then stepped back and bowed his head respectfully.

With an Amazon wail of grief, Gabrielle bent forward and threw her torch onto the bonfire. Xena followed with a howl of her own. Most of the next candle0mark was spent with the two women dancing, singing and howling their grief while Cyrene chanted prayers to Hecate and Artemis.

As the fire began to die down, the two women and drummers were exhausted, having pounded and howled their grief to the sky and flames. Xena slowly wiped her face of the sweat and tears and approached her mate, who was kneeling on the ground near the fire, staring at the flames and breathing heavily.

Gabrielle stood as the warrior approached her and slowly removed her Amazon Queen mask. She picked up her staff and looked at it carefully and then threw it into the fire, surprising the warrior.

"My tribe is dead but the Amazon spirit will never be killed!" she vowed.

Xena nodded and waited, watching her lover's blazing eyes, bordering on the berserker rage. Gabrielle walked to her lover slowly and reached to Xena belt and pulled out the warrior's dagger. Xena didn't move, even when Gabrielle sliced her hand open once again and gripped her fist around the blood.

"Ephiny, Solari - all of them, Brutus and Marc Antony will pay," Gabrielle hissed and Xena closed her eyes, fresh tears escaping. She understood her mate's suffering and the desire for vengeance but she also feared for her little bard. With a heavy sigh she took the dagger from her mate, cut her own hand and let the blood run onto the ground.

"For our family and our tribe, My Queen," she vowed with her Queen and then drew Gabrielle into her arms again.

"This could take awhile," Xena warned as they sat around the table the next morning and Gabrielle nodded, her eyes still bright with grief and anger. It had been a rough night for both women, both plagued by nightmares again.

"I know, just as long as it happens someday," Gabrielle stated.

"I'm not going to let you turn into an assassin, damnit!" Xena snapped and Gabrielle's eyes narrowed. Hercules and Iolaus looked very uncomfortable.

"I've killed, remember?"

"Inside the Arena when you had no choice. Choosing to take someone's life ahead of time is something totally different. That's a line of darkness I don't want you to cross, please," Xena's eyes were pained and Gabrielle's face softened.

"I want revenge, yes, but most of all I want justice."

Xena nodded. "Then we'll figure it out. Right now I think we should wait and see how things develop between Antony, Octavian, Brutus and Cassius. I don't want to get caught in the middle of a civil war unless we can use it to our advantage."

"All right, you were the general, my love," Gabrielle leaned back, finally her eyes easing up.

"Are you going to be okay, Dex wants me to go to Desume, a customer over there has a special order for us. I'd be gone two days," Xena asked with a frown and Gabrielle attempted a reassuring smile.

"Actually, yes. I want to take a trip to the woods just north of here. There's a shrine to Artemis I'd like to visit."

Xena nodded, understanding. "I thought I'd take Solan and Sasha with me, if you don't mind."

"Of course not, my love."

"What about you three, my friends? What are you plans for the near future?" Xena asked their two best friends.

"We thought we'd stay here for a week and then head over and see our families to introduce them to Ketli," Iolaus answered with his characteristic grin.

"Great, we love having you two here, I just wish it was under better circumstances," Gabrielle said, wiping away a stray tear. She stood quickly. "I'm going to help Cyrene at the inn," she announced and quickly kissed her mate and was out the door.

Xena struggled with her own tears.

Gabrielle was a little disappointed that Artemis didn't make an appearance at the shrine when Gabrielle visited and sacrificed to the Goddess in honor of her fallen Amazons. In fact, she reflected, she was very disappointed and wondered why the Goddess hadn't been around at all to see her Chosen.

The warrior bard was pondering that and Brutus' actions when she noticed a rider approaching her hard and fast. Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and she reached down and drew a sai into her hand as her horse stopped, ready for whatever command she might throw at the mare.

The rider, a young girl in peasant clothes, stopped her horse far enough away from the bard to show she wasn't dangerous.

"Are you Gabrielle, friend of Xena?" the girl asked breathlessly.

"Yes, what is it?" Gabrielle replaced the sai after determining that the girl was alone.

"My father found a young boy tied up in the woods, he's been hurt bad and he's asking for you. Said his name is Solan."

"Lead me!" Gabrielle ordered and the girl turned her horse as the bard urged her horse to join the girl's as they flew down the road to Myrcinus.

The girl's house was on the edge of the village and they arrived quickly. Gabrielle was off her horse and impatiently waiting by the door for the girl to open it before her horse had even skidded to a stop.

"Father! I found her!" the girl shouted as she opened the door.

An older man, skin tanned and weathered by years in the field, stepped out from a back room and approached the bard with an easy smile.

"You are welcome in my home, I've sent for the healer," he said simply and motioned for her to join him in the back.

Gabrielle whimpered at the sight of the young teen lying on the simple cot. He had a broken nose that was turning into two black eyes, split lips, an arm in a splint and he was deathly pale.

"Solan! Can you hear me?" Gabrielle asked as she knelt next to the cot, taking the boy's hand carefully.

The teen opened his eyes with a groan, his body twitching in pain.

"Gabby mom?" he whispered.

"I'm here, Solan," with experienced hands she quickly lifted his tunic and hissed at the bruising along his ribs and frowned at the knot at the boy's stomach. He groaned loudly when she poked him. Internal injuries were definitely a fear.

"We were attacked, Mom said Ares warrior priests," he whispered.

Gabrielle's eyes took in the rope burns at his wrists and noted that he was able to easily move his legs until she tried to bend his legs into his stomach, again he groaned in obvious pain.

"What happened, Solan?"

"They hurt Mom really bad and took her and Sasha away in a wagon. They left me tied to a tree," the boy began to cry and Gabrielle started talking, trying to ease his physical and emotional pain. Finally a young woman walked in with an older woman, both carrying satchels.

"I am Polyphonte and this Nomia, I am her apprentice," the girl introduced herself.

"I'm Gabrielle and this is Solan. He's been beaten badly, broken nose and bruises but I'm worried about his stomach. There are a couple of lumps and they're rigid and painful. It hurts him to bend his legs to his stomach and he's very pale," Gabrielle said quickly as the older woman moved forward and the younger one pulled up a stool for her mentor.

"You have training?" the older woman, Nomia asked.

"No, but I've seen plenty of wounds and beatings," Gabrielle answered, watching the older woman's hands fly over the boy, much as hers had done. The young woman, Poly went to a table and began pulling out herbs and mixing them in a mortar.

"You're too young to have such knowledge," Nomia smiled.

"So is he," Gabrielle commented, wincing as he groaned in pain again.

"They always are," the old woman agreed and took the cup that Poly handed her of the mixed herbs and wine. She held the boy's head up gently and got him to drink most of the wine.

"Solan, do you know where they took Xena and Sasha?" Gabrielle asked, hoping to get more out of him before the pain herbs hit.

"Something about a temple," he muttered, eyes closed.

"You are needed elsewhere," Nomia observed.

"Yes, his mother and sister have been kidnapped."

"Then go, we won't know until tomorrow if there is bad bleeding inside."

"Solan, I'm going to find them and get them back!" Gabrielle promised and dashed out of the back room. She approached the father and daughter.

"Thank you, I'll pay for whatever cost the healer wishes. I have to leave for a bit, if I don't come back within two days, send word to Cyrene in Amphipolis at the inn that Solan is here and hurt."

"Don't worry, he is welcome to stay here as long as necessary. You'll be back," the farmer said optimistically.

"Thank you."

Gabrielle cursed Ares with every curse she had ever heard of and invented quite a few along the way as she rode hard. How in Hades did Solan end up in Myrcinus, she wondered. It was north of Amphipolis and not on the way to Desume in the East. The only solution Gabrielle could see was that he was left as bait for her to find and attempt a rescue of Xena and Sasha. That meant the priest warriors must be headed for the temple of Ares at Crenides, north of Desume.

Gabrielle growled and urged her horse on faster. She knew she was heading into a trap but was determined to get Xena and Sasha back, she'd just have to change Ares' plan, she thought as the wind whipped through her short blond hair.

The bard wasn't surprised when she caught up with the small band of warrior priests late that day. She left the road, leading her horse deep into the woods next to the road and left the mare to take to the trees. Gabrielle was hoping that Ares hadn't mentioned some of the bard's Amazon talents when instructing his warriors.

Gabrielle moved through the trees with the grace of a stalking tiger and got close enough to see the camp they were setting up next to the road. She by-passed the sentries easily and slid into the shadows. The bard stifled a moan as she saw her lover in hay filled wagon with Sasha next to her.

Xena was unconscious, her hand covering an obvious wound in her side. Like her son, her face was bruised and cut and there was a bad gash across her left thigh. Her weapons were sitting on the bench seat of the wagon.

Sasha was quiet but it was obvious she had been crying and it broke Gabrielle's heart to see the little one clinging to her unconscious mom as the men ignored her and Xena while they sat up camp.

Gabrielle turned her eyes from her mate and daughter and focused her rage down to take in the camp and its' set up. Pretty basic, she thought. Men are so typical. Horses tied to a rope line, sentries positioned every so many yards apart, watching the outside of the camp, several others gathering wood for a fire while another prepared dinner for the group.

One leaned over the wagon and checked on the woman and child. He ignored the terrified cry from the child and felt Xena's neck for a pulse.

"She's still breathing but I don't know how," he yelled to the man preparing dinner.

"I don't know either but I'm glad she is, Ares said not to hurt her!" the other one complained.

"Then he should have tried to take the kid away from her without hurting her!" another one snapped back, nursing a broken arm.

Gabrielle was pleased to notice three men lying on blankets and moaning in pain and most of the rest were nursing bruises and cuts. Two of the men weren't long for the world, she thought as she watched them.

Xena and Solan had put up quite a fight. There were five horses without riders and Ares' priests were known for their fighting skills and blessing from their God.

Gabrielle settled into the fork of the tree she was in, deep in the shadows and waited.

The figure moved through the shadows quietly as death. A hand reached up into the wagon slowly and removed the sword lying there without being seen or heard. The only indication that something was wrong was a slight thump near the horses. None of the priests even turned their heads in question.

When the sun finally rose the next morning the head priest groaned, grabbing at his ribs when he turned over. He stood up slowly and walked over to the wagon and blinked several times.

Every sleeping man found themselves jumping out of their blankets and cloaks, grabbing for weapons as he started yelling and kicking at them.

"Where's the brat!" he demanded.

"What?" someone demanded back, trying to untangle themselves from their blanket.

"The kid! Where's the kid!" he shouted.

"What are you talking about?" another man demanded and ran over to the wagon and was stunned to see the warrior woman still in the wagon but not the child. "Maybe she had to use a tree and climbed out," he suggested.

"Then find her!" the leader shouted.

"The horses are gone!" another voice came from across the camp and the head priest began swearing as he trotted that way.

Nothing was left of the horse line except the cut rope. The guard was missing and so were the horses.

The priest screamed in anger and stormed back over to the wagon and noticed the missing sword.

"All right, damnit! Xena's pet is somewhere around here and I want her found!" he screamed and the able bodied warriors scurried into the bushes and trees.

Gabrielle grinned, holding a wide-eyed Sasha high in a tree, hidden in the shadows.

"Something to remember in the future, Sasha," she whispered, "Men seldom look up."

Gabrielle wrapped part of the horse rope around Sasha's waist and secured the other end tightly to a branch. It was dangerous to leave the child but she needed to get Xena away from the warriors and there were still too many of them to take head on.

"Stay quiet for me and we'll get your Mom back soon, okay?" she whispered and the young child nodded simply. With eyes wide she watched her Gabby Mum move from the tree into other trees and shadows.

A candle-mark later, the priest called everyone back to camp and was enraged to find four men missing.

"Did any of you find the sentry from last night?" he demanded and they all shook their heads.

"Damnit!" he cursed, kicking at the body of one of the warriors who had died in the night.

"Why don't you call Ares to help?" one of the priest warriors suggested.

"Because he can't interfere with the brat, something about the other gods. That's why he sent us on this job, moron," the high priest snapped.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed, that was good information to know. Ares wouldn't be popping up out of thin air and getting in her way. She quickly counted and found six warriors left, including the priest. Ares hadn't been taking any chances sending that large of a group out to kidnap Sasha.

She frowned; she needed to find a way to lessen the number somehow and didn't want to wait until nightfall to do it. Then the bard grinned when she saw the bow and arrow next to the corpse. Gabrielle also spotted her mate beginning to regain consciousness and breathed a sigh of relief. Must be that healing god gift thing, she thought.

A well-thrown rock sent the warriors dashing into the woods and the bard into the camp to grab the bow and arrows and then back into the trees. The high priest was an extremely bright red when he called everyone back to camp to find two more men missing, this time they found the corpses after some searching, each with an arrow through the throat.

Another well-placed arrow in the thigh of a warrior sent him to his knees yelling in pain and dropping his sword.

Gabrielle dropped out of the nearest tree with Xena's sword in one hand and a sai in the other. The high priest screamed in anger and charged the small woman.

Unknown to Gabrielle, Xena was awake and managed to pull herself up by the sideboards of the wagon and gritted her teeth as the bard grinned, facing the onslaught of the warrior priests.

The first man rushed the bard with his sword extended and Gabrielle easily parried the sword thrust with her sai and embedded Xena's sword through the man's stomach and out his back. She quickly yanked the sword free by placing her foot on the man's chest and pulling, shoving him backwards as he clutched at his gaping wound. She quickly jumped forward as he fell and buried the sword in his throat as he fell, pinning him to the ground.

The warrior bard parried another sword with the sai as she pulled out the sword and lashed out with a quick sidekick into the chest of the man whose sword she had trapped in her sai. With a well-practiced move of her wrist the man lost his sword.

Gabrielle switched her balance to the other foot and spun quickly, coming upright and placing the spinning foot along the jaw of another priest. She met the sword of the High priest head on.

The man's rage gave him additional strength and Gabrielle found herself almost bending over backwards under the pressure of his sword against hers. She slashed out with the sai, forcing him to pull back to avoid getting the weapon in his stomach. Gabrielle pressed the advantage and broke the stalemate of the swords and flipped out of the way of his next thrust.

As the man, who she had kicked picked up his sword and charged her again, the bard spun, racking her sword along his stomach. Gabrielle switched her grip on the sword and thrust backwards, several times, sending the sword through his stomach three more times before switching the grip again and facing the last two fighters.

Instead of rushing her they stopped and began flanking her. The one was the warrior she had shot with the arrow and he wasn't moving quickly, and Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in concentration.

The bard spun rapidly, confusing the two warrior priests, especially the High priest who was blinking in confusion as he tried to speak and find his next breath as he couldn't seem to understand the sai sticking out of his throat.

Gabrielle, taking advantage of the other man's slowed responses, came out of her spin on the run and forward flipped under his guard to bury the sword in his chest. Before he could instinctively slash down with his sword, she kicked his legs out from under him and buried her other sai in his throat.

Almost growling with the onslaught of the energy coursing through her veins, the warrior bard blinked and sat down heavily on the ground, looking around her. Xena watched as her breathing slowed and the dazed look began to leave her mates' eyes.

"Gabrielle," Xena said softly with a groan.

"Xena!" Gabrielle jumped to her feet, ran to the side of the wagon and vaulted into the bed of the transport holding her mate, taking Xena into her arms.

Xena attempted a smile for her mate.

"Gods, I've been so worried!" Gabrielle whispered, brushing a lock of dark hair out of her warrior's eyes.

"Guess it's that god healing thing, that wound should have been fatal," Xena agreed with a whisper. "Sasha?"

"Hang on, my love," Gabrielle smiled and gently lowered her love back onto the hay and jumped out of the wagon. She looked back at her mate with a smile. "I'll be right back."

Gabrielle quickly climbed the tree and grinned at the smiling child sitting patiently in the high tree top, just where she had left her. She grabbed her daughter for a big hug.

"Guess what, little one! Your mom's awake and asking for you, should we go see her?"

"Yes, Mum," Sasha agreed with a grin. Gabrielle smiled and pulled out a harness like bundle of straps from a pouch she had left hanging on a branch near the child. She quickly harnessed the small child onto her back and climbed down carefully and then released the squirming little girl when they reached the ground.

Gabrielle was all smiles as she lifted the child into the wagon and watched Sasha lay down next to her mother, curling inside Xena's arm. Xena smiled back at her mate and down at her daughter.

"You get to rescue me again, my love," the warrior said softly.

"Yup, Solan is alive, with a farmer and healers," Gabrielle stated before Xena could ask the next question.

"Is he all right?"

Gabrielle lost her smile and Xena closed her eyes in pain. "They didn't know when I left."

"I'm going to kill Ares this time!" Xena growled.

"No, my love, you're too injured," Gabrielle debated with her mate.

"He's gone too far this time!" Xena protested.

"Yes, and this time he gets to answer to me!"

"What?"

"They were setting up a trap for me. They left Solan where he would be found. Ares wanted his priests to kill me and deliver you and Sasha to him at his temple where he thinks Hecate won't interfere."

Xena growled, not wanting to let loose with the string of obscenities in front of her small daughter.

Gabrielle nodded in agreement. "I'm going to get my horse and then we're going to the temple. I'm going to have a talk with the God of War," Gabrielle told her mate grimly.

Xena wasn't sure she was strong enough to argue with the stubborn set of her mate's jaw.

"Whatever Gabrielle wants, Gabrielle gets," she muttered as the bard trotted away.

Xena sat up in the back of the wagon, chakram in hand and sword across her lap. Sasha sat next to her mom, eyes wide, sensing the seriousness in her two moms as Gabrielle pulled up next to the temple of Ares.

"Gabrielle," Xena's voice stopped the bard as she jumped down from the seat and faced the temple. The warrior knew the stubborn set of the bard's jaw and frowned. "Let's just go home and face this another day," she argued with Gabrielle's eyes and determined body language.

"No, my love. Not this time." Gabrielle said flatly and then her eyes relaxed and she managed a small smile as she leaned over, kissed her mate and gave a quick hug to Sasha. "If something happens..."

"Nothing's gonna happen!" Xena hissed.

Gabrielle closed her eyes for a moment and then began strapping on one of the swords she had taken from the soldiers and followed that with a dagger at the small of her back. Xena was surprised when the bard pulled out a spike from her leather wrist bracer. Gabrielle smiled a quirky smile. "Never let them know all your weapons," she quoted her former gladiator trainer and friend, Nikki.

"If something happens, get home. Do not come in after me. Promise me, Xena!"

Xena growled and grabbed Gabrielle's hands into hers, trying to fight back tears and a wince of pain. "I can't promise that, Gabrielle. I'm not leaving you!"

"You have Solan and Sasha to think of," Gabrielle argued.

"I can't live without you!" Xena protested.

"You're a mom now, yes you can."

"You're as much their mom as I am so you had better come back, damnit!" Xena insisted.

"That's something Ares and I are going to talk about," Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and Xena saw the mental shift of her little bard into hardened Arena fighter and realized that she was now looking at Dancer, the gladiator deadly enough to win the coveted wooden sword of freedom from Caesar' s hands himself.

Xena released her mate's hands with a sad nod, knowing that any further argument was useless. Dancer turned and sprinted up the stairs, hesitating a moment at the door and then going in.

Xena wrapped an arm around her daughter, trying to comfort Sasha and herself.

"It'll be okay, Sasha. It has to be."

"Gabby mum?"

"She'll be back, Sash," Xena promised and closed her eyes, offering a prayer to Apollo and Hecate to watch over their children. Xena knew that Gabrielle meant to pound it through Ares' head to leave them alone or die trying to kill him to end it once and for all.

The warrior knew her bard was willing to do just that if it meant saving Sasha and Xena from Ares.

Gabrielle spotted two priests and three worshippers in the temple as she looked around. She pulled up the hood on her cloak and entered quietly, sitting down on one of the benches as she took in the temple.

It was as she would expect of the God of War, fire blazing in the center of the room, a few benches for worshippers, an altar that was so stained with the blood of animal sacrifices, and maybe other sacrifices, she thought, that it looked like it had been painted a deep rust color. Behind that, up several stairs, was a stone chair.

Tapestries of various symbols and knotwork design lined the walls, mostly in reds and blacks.

Finally the three worshippers made their offerings and left, leaving Gabrielle and the priests. The bard stood slowly and approached the altar where the two men waited, watching her. As they realized she was female a puzzled and surprised look hit each of their faces. Before they could question her they found a sai under each chin, both froze.

"The God of War and I have something to discuss, get out," she hissed, increasing the pressure on the sais, forcing the men's heads back even further. They nodded agreement around the metal sticking into their jaws and Gabrielle pulled back slightly to sheath one of the sais and drew the sword. The priests rushed out of the door, slamming it behind them.

"ARES!" the bard screamed.

"You know it's customary to offer a sacrifice when you want something in my temple," a voice said in a bored manner and the God of War appeared on his throne, lounging across it rather than sitting in it.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and she pointed the sword in his direction.

"I take it that you're a little upset with me?" he grinned as he stood up.

"Your men almost killed my wife, kidnapped my daughter and possibly killed Solan. I also figure they were waiting to kill me. Not to mention tricking my wife into sex with you. Yeah, I'm a little pissed off at you," she snapped, watching him carefully as he stepped down the steps, she kept the altar between her and the god.

"MY daughter, bard. Not yours," Ares lost his bored expression and looked angry.

"You've got about as much claim to her as a stud horse to a colt," she sneered and ducked as an energy bolt shot out of his hand. She grinned as she straightened up. "What's the matter, Ares? A little too close to home?" She dived across the floor, rolling into a defensive stance with her sword and sai as she dodged another energy bolt.

"She's my daughter!" he yelled.

"Not even close! Is that why you wanted me dead, because you know she'll never be yours as long as Xena or I am alive?" she demanded.

"Xena's been mine and will again."

"Get over it!" she shouted back. "The only way you could even get close to Xena was to trick her. How does that feel? To know that she prefers me to you?"

The bard yelped as another energy bolt hit closer that time. She moved closer to Ares as he growled.

"With you out of the way, she'll come back to me!" he sneered.

"Not a chance and you know it, that's why you're so desperate to get a-hold of Sasha. You know Xena will never go back now that she has the kids and me. Even if I'm gone she won't come back to you," Gabrielle countered.

"How do you know that for certain, Gabrielle?" Ares lowered his hand and she moved a little closer. "Doesn't it drive you crazy to think of her in my arms that night? To know that her body was all over mine and I was deep inside of her?"

"What kind of delusion are you under?" She demanded. "The only way you've ever had her is through tricks, what kind of power or love is that? Have you ever made her beg for sexual release? Funny, I never hear her scream your name," Gabrielle smirked back and parried a sword slash as the God of War drew his sword and slashed at her with a yell of anger.

The bard found herself falling back as she quickly had to parry and block a series of blows that were almost too fast for her to counter. As she felt the wall behind her, the warrior bard wasn't so sure about her skill in surviving a straight out match against the God of War. She became convinced when her sword was knocked from her hand and her other hand pinned to the wall and a sword at her throat.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and waited.

After a moment she opened her eyes and found Ares contemplating her, his face still angry.

"Why do you fight me? Join us! With Xena and you at my side, we could conquer the world! Xena and I could bring the world to its knees and you could bring order to it."

"After you've slaughtered thousands, right?"

"What, still on the peace kick?" he demanded. "With a sword in your hand now, bard? Peace loving Gabrielle, now a fighter who can take out several of my best warriors, all of them?" Ares lowered the sword point but held her wrist to the wall and moved closer to her, almost pinning her body against the wall with his. "Tell me you don't feel the fire now when you fight. That's what Xena and I feel! I can make you feel like that everyday for the rest of your life," he promised.

"You try to kill Xena, Solan may die, you try to kill me and kidnap Sasha and now you're offering me... what? The world, your body? I don't think so!"

"Do you think you can just pretend that Sasha's not the child of a god? Why do you think your friend Brutus was looking for you? He knows if he has Sasha he'll have my favor and can control his own destiny. He wants Xena dead and he wants you either dead or in his bed, either way at this point."

"No," Gabrielle whispered in disbelief.

"Yup, he's become quite ambitious since he killed Caesar and you, for some strange reason, drive him crazy."

Gabrielle surprised the god with an upper cut of her palm to his nose, loosening his position against her body and effectively stunning him. Before he could recover he stumbled back a few feet and looked down at his ribs in disbelief. Gabrielle started to move forward to follow through with the stroke but he quickly recovered enough to hold his sword up in a defensive position as he looked down at the dagger sticking out of his ribs on the left side.

Ares raised his hand, staring at the blood with a stunned expression on his face.

Gabrielle couldn't resist a smirk as he looked back at her. She switched the sai to her primary hand and circled away from the wall.

"How?" he questioned, pulling the dagger out with an obvious grimace of pain.

"A gifting from one of Xena's parents. Xena, Sasha and I now have the ability to cause you pain. We can even kill you if we get in a good enough shot. Still think you're invincible?" Gabrielle taunted.

He stumbled back a couple of feet, still looking at the blood on his hand when the bard shouted an Amazon war-cry and the God of War found himself having to quickly recover as he had to block and parry strokes from the warrior bard's sais, forcing him across his own temple.

Ares had to admit that the bard was good, as good as one of his warrior priests. This Gabrielle was new, before the bard had always been restrained, holding something back in her fear of killing someone. This Gabrielle let loose with all the anger of the last two years on the God of War and he found himself taking several blows from the blunt end of her sais and she took several blows from his fists without falling. Ares was impressed.

With a growl he attempted to recover and slashed out, taking a hit from one of the sais along his arm as his sword connected with the bard's shoulder.

Gabrielle shouted in pain and dove backwards, off of Ares' sword, raising a hand to her own blood as he growled, holding his own wounded ribs. The bard regained her feet and spun on one foot as he charged her, taking another sword slice along the arm but getting in a solid strike in his lower back with the sai.

The God of War howled in pain and rage as he hit the floor, holding his back and writhing in pain. Gabrielle also fell to her knees, holding her shoulder in pain. Both could feel the blood flowing from their wounds. Gabrielle could see that her sai had probably gotten a couple of good internal organs or a lung. She narrowed her eyes and struggled back to her feet, attempting to stumble closer to Ares.

"Listen to me, damn you!" she growled. "You've tried to take my mate from me one too many times. Tell me why I shouldn't rip your equipment off right now!" she demanded and was surprised to see something she had never seen before in the dark eyes. Fear.

"Go ahead, will killing me make you feel better or will you be like me? Want to cross that line, bard?"

Gabrielle felt her fist clench in anger as she pictured the thought of Xena with him in a cave behind a waterfall, conceiving Sasha that night. She gritted her teeth as she remembered Solan's battered body and Xena's near brush with death. Then she screamed with rage at the thought of Sasha spending any time with him.

"Gabrielle, don't, please," a voice brought the bard's eyes back in focus as she realized she was straddled across the god with her sai held high, about to strike for the chest or throat.

Gabrielle didn't look up, knowing that Xena was in the doorway of the temple.

"After all we've been through because of him?" she demanded, noticing the blood slowly seeping from his mouth. A lung stab, the experienced gladiator noted, he would have to get some special healing from one of the other gods for this match.

"I know he deserves it but you don't," Gabrielle could sense Xena moving further into the temple. Ares didn't look away, keeping his eyes on Gabrielle and the raised sai above his heart and throat. "Don't become what I was, he'll win. He won't have me but he'll have you and I couldn't live with that," Xena pleaded.

"I'm not the same innocent bard you first met, Xena. I almost lost you to him! How many times?" Gabrielle demanded and her eyes narrowed as she felt muscles beneath her tense up. She let out a warning growl and tightened her grip on the sai.

Xena caught both moments from the fighters.

"Ares! Don't move! Don't push her, damnit!" she shouted.

"If she doesn't kill me now I WILL kill both of you!" he promised, coughing on his blood.

Gabrielle hissed and her body tensed.

"Gabrielle, please! Don't let it take you!" Xena pleaded, moving a little closer. "Come home with Sasha and me. Let's get our son and go home."

"You almost died, Xena. If it hadn't been that you're the daughter of a goddess, you would have died!" Gabrielle protested, feeling the strength beginning to ebb from her body as her wounded shoulder began pounding at her. The fighter knew that she was losing the energy of her anger and that something had to happen soon.

"Yes, but I'm alive and Sasha is alive and not in his hands."

"Come on, damnit! Do it and claim your place as a fighter!" Ares taunted.

"She's already a fighter, Ares, but she's also a bard and she's my wife, my Queen and my life. You're not worth it," Xena said simply and Gabrielle slowly began lowering the sai.

Xena bent down and helped her bard stand up and then steadied her as the blood loss began to take a toll. Xena looked down at Ares and drew her sword out and placed it at his throat.

"Remember, I've already crossed that line many times," she hissed.

"Xena?" Gabrielle protested.

"Listen, Ares," Xena growled. "We are now on a little more equal terms, remember that and stay away from me, my family, my friends, my children and my mate. Next time, I'll cut off parts of your anatomy that would be very embarrassing for a god. Got me?"

Ares merely nodded and was gone in a flash of light.

Xena turned in time to catch Gabrielle as she stumbled. Together they managed to work their way out of the temple where the two priests were standing, wondering whether to try and enter or not. They took one look at the wounded women and decided not to approach their temple or god right then.

Xena helped her bard into the back of the wagon, quickly ripping away part of Sasha's blanket into a bandage. She placed it over Gabrielle's wounded shoulder as the bard closed her eyes.

"Sasha, can you do mommy a big favor and hold that there while I drive the wagon and take us to get Solan?" Sasha nodded and pressed down on the makeshift bandage but pulled back quickly when Gabrielle moaned in pain.

"It's okay, go ahead and press," Xena smiled reassuringly and the child smiled back and pressed down on the bandage. Gabrielle attempted a smile at her mate and daughter.

"Think he'll leave us alone?" she whispered.

"For awhile. We know that he can't touch us himself and he knows he's vulnerable to attack from either of us or Hercules. He's pretty much a coward when it comes to his own skin," Xena grinned.

"Or parts of his anatomy," Gabrielle smiled back.

By the time they got back to Myrcinus to the farmstead, Xena's wound was much better and she thought that she might actually live. She grinned. Gabrielle's wound had stopped bleeding and the bard was sleeping with Sasha's hand holding the bandage steady in the moving wagon.

The healer's apprentice was at the home of the farmer and quickly rebandaged Gabrielle's wound and stitched up Xena's, applying salve to prevent infection. They found Solan alive and awake though in a lot of pain from the bruised internal organs and broken nose. He winced more than smiled but managed around the pain when he saw both women and the little girl walk into the room.

"He needs to stay here for a few more days before he can travel and neither of you should travel either," Poly, the apprentice instructed.

"You are welcome to sleep in my bed," the farmer offered quickly.

"The barn would be just fine," Xena said easily as she sat next to her son.

"Mom, are you okay?" he whispered.

"I am now. My kids are okay and my wife kicked Ares' butt," she grinned.

"Ares?" he questioned. "Wow!"

"Yup! I can't wait for her to write that one down!" Xena agreed, sending a teasing look to her mate across the room.

"I'll get you for that, warrior mine," the bard promised.

"I'm counting on it," Xena responded in a husky voice.


	11. 11 Settling with Brutus

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, etc. This story is for entertainment purposes and no copyright infringment is intended. Don't bother suing me, it wouldn't be worth the court costs.

**Sex/Subtext/Alt Fiction:** this story assumes a consensual loving and sexual relationship between characters of the same gender. If this is illegal where you are, if you are too young or this type of story bugs you: leave. Come back when you're older, have an open mind or have changed your laws. There is sex and they enjoy it.

**Violence:** Major trauma to two continuing characters, it's not graphic but it is there. Some Romans die, it's not graphic. We are dealing with Xena and she's not happy in some parts.

**Joxer alert:** he's here but not as obnoxious as usual.

**Storyline:** Joxer returns after three years away on a job and Xena is forced to catch him up on all that's happened in her and Gabrielle's lives, including their marriage and birth of Sasha. Then Xena and Gabrielle go after Brutus after he kidnaps Sasha, their daughter.

* * *

Cyrene moved with the practice of a long time innkeeper through the dinner crowd of the tavern with her tray of mugs. She silently cursed as Torris dashed by with another serving tray of full mugs. Her one serving girl had decided to run off with her boyfriend and Gabrielle was off visiting her family.

As she wiped her forehead with her apron, Cyrene gave a thankful prayer that the bard was due back in a couple of mornings. It was summer and Cyrene could use the help. Xena's mother hoped that her serving girl was going to be happy but she still cursed the fact that the girl left her without adequate help. Cyrene gave her son a smile of thanks as she moved to grab more empty mugs. He grinned a lopsided grin and then lost it as the door opened. Cyrene glanced over quickly and frowned.

Xena, once the Destroyer of Nations and Warrior Princess, entered the tavern with quick practiced glances, taking in all of the guests, her mother and her brother. She smiled at her mother but ignored Torris.

Cyrene again cursed under her breath. It had been months since Xena and her brother had come to blows over her relationship with Gabrielle and they still weren't talking to each other. Cyrene was just grateful they weren't trying to kill each other. Not many people tried to hit Xena and lived and no one except Torris had ever struck Gabrielle and lived, Cyrene knew. It was only because he was Xena's brother that Torris had gotten away with only a broken nose and almost broken jaw. It had taken Gabrielle more than several minutes to calm her enraged lover enough not to kill her own brother.

The siblings had settled on an uneasy truce since then. Torris didn't talk to Xena or Gabrielle and they responded in kind. Having to rely on Torris for help around the inn didn't help but Cyrene had no choice. All the girls in the village were either married with children or had jobs of their own already and Xena had a full time position with the blacksmith.

Xena settled into a chair at a table near the door, her back to the wall. Cyrene smiled at her daughter's habits. Even though Xena no longer wore her armor, she still wore her gauntlets and sword, now at her side for work, her mother didn't think the warrior would ever lose her training and instincts.

Torris frowned but carried a dinner tray and mug of port to his sister without a word and moved onto the next table demanding his attention. Cyrene shook her head with an exasperated smile. Sometimes siblings were harder to deal with than feuding families.

Cyrene occasionally glanced over to her daughter, taking in the frown and the warrior's quick eyes. Xena's mother hated it when Gabrielle was gone, even overnight, it could send Xena back to her scowling warrior days. Then the former Warlord's face lit up brightly when Solan walked in with Sasha in tow. Cyrene grinned at the sight of her grandkids as well. The small child and growing teen were a constant in the village and had won the hearts of everyone who met or saw them. Except Torris.

"Momma!" Sasha shouted and ran to the open arms of the warrior and Solan grinned and sat down at the table.

"Thanks, Mom," Xena said as Cyrene brought their dinner and ruffled her grandson's hair.

"Sure, how's the training with the militia going?" she asked the young teen.

"Okay, I prefer the hunting, though."

"My son, thankfully, didn't inherit my warrior lust," Xena grinned. "but he did inherit my tracking skills."

She smiled as he blushed with the praise. In truth, she was very proud of Solan and his skills. He may not have inherited the blood lust but he had his mother's skill with a sword and was even better with a bow than she was. He was kind, gentle and skilled, everything Xena could hope for in a son. She knew his father, Borias would be proud.

In addition to working with the local blacksmith, Xena also helped train the militia of the village and the village guards. No one could dispute the warrior's skills in battle, tactics, and defenses. Even Torris had to admit that she was a natural for the training of their men and women.

A candle-mark later, Cyrene smiled as Xena picked up a sleepy Sasha and placed an arm around her son's shoulder. The warrior gave her Mom a smile as they headed out the door, heading home.

"Xena?" the warrior looked up from her work at the blacksmith shop and blinked in surprise.

"Joxer?"

The would-be warrior had at least replaced his homemade armor with a decent quality Byzantine-type with a chainmail shirt and a leather tunic vest over that. Heavy boots and an iron helmet completed his armor. His sword was also now of decent quality and his shield was of typical Roman design, wood and leather with metal reinforcement.

What hadn't changed was his goofy grin, which was huge upon seeing the warrior female.

Xena dropped the piece of iron she was working on and came around the short wooden shelving that separated the working area from the selling area of the blacksmith shop. She grinned and hugged the young man tightly.

"Gods, it's good to see you!" she said easily.

"You too, it's been too long!" he agreed.

"What, three years?"

"Yup, I've been in the East, working as a guard for merchant caravans."

"That explains the upgrade in armor," she grinned.

"Yeah," he looked around and then grinned at the warrior again. "Wow, I had heard you were settling down but I couldn't quite believe it. Where's Gabrielle?"

Xena felt her stomach tighten, Joxer had been out of the country for the last few years, odds were he didn't know about the change in her relationship with Gabrielle and she'd have to be the one to tell him. This was not something she was looking forward to.

"She's visiting her family and should be back either today or tomorrow. We've got a lot of catching up to do."

"Yup," Joxer hesitated. "She didn't get married, did she?"

Xena's face didn't change expression, only by years of self-imposed training of controlling her emotions and expressions as a warlord.

"Joxer, wait until dinner. Go over to the inn and get yourself some lunch. I'll finish up here in a bit and we'll head out to my place. You'll get to meet the Solan and Sasha." Xena added with a grin, a sense of playfulness coming over her.

"Solan and Sasha?" he questioned.

"Yeah, the kids."

Before the stunned man could ask any more questions, the warrior turned back to the blacksmith work area. She barely controlled her grin as he turned to wander towards the inn.

"Kids?" she heard him mutter.

Xena resisted laughing and then lost her smile. No, she was not looking forward to telling Joxer exactly what had been happening the last couple of years with her and his beloved bard. The one true love of his life, Gabrielle. The same one true love of Xena's life.

Xena had to give her friend credit; he held his questions back over dinner, even after the stunned expression on his face upon seeing Sasha, with her raven hair and blue eyes.

The warrior handed him a mug of port as they sat down next to the fire while Solan put the little girl to bed with a story.

"Okay, talk," Joxer ordered.

"Gods, where to begin?" Xena complained. Not only where to begin, how to tell him everything?

"Gabrielle's married?" he demanded, eyes suddenly becoming bright.

"Joxer," Xena began, trying to sort out her feelings and thoughts, "Gods, I wish Gabrielle was here, she's better at the explanations."

"You're here, she's not," Joxer snapped.

"Joxer, Gabrielle and I were married in an Amazon bonding ceremony and a public one three Springs ago," she said bluntly.

Joxer sat back in his chair, blinking in disbelief. Xena turned to watch the fire, giving him time to absorb the news.

"You?"

"Yes, we finally admitted to each other how we felt about each other."

"But," he stammered, his eyebrows furrowed in confusion. "Gabby doesn't go for females?"

"She told me she's always been attracted to females and males, mostly females," Xena said softly as he shook his head again.

"You?" he muttered again and Xena resisted narrowing her eyes in growing impatience. She reflected that she and Gabrielle had been together three years, Joxer was just now finding out about it.

"I can't explain it, she loves me," Xena shrugged.

"She always did, I guess," he admitted with a heavy sigh, trying to blink away tears.

"Joxer, we never meant to hurt you with any of this."

"I never had a chance, did I?" he asked bitterly.

"Joxer, I'm not going to help you beat yourself up over this. Gabrielle loves you very much and I care for you too."

The young man frowned and turned his eyes to the fire. Xena let him brood.

Solan came out of Sasha's room and questioned his mom with his eyes, she motioned for him to join them.

"Solan is my son and Sasha is my daughter," Xena began another track of conversation. "When I was a Warlord, I had Solan. I knew that was no life for him and I wasn't fit to be a mother to anyone. I left him in the care of the Centaurs. I knew he'd be raised well and no one could use him against me or me against him."

"Makes sense," Joxer agreed. "And Sasha? She's younger than three years," he noticed with narrowed eyes and Xena blushed.

"When Gabrielle and I were bonded," she began, holding up her wrist to show him the bonding bracelet the bard had given her and then opened her left hand to show him the scar running across her palm. "The gods themselves stepped in and gave their approval for a blood bonding, a soul mate match."

Joxer's head began reeling again. A blood bonding, soul match? Such a bonding was rare and it was unheard of for the gods to show approval.

"Oh gods," he muttered, realizing the depth of a relationship required for a soul mate and blood bonding.

Xena and Solan let him struggle with the knowledge of the depth of her relationship to Gabrielle.

"Ares wasn't amused," Xena continued and smiled at Joxer's goofy grin in agreement. "He crashed the wedding and Hercules chased him off after Solan here tackled him."

"After Mom threatened him with only..." Solan yelped as the warrior's foot connected with his shin. He grinned but didn't finish the sentence.

"With only a ceremonial sword, it broke. Hercules saved my life," Xena continued for her son, glaring at him. Joxer didn't need to hear that the warrior had stood up to Ares in the common yard of the Amazon village dressed only in her wedding skirt, Gabrielle having removed the tunic moments earlier. That was one image Xena didn't want roaming through Joxer's head.

"Hercules was there?"

"Yes, and Iolaus. They were and are our Kumbada's, godfathers to Sasha."

"Go on, about Sasha?"

"Some of the Roman delegates poisoned Gabrielle at the wedding," Xena said flatly.

Solan caught Joxer's mug as the young man dropped it, sitting upright in shock.

"Gabby?" he muttered as Solan handed him back the mug.

"Yes," Xena looked back into the fire, tears springing to her eyes, remembering. "She almost died, Joxer, painfully. I almost lost her on our wedding day and for days after that," she struggled to keep her voice from cracking.

"She recovered though," he said, hopefully.

"With time," Xena answered and Solan reached out and held his mom's hand, his own face reflecting his own painful memories of that time. "When she was well enough to stand, I escorted our families back home. Along the way we ran into you.

Joxer frowned. "Me?"

"I thought it was you, but something was wrong. I was tired and not on top of things. Your look-a-like and I dropped Gabrielle's family off and we stopped in the woods to make an offering at an old abandoned altar to Artemis. The problem was it wasn't an altar to Artemis," Xena looked away from his questioning eyes.

"It was Ares," Solan said softly.

"Ares? Ares made himself look like me?" Joxer demanded.

"Yes, he tricked me into giving an offering to him at one of his altars and gave me enchanted wine. It made me forget the last couple of years. I forgot Gabrielle, I forgot that I had changed, I forgot all the good things." Xena jumped to her feet and began pacing behind the chairs.

"Ares tricked her into attacking and almost killing Gabrielle," Solan continued.

Joxer's face went pale and the young teen heard a growl come from him as he watched an agonized Xena pacing.

"What happened?"

"Gabrielle brought Mom back by their blood bonding and Mom told Ares to take a hike. Because of her lost memory, Mom was with Ares for a couple of days and Sasha was born later."

Xena was grateful to her son and his understanding, the warrior wasn't sure that she would have been able to finish that part of the story, she still carried guilt over that.

"You slept with him?" Joxer demanded and Xena looked elsewhere, brushing away tears. "Gabrielle accepted that?"

"Not happily," Xena muttered.

"She knew Mom wasn't herself," Solan protested. "Gabrielle's sister, Lila, had followed them and saw what happened. Gabby Mom thinks of Sasha as her own."

Xena placed her hands on her son's shoulders to relax him and thank him.

"It's okay, Solan," she said softly. "It takes some getting used to."

"Ares used me?" Joxer suddenly shouted. "After I've been devoted to him? All those offerings and prayers and he uses ME to trick you? To hurt Gabrielle?" the young man was on his feet and had taken up Xena's position of pacing.

Solan and Xena tried not to look amused. As Xena had pointed out to herself again they had years to get accustomed to the situation, Joxer hadn't yet.

"Well, his goal was to get me back," Xena said, "but yeah, he sent me to kill Gabrielle so she wouldn't have an influence over me anymore."

"I'll kill him!" Joxer threatened.

"Joxer, calm down! Gabrielle and I have a beautiful daughter and found a way to keep Ares out of our lives, mostly."

The soldier sat down with a frown and gladly held up his mug when Solan offered to refill their mugs with port.

"Okay, what else?" he muttered. "You know, you two may have settled with him but I haven't!" Joxer warned and Xena smiled.

"Okay, I understand that."

"What next?"

Xena felt her stomach tighten and her hands start to shake. Solan quickly hugged his mom and motioned for her to sit down.

"Mom and Gabrielle decided to get out of Greece when they found out Mom was going to have Sasha. They were afraid of what Ares would do if he found out about Mom being pregnant. Hercules and Iolaus went with them, heading for the northern tribes, to try to get away from Ares and Caesar," Solan began explaining.

Joxer noticed Xena's shaking hands and was astounded; he had never seen her shake before except when wounded. Or, when Gabrielle was in danger.

"Iolaus and Gabby Mom were attacked by bandit Roman soldiers," Solan said softly, watching his Mom as she closed her eyes in pain. "Iolaus was crippled and Gabrielle taken and sold to slavers."

"Romans? Slavers? Gabrielle?" Joxer repeated in a whisper. Solan nodded. Joxer saw Xena's clenched jaw, hands clenched until the knuckles were white, and her face gone pale. The young man had become a soldier and knew what other soldiers were capable of, especially slavers. It hit him like a physical blow. He realized what his beloved bard probably went through and the soldier dived out of the house at a run, running blindly in the dark to a tree.

When he returned a few minutes later, his hands matched Xena's shaking. He sat down unsteadily and quickly drank the rest of his port and held out his mug for more.

"What did they do to her?"

"They hurt her, Joxer," Xena said softly. "Then she was sold to a gladiator school and became a gladiator. She was branded, raped and she had to kill," tears began falling from Xena's closed eyes.

Joxer fought to maintain the rest of his dinner down in his stomach.

"Gladiator? Gabby?"

"She became friends with an Amazon gladiator trainer and became a fighter," Solan continued for his mom. "Gabrielle then won her freedom in the Arena in Rome from Caesar himself."

Joxer's head was reeling even more now. He shook his head to try and clear it. His Gabrielle a gladiator? Fighting to the death in the Arena? He couldn't picture it.

Xena opened her eyes and watched the soldier struggle with the images and knowledge. She remembered feeling the same, going through the same struggle when she had learned where her beloved had been for a year and a half.

"She became a great fighter and got her freedom. The Roman, Brutus helped get her and the trainer, Nikki, back to Mom, Hercules and Iolaus at the northern border," Solan finished.

"Sasha?" Joxer reminded the boy.

"Mom, Hercules and Iolaus traveled north with a tribe of Northerners, they were adopted into the clan and Sasha was born in the north. Iolaus and Mom stayed with them while Hercules and most of Greece was looking for Gabrielle. Caesar had heard Gabrielle was missing and so Rome was also looking for her."

"Wait a minute!" Joxer held up his hand. "You said Gabby won her freedom from Caesar," he protested, unable to tie all the threads of the story together.

"He didn't know who Gabrielle was when he set her free. She kept her identity hidden while she was a slave," Solan explained.

"Wow. So then you all returned to Greece?" Joxer questioned.

"No, we took some time to heal," Xena continued. "Gabrielle had been gone a year and a half. Then we got word that the Romans had attacked the Amazons and Centaurs." this time the mother watched the son's face for the pained expressions of memories.

"Centaurs, where Solan was?" Joxer asked.

"Yes, some of the Amazons and Centaurs escaped but some were taken captive," Xena's face grew hard again. "Gabrielle and I went to Rome to settle with Caesar."

"Oh gods," the soldier muttered, causing Xena to nod in agreement.

"Yes, it was insane but we couldn't think of any other way to save the Amazons he had. I tried to assassinate him but he was expecting me and I was caught," Xena growled and started watching the fire again.

"Gabrielle traded herself for the Amazons," Solan continued.

"What!" Joxer sat up straight again, spilling his drink. "You let her?" he demanded and Xena's eyes narrowed.

"Do you think anyone could have stopped her?" she snapped back. "You know Gabrielle when she makes up her mind about something! We had seen Brutus and found out that a large group of Senators were planning on assassinating Caesar. She was counting on being crucified and surviving long enough for Brutus to save us."

"She planned on being crucified!" Joxer shouted in disbelief and Xena nodded unhappily.

"Caesar had them fighting in the Arena for the day and then crucified Gabrielle in front of Xena to torture them both," Solan said softly.

"Oh my gods," Joxer began to cry softly, matching Xena's tears.

"Brutus got them out of Rome and back to the Amazons. Gabrielle made a deal with the Senate of Rome to take the Amazons and few centaurs left to the north where the Romans wouldn't see them again. She forfeited the Amazon and Centaur lands to get them out," Solan continued.

"Was she hurt bad?" Joxer whispered, wiping at his tears.

"Very bad," Solan answered, standing behind his mom and placing his hands on her shoulders. "Recovery was fairly quick, though. Artemis brought Gabby Mom, Hercules, Iolaus, Mom, Sasha and me here and promised to keep Ares busy while everyone had a break."

"I heard that the Romans slaughtered the Amazons, though," Joxer said with a frown.

"They did. Brutus led Marc Anthony's troops right to their new home. No one survived," Solan said, choking back his own tears, not mentioning the little girl and old woman Amazon that were now living with the Germans. They had all agreed that no one needed to know that even one Amazon survived outside of Gabrielle.

"What about Ares?" Joxer asked.

Xena grinned at that one. "Ares did find out about Sasha and I found something out about my parents."

"Like what? Don't tell me Ares is your father?"

"No, thank the gods! No, the goddess Hecate had a fling with Zeus awhile back and asked my mother to bear the child, me," Xena said simply.

Joxer blinked several times again and Xena couldn't help but laugh at his expression this time.

"You're the daughter of Zeus AND Hecate?" he whispered.

"And Cyrene," Xena added.

"And Gabrielle is the daughter of Apollo," Solan threw in, getting in on the fun part of the story.

"Gabby? Apollo?"

"That's what saved her when she was poisoned and helped her recover so quickly from the crucifixion," Solan answered.

Joxer shook his head, regretting either that he had too much to drink or not enough, he couldn't decide just yet.

"Ares?" he whispered again.

"He tried to take Sasha from me, he hurt Solan and me and set a trap for Gabrielle. She killed his warrior priests and then kicked his ass," Xena answered with a grin.

Joxer hung his head, moaning with information overload.

"A gifting from Apollo and Hecate, we have the ability to injure Ares and when he hurt Solan and me, Gabrielle lost it and fought him. She injured him pretty good too."

"He's been a no-show since," Solan added with a grin.

"Is there anymore?" Joxer whispered, almost afraid of the answers.

"No, just that we've bought this place and have settled down here. I work with the blacksmith and Gabrielle works at the inn with my mother. Everyone helps with Sasha and Solan is an excellent hunter and tracker."

"I think I need to sleep," Joxer muttered and yelped in surprise when Xena hauled him to his feet and kept him from falling over.

"Come on, Joxer," she said with a soft smile.

Fortunately for his overworked brain, Joxer was asleep in minutes of hitting Solan's bed. Xena and Solan helped get him out of his armor and boots, both grinning.

Xena knew that probably wasn't the last of the questions or outrages from the soldier. It was a lot of information to absorb, especially about his beloved Gabrielle. A lot of painful images to deal with.

Not the least was that she was married to Xena.

Xena glanced up from her hammering and frowned and felt her heart skip a beat. Coming into town was a large group of Roman soldiers. The ex-warlord watched the troops split apart at a trot, moving in all directions.

"Xena, quick!" Dex's voice broke the warrior's concentration on the soldiers. She turned to find him at the back of the shop motioning for her. Xena quickly grabbed up her sword from under the selling shelf and moved past her friend and boss into the back room. He quickly followed and surprised the warrior by moving several heavy chests out of a corner.

The large blacksmith took out his dagger and dug at one of the wooden boards to reveal a trap door.

"In here, quick!" he hissed.

Xena rushed over and was surprised to find a fairly good-sized room under the blacksmith shop.

"What?"

"I keep the special weapon consignments in there. Get in, it's well known that you're not a friend to Rome."

Xena grinned at that one and jumped in. The warrior fought down momentary panic at the thought of being locked in a darkened cellar with a heavy chest holding the only exit door down.

She knew Dex was right; she and Gabrielle were wanted by Brutus and possibly Marc Antony as well. Brutus wanted the warrior dead so he could have Gabrielle and he wanted Sasha to gain the favor of Ares, God of War, the father of Sasha.

Xena growled to herself and sat down on a chest to wait. The warrior didn't want to take on 120 well-trained Roman soldiers by herself without a plan and some backup.

She only hoped that Gabrielle wouldn't be caught coming back to the village.

Gabrielle had heard the clank of the Roman armor and had left the road leading to Amphipolis. She hid her horse and took to the trees to get a better look, Amazon style.

The warrior bard growled and narrowed her eyes at the sight. Roman Legionaries were setting up roadblocks while others set up a perimeter around the town's edge. Gabrielle moved silently through the trees to get a closer look, and saw Legionaries rounding up villagers into the village common grounds, next to the well.

A quick scan of the villagers showed Cyrene, Torris and Dex in the group but Xena was missing and so were Solan and Sasha. Gabrielle figured the soldiers hadn't reached the homes on the outer part of the town yet where Solan and Sasha probably were for lunch. She had no idea where Xena could be except to say a thankful prayer her mate wasn't among the crowd.

"All right, Greeks," the Centurion in charge yelled from his horse. "I am under orders to arrest the following citizens of Amphipolis: Xena, known as the Warrior Princess, her daughter Sasha and Gabrielle, bard. Where are they?"

"Oh gods," Gabrielle whispered. This was not good.

No one answered or looked at each other.

"Just tell us where they are, none of you fit the description, so where are they?" the Centurion demanded.

Gabrielle felt her heart swelling with pride. It would have been a different story several years ago, she reflected. At that time the villagers would have gladly handed Xena over without even being asked, now they were protecting her and Gabrielle.

"All right, who is her family? Where's the innkeeper?" the Centurion snapped.

"No!" Gabrielle whispered as Cyrene stepped forward to stand at the edge of the crowd. Torris quickly joined his mother, placing an arm around her shoulder.

"Where are they?" the Centurion demanded.

"Away from town," Torris answered.

"Who are you?"

"I am Torris, one of the Elder Council of this town and Xena's brother."

Gabrielle was surprised, given the state of Xena's relationship with her older brother; the bard was stunned he'd admit being related to her.

"I don't believe you," the Centurion responded.

"They aren't here, you've already searched the town, and they aren't here," Torris responded.

Gabrielle ducked further into the shadows at the sound of shouts off to her right. The bard almost fell out of her tree when she saw several Roman soldiers dragging an unconscious Joxer between them. Also among the group was Solan and Sasha.

A Roman soldier hit Torris across the back of the head and another grabbed Cyrene as they both shouted and tried to run to the children. The Centurion grinned at the older woman as she struggled in the arms of two of his soldiers.

Gabrielle fought very hard to control her emotions, trying to calm her breathing as Joxer was dumped in front of Cyrene and Solan made to kneel beside the unconscious soldier.

"Who's this?" the Centurion demanded.

"He's a friend of Torris' and that's a serving boy," Cyrene answered.

"The child is Xena's."

Cyrene refused to answer.

Both the innkeeper and Gabrielle could see several wounds on Joxer, blood beginning to pool under his body.

"I'll ask again, where is Xena and Gabrielle?" the Centurion demanded.

Cyrene and the villagers remained quiet. Gabrielle looked around desperately, trying to think of a way to break through and get to Sasha, Solan and Joxer. She knew that her bow couldn't take down enough soldiers before the Centurion would find her or take off with Sasha. None of the villagers were armed and they were surrounded and so was the village.

"Soldier, take your dagger and blind the boy at my command," the Centurion ordered.

"No!" Cyrene screamed and struggled against the soldiers holding her. Several villagers surged forward but were driven back by the Roman javelin spears.

"Then tell me where they are!" the Centurion shouted.

"They aren't here! Xena left on business yesterday and Gabrielle is off visiting her family!" Cyrene cried, desperately reaching for Solan.

Gabrielle could see the young man trembling as soldiers tied his hands behind his back. The bard couldn't get a clear shot at the soldier with the dagger on Solan.

"We've been watching this village for three days and Xena did not leave here! Blind him!"

Gabrielle let her arrow fly just as Solan screamed. She had already notched another arrow as the Centurion realized that he had an arrow sticking through his neck. As the next arrow flew and buried itself in the eye of the soldier who had just attacked Solan, the Centurion dropped from his horse.

As the Roman soldiers looked around, the villagers took advantage of the distraction to rush the soldiers guarding them.

"Retreat, reform!" a sergeant ordered, grabbing up Sasha as he grabbed the reins of the Centurion's horse.

He kept the horse between him and the direction of where the arrows had come from as he and the rest of the soldiers trotted towards the north end of town, the ones in the rear keeping the unarmed villagers back.

Gabrielle dashed for the village, having to fight through three soldiers that had been on the perimeter watch. They had proved no match for the trained gladiator who was also enraged.

As she skidded to a stop next to Solan, Joxer and Cyrene, Dex ran towards the blacksmith shop.

"Oh gods, no!" she cried as she saw Solan's face. Cyrene quickly took off her apron and held it to the boy's eyes.

"Hold that there, Solan," she instructed and moved to Joxer. Together, she and Gabrielle pulled the leather tunic vest and chainmail shirt off of him and found that a Roman sword had managed to get through the excellent protection into his ribs, shoulder and he had a bad gash on his head. Cyrene quickly tore strips off the end of her skirt, folding them into bandages. Several villagers ran up.

"They've taken the child and are heading north," one said, trying to catch her breath.

"Get a couple of the men and take Solan, my son and Joxer here into the inn. Moria, get the healer, quick!" Cyrene ordered.

"Where's Xena?" Gabrielle demanded as she applied pressure to Joxer's wounds.

"I don't know, I was in the tavern when they came," Cyrene answered.

The bard breathed a sigh of relief as the warrior came running at full speed, sword in hand. She quickly lifted the bandages up on Joxer and then turned to Solan. Gabrielle's heart wrenched almost apart as the warrior turned pale looking at her son.

Several other villagers moved forward to carry the injured into the inn. Xena quickly cleared several tables and then she and the healer were barking orders to several pairs of helping hands.

Dex pulled Gabrielle aside, "I hid her in the shop," he explained. "What do we do?"

"We make sure our friends and family will live and then we get Sasha back!" she hissed, green eyes flashing brightly.

"I've sent one of the militia to follow the Romans and leave trail markers," he said.

"Thank you, Dex. They would have killed her."

It was a couple of candle-marks when Gabrielle looked up from her chair to see a bloody and exhausted warrior standing in front of her. Xena knelt down and buried her head in the bard's lap, body shaking from tears. Gabrielle held her warrior close, stroking Xena's hair. She looked up into Cyrene's tired and suddenly aged face.

"How are they?" she asked.

"Torris will be fine, he's already awake. A major headache but he has a hard head. Solan is blinded, his eyes can't be saved."

"Oh gods, no!" Gabrielle whispered, tears falling again.

"Joxer might not live, Xena did everything she could and the healer is still working on him."

"What happened, Cyrene?"

"The Romans marched into town, rounded everyone up and demanded you, Xena and Sasha. Apparently they didn't know about Solan. He says that Joxer fought the Romans and killed four of the soldiers when they reached your house. Solan killed two, himself."

"Joxer, oh gods."

"He came in yesterday and spent the night with me and the kids," Xena said softly. "He's been in the East working as a caravan guard."

"He's awake!" the healer called.

The three women quickly moved to Joxer's side. Gabrielle took his hand in one of hers and gently stroked his cheek. The soldier attempted to smile when he focused on her.

"Hey, your hair got short," he whispered.

Gabrielle smiled through her tears and looked at the healer.

"I don't know, Gabrielle," he said with a shrug.

"Are the kids okay?" Joxer whispered.

"Yes, they're fine. You helped save them," Gabrielle reassured him.

"Guess I did something right for you," he whispered, closing his eyes again.

"Joxer?"

"Let him sleep now. I've given him some sleep herbs, the boy too," the healer instructed.

Gabrielle laid the soldier's hand back down and lightly kissed his forehead. She reached out and grabbed Xena's hand and let the warrior lead her outside into the darkening village. She turned and buried her head into her warrior's chest as they held each other.

Gabrielle raised her head from the table and looked up to see Xena's tired face, the warrior's hand on her shoulder. Xena sat down in the booth across from the bard. Gabrielle could see that it was early morning and that Cyrene was asleep in a chair near the fire and the healer was changing Joxer's bandages.

"He's ready to be moved to a bed here in the inn, Solan's already in one and Torris went home," Xena said simply.

"What's the plan?" Gabrielle muttered.

"I've been talking to some of the traveling merchants and catching up on the latest news from Rome and the Roman Empire. Seems that Marc Antony and Brutus are at war with each other. Brutus is in Macedonia with Crassius and Marc Antony and Octavian are moving to battle them. They'll probably meet somewhere near the Macedonian border."

"That's why Brutus wants Sasha, he wants to gain Ares' favor before facing Antony and Octavian," Gabrielle noted and Xena nodded in agreement.

"Now we've got to get her back before Brutus or Ares gets her. Then we settle with Brutus," Xena said grimly.

"We can catch them easily on horseback."

"They doubled back and set sail on the morning tide. I have no idea where they intend to land, I'm betting somewhere close to the Macedonian border," Xena said.

"Then we have to be there when the ship lands," Gabrielle said simply.

"Yup. I've been looking over the maps of Macedonia and I know where I'd want a showdown if I were Antony or Octavian. Somewhere near Philippi, it controls a mountain pass that is perfect for a battle. That's where we're headed, hopefully to head off the soldiers before they can turn Sasha over to Brutus."

"What about Joxer and Solan?" Gabrielle asked, standing up and trying to stretch out the kinks from sleeping in a booth with her head on the table.

"Joxer will live but it'll take awhile and Mom can take care of Solan while we're gone. I just hope Torris doesn't give Joxer or Solan a hard time."

"Xena, there's something you should know about Torris."

Xena's expression was one of surprise after Gabrielle described Torris' actions to the Romans.

"Wow, he didn't turn me in?"

Gabrielle shook her head. "He tried to get through the soldiers to protect the kids."

"I need to talk to him," Xena said, standing up.

"I'll go pack our bags."

Xena found Torris in the kitchen helping two of the village women prepare breakfast for the guests and travelers.

"Torris," Xena called softly and was pleased when he didn't scowl at her. He wiped his hands on the apron of one of the women with a comfortable gesture. Xena suddenly remembered that the woman was widowed and had been hanging around the inn quite a bit. Her brother approached her cautiously.

"I wanted to thank you for yesterday. Gabrielle says you tried to help the kids and you had a chance to turn me into the Romans."

"Xena, I may not approve of your choice of gender when it comes to bedmates but you are my sister and they are my blood. I'm your brother, I'm the only one that gets to hit you," he suddenly grinned.

Xena found herself grinning as well. "Thanks, can you help Mom while Gabrielle and I are gone?"

"Of course," he said with a shrug.

Compared to other travels, the ride to Philippi was short but not fast enough. Xena cursed for five minutes after finding the Roman maniple had landed and already joined up with Brutus and Cassius' forces on the outskirts of Philippi. The curses were enough to even raise the eyebrows of several of the dockworkers nearby as Gabrielle led her warrior away.

"Okay, he has Sasha, now what?" Gabrielle demanded, trying to get Xena to focus.

"I go in and get her out," Xena said simply.

"Oh no, I don't think so," Gabrielle protested as they walked along the docks. "He'll remember you tried to assassinate Caesar and how talented you are. Sasha will be well guarded and they'll be waiting for you."

"What would you suggest?" Xena asked in a flat voice.

"He wants me, trade me for Sasha."

"Won't work," Xena said simply. "One, he can't be trusted, he's already betrayed our friendship. Two, he needs the blessing of Ares, there's a good chance Antony and Octavian can beat him and Cassius. Three, I'm not letting you fall into Roman hands again."

"Then what do you suggest?" Gabrielle demanded, trying to keep her voice low.

"I help Antony and Octavian and let Brutus see me in battle. While he's distracted, you sneak into the Roman camp and get Sasha out with help from some of Octavian's troops."

"We're siding with Octavian?"

"I've been watching all of them. We owe Antony and Brutus for our Amazons and Centaurs and I think Octavian is the best choice for Rome and Greece. He's young but a good choice. Antony is brutal and won't hesitate to kill anything in his way and Brutus is no better. Some of Octavian's ideas are good ones."

"Even if he is related to Caesar and Caesar's choice?" Gabrielle smiled a quirky smile at her lover.

"Especially because Caesar picked him," Xena smiled at Gabrielle's raised eyebrows. "One thing Caesar was always very clear about, Rome came first and foremost to him. His problem was that he thought he was Rome. I would trust his judgment in choosing a successor. Caesar intentionally didn't adopt Brutus or name either him or Antony."

Gabrielle shook her head, "Never thought I'd hear you praise Caesar for anything."

"I may have hated him but I have to admit to his genius."

"So, how do we get close to Antony and Octavian?"

Xena grinned.

"Uh oh," Gabrielle muttered.

"One thing the Romans can be counted on, they are very predictable. I could tell you easily which tent is Octavian's and Antony's without looking at the camps."

Marc Antony grabbed for the dagger under his pillow as a hand clamped down over his mouth but found a heavy weight bearing down on his chest and pinning his arms. He stopped struggling when he felt a blade at his throat.

"Be quiet and live, I'm not here to kill you unless you make me," a voice ordered him and he nodded around the hand over his mouth.

Someone struck a light and then lit a lamp. Antony's eyes went wide at the sight of Xena, the warrior woman, straddling his chest with a dagger at his throat. Part of him knew that he was dead and another part was thrilled to see her up close and personal. She was magnificent! he thought to himself.

Xena held up his knife to inform him that it was no longer under his pillow and sat back on her haunches and removed her other hand from his mouth. She moved off of him and stood at the end of the bed. Antony had no doubt that he would be dead long before his guards could ever get in the door.

He frowned when he looked around and saw a blond woman holding a gagged and bound Octavian across the tent from him. She reached up and removed the gag from the handsome young Roman and sat him down in a chair.

What was that she was holding on the other Roman? Antony questioned, some strange weapon he hadn't seen before. Still, it looked deadly in her hands, even if she was a small thing.

Xena snapped her fingers to get his attention again.

"I didn't have time to go through the usual channels to see you two. Sorry about waking you both up in the middle of the night," she said easily. She stuck Antony's dagger into her belt and held up her chakram. "See this?" Antony nodded, "You know about it? It's my chakram; it can cut your throat and be back in my hand before you hit your bed. Understand?" Antony nodded again.

The Roman General was impressed, somehow the two women had gotten into the Roman camp, kidnapped Octavian and got him across the camp and into the second Roman camp and into Antony's tent without being seen. Very impressed.

"I thought your war with Rome was over," he stated. The first time he had seen the Warrior Princess she was in the back of a wagon after spending a day in the Arena and a night chained like an animal watching her lover die. Was the blond the same woman? he wondered.

"Brutus has a member of my family as a political hostage. I want five of your best recon soldiers, in exchange I'm going to help you defeat Brutus and Cassius," Xena offered.

"You have to tie me up and gag me for that!" Octavian demanded, his eyes flashing angrily.

"Quiet, pup!" Antony snapped. "Why do you need the recons?" he asked Xena.

"To go with my friend and get my family out of the camp while we're slaughtering Brutus and Cassius."

Antony looked over at Octavian, both glaring at each other for a moment. Finally, Octavian looked at Xena.

"I've heard of you and your talents and I also know that you have no love for Rome."

"I have no battle with Rome, that was with your uncle specifically," Xena corrected.

"Brutus saved your life, if I remember right," Antony commented.

"He also betrayed us by slaughtering the Amazons," Gabrielle spoke up finally.

"I was there too," Antony said simply.

"We'll deal with you some other day," Xena promised.

Antony laughed. "How refreshing! An enemy who admits it! I like that. I have your pledge that you won't stab me in the back until after Brutus is dead?"

"Yes, we defeat Brutus and get my family back and we walk away," Xena agreed.

"What makes you think that we need your help? Romans are experts at war," Antony countered.

"You're fighting Romans. Both of you need to think, how did I know where to find both of you in the dark among hundreds of tents?" Xena urged.

Both men frowned. "By the banners?" Octavian guessed.

"No, you can't read banners in the dark, even among torchlight we'd be roaming around the camp forever trying to find you," Xena shook her head.

"Because a Roman camp is set up the same every time, no matter where we go," Antony smiled.

"Exactly, you Romans are very predictable. Once you find something that works you stick to it until the end of time. Fortunately for you, no one has figured out how to counter that."

"What do you mean?" Octavian asked, suddenly curious.

"When you're marching it goes something like this: cavalry and auxiliary units scouting ahead, then comes the vanguard of a legion and cavalry, then camp surveyors and pioneer troops up next. Next come your baggage and mounts, then the two of you and your bodyguards. Next come more cavalry and siege engines on mules. Senior officers next, then the legions with their standard bearers and baggage. Auxiliary cohorts and then the end of the column, both light and heavy infantry and some cavalry. Bringing up the unofficial rear would be merchants, common-law wives, slave dealers and prostitutes." Xena rattled off easily.

Octavian snapped his gaping mouth closed and Antony grinned.

"She's right, she does know us," Antony grinned.

"So will your enemies eventually. Brutus and Cassius already know how you will attack under each situation. I can be unpredictable."

"Believe her when she says that!" Gabrielle grinned.

"All right, you've got my curiosity. What do you say, Octavian, want to hear more?"

"Yes, now untie me," he ordered. Gabrielle looked over to Xena, who nodded. The bard pulled out a dagger from her belt and cut the ropes holding the Roman General. He glared at the young woman and crossed the tent to the tent flap.

"Guards! Bring my maps from my tent in the other camp and have my aides bring my clothes. Don't ask questions, do it!" he ordered.

With the one lamp, the young Roman lit two other lamps at a table covered with maps, documents and other such items. Antony wrapped his sheet around him like a toga and joined the other General. Xena grinned at Gabrielle and joined the Romans.

Antony then moved to the tent flap.

"Guards, bring food and wine, I have guests here. Also, wake my officers and send for Octavian's. We're having a planning session," the handsome Roman ordered.

He walked up to Gabrielle and smiled at her.

"If you'll hold up the blanket, I'll get dressed behind it," he offered and laughed when the bard blushed but grabbed the blanket up. A moment later a voice caught her attention from behind it.

"Are you the same woman I saw in the wagon? After Caesar was assassinated?"

"Yes, I think so. Xena told me that you helped convince the Senate to accept the proposal to move the Amazons out of Roman territory and release Xena and me," she answered.

"I thought you had died from your wounds, Brutus said you had."

"Brutus wants me for himself," she said simply.

"At least he has good taste," Antony said as he lowered the blanket.

A candle-mark later and Gabrielle settled into a comfortable chair after eating a wonderful selection that Antony had ordered brought to the tent. She grabbed up the blanket Antony had dropped and pulled it over her as she threw her legs over the arms of the chair.

By the sounds of the arguments coming from various officers, Antony, Octavian and Xena, it was going to be a long session.

"Gabrielle," a voice brought the bard upright in the chair, sai in her hand. "Easy, little one, it's me."

"Xena, what's up?" the bard asked as she looked around. It was just at dawn and several officers and Antony were still debating over the maps and Octavian was no longer in the tent.

"Let's take a walk," Xena suggested, helping the bard to her feet.

Neither woman was surprised by the activity going on in the camp at this hour of the day. Everyone had a job and seemed to be doing it or getting to it. Gabrielle was surprised that no one challenged their presence in the camp as they walked along.

"Octavian had the guards spread the word about our being here," Xena answered Gabrielle's confused looks.

"What was decided?"

"I'll lead several ambushes once Brutus and Cassius begin to move and then Antony will lead the main battle while you sneak into Brutus' camp and grab Sasha and join me at the docks," Xena said simply.

"Where's Octavian in all of this?"

"He's going to be very sick, he just doesn't know it yet."

Gabrielle noted her warrior's clenched jaw and placed a hand on Xena's arm. The warrior's face softened and she smiled down at her mate.

"Octavian and his generals couldn't see it but Antony has set him up to take the worst of the fighting. Either Antony is hoping that Octavian will be killed or, at the least, most of his troops will be and he'll lose a lot of support he'll need later when he and Antony fight."

"When they fight?"

"It's coming, Gabrielle, and everyone knows it. Two strong willed and powerful men. They'll work together for awhile, maybe even divide the Empire among them but eventually one will break and force the fight, probably both of them. Everyone knows that Antony desires Cleopatra and Egypt," Xena talked easily as they walked, careful not to talk when anyone was close.

"But Antony is marrying Octavian's sister," Gabrielle protested.

"Roman political marriage. It's more like a hostage situation than a marriage. Antony ties his power with Octavian and they both tie each other's hands with the marriage, forming a stalemate. Antony wants Rome, Cleopatra, and the Empire."

"Will he kill Octavian to get it?" Gabrielle asked with a frown.

"The first chance he gets," Xena said grimly. "He's brutal and wouldn't hesitate to kill anyone. I've heard of his revenge against Brutus and others involved in Caesar's assassination. Friends of friends have been killed in revenge. Distant cousins have been killed because they might be related to the assassins."

"When will the battle take place?"

"First thing in the morning."

"Terrific, a day with the Romans, just what I always wanted," the bard muttered and Xena wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulders, noticing the bard trembling a little at the sight of all the Roman soldiers.

Neither of them had good memories about Roman soldiers.

"Do you think Brutus already handed Sasha over to Ares?"

"No, he'll keep Sasha until after the battle to ensure Ares' cooperation. That's why we have to get Sasha out of there during the battle. Ares will turn away from Brutus and it might turn the battle to Antony and Octavian's favor."

"Count on me," Gabrielle said simply, reaching up to kiss Xena's cheek.

Less than 24 hours later found the couple separated and both tense as stalking tigers.

Gabrielle stumbled as she was shoved into the main tent of the Roman camp. One of the soldiers pushed the bard to her knees. She looked up into the hostile faces of Roman officers, her green eyes blazing.

"What's this?" one of them demanded.

"Lord Cassius, we caught this woman trying to sneak into camp. Lord Brutus said to watch for a tall dark haired woman or a shorter blond," one of the guards answered quickly.

Cassius looked down at the bruised face and short blond hair.

"You must be Gabrielle, gladiator, bard, Amazon Queen and Xena's playmate," he grinned.

Gabrielle's eyes blazed but she kept silent.

"Brutus!" Cassius yelled at the group of officers bent over the map table. Gabrielle watched as Brutus approached slowly.

"Gabrielle?" he muttered. "I didn't think you'd actually try it."

"You killed my Amazons and kidnapped my daughter, what did you expect?" she snapped.

"You're right. Unfortunately, I don't have time for you. I'll deal with you after I kill Antony and Octavian once and for all," he started to turn away and then turned back with a frown. "Where's Xena?"

"Go to Tartarus!" the bard snapped.

A fist from Brutus sent the bard to the ground. With her hands tied behind her back, she had difficult time getting back on her knees.

"You've already had a sample of our crucifixion punishments, Gabrielle, don't make me send you to the torturers, they're very good at what they do," Brutus threatened.

Gabrielle merely glared at Cassius and Brutus.

"Would she join with Antony or Octavian?" Cassius asked, kicking the bard in the ribs and sending her onto her back, painfully on the tied hands. She resisted crying out as a guard pulled her back to her knees.

"No," Brutus answered. "She hates us as much as some of those northern Gauls. She's probably sneaking into the camp from another direction. Take this one to my tent and alert the guards. You four," Brutus pointed to the guards accompanying Gabrielle, "join the guards in my tent watching this prisoner and the child," he ordered.

"Yes, sir," they responded.

Gabrielle was pulled roughly to her feet and dragged out of the tent.

"Brutus, I'll see your head on a pike!" she yelled.

"And I'll see you in my bed!" he yelled back to the cheers of the officers present.

Xena and a small troop of Roman soldiers, from both camps of Antony and Octavian, had been working all night under Xena's direction. Now she waited patiently on a mountainside, overlooking a pass. The one pass Brutus and Cassius had to go through to reach the open fields to meet Antony and Octavian.

Xena shook her head when she saw the marching Romans in the distance. This pass was perfect for a major ambush but Brutus and Cassius were expecting to fight Romans. She and the other soldiers ducked out of sight as the recon soldiers of the enemy Romans came through the pass, barely looking up the sides for traps or the enemy.

Xena and her soldiers let the scouts move ahead of them and waited until the cavalry and foot soldiers came into the pass. Xena motioned with her hand and was pleased to see the soldiers under her command move quickly and efficiently.

The warrior woman waited until the cavalry and foot soldiers were directly in line with her and her troops and then let loose with her famous battle yell.

The startled Romans below looked up the mountainside in time to see flaming logs hurling at them, picking up rocks and other debris as they flew down the mountainside towards the troops. They looked to the other side for escape only to find another set of flaming logs coming at them from the opposite direction.

Then began a rain of arrows that took out horse and man alike.

The Romans began to run either forward or back. Those running forward found their way blocked by falling trees and those running back ran into their officers and more troops behind them.

Officers were shouting conflicting orders, men and horses were screaming, and the fire logs hit the pack of soldiers with an awful crash. The screams became higher pitched and horrible.

Xena raised her hand in a signal and her soldiers melted away. She followed on Argo, face grim as the screams of the injured and dying and the enraged officers filled the pass.

It didn't take long for Brutus and Cassius to regain control of their troops once the arrows stopped and the logs were no longer falling down the mountain. The dead, both soldier and horse, were tossed to the side, the logs hauled next to their victims. The dying were put out of their misery and the injured taken to the rear for transport back to camp in wagons.

The officers re-formed their troops and waited for Brutus and Cassius in the pre-dawn hour.

"Brutus! That war cry, that was female! Was it Xena?" Cassius demanded as he rode up to his fellow Roman General.

"Yes," Brutus answered with a curse.

"Then she's joined with Antony and Octavian!"

"No, this was probably her own attack. She could care less about Rome and she despises both me and Antony."

"I hope you're right, I don't want any more surprises!"

When Gabrielle was led into the tent it took her a moment for her eyes to adjust but the first thing she saw was Sasha sitting in a Roman chair. The child also saw her.

"Mum!" the child cried out and ran to Gabrielle as the woman knelt down.

"Mummy! I knew you'd come!" Sasha cried as she clung to Gabrielle's neck. Then Sasha noticed that her Mum wasn't hugging her back and looked at the tied hands. "They hurt you!"

"No, it's not bad, Sasha. I'm okay. Are you okay?" Gabrielle reassured the child.

"Yes, but they won't let me see you or Mom."

"I know, but I'm here now. Let's go sit down, okay?"

One of the soldiers accompanying the bard reached down and pulled Gabrielle to her feet roughly and shoved her towards the other three guards.

"Lord Brutus says we are to join you to watch the woman and child."

"Good," one of the guards grinned as Gabrielle stumbled into him. He caught her easily and looked her up and down. "Too bad we can't have any fun with this one," he commented.

"I don't know about that," Gabrielle muttered.

The soldier suddenly looked pained and glanced down to find a dagger sticking between his ribs. Gabrielle, with eyes flashing brightly, twisted the knife while the other guards took out Brutus' other guards.

Gabrielle swept Sasha up into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"Let's go see your Mom," Gabrielle suggested, trying to keep the child's mind off the slaughter she had just seen.

Sasha nodded eagerly as one of the guards handed Gabrielle her sais and a sword from under his cloak.

The warrior bard grabbed a cloak from near the tent opening and threw it over her shoulders and Sasha.

"Sasha, I need you to keep quiet until we get to the woods, okay?"

The child nodded and laid her head on Gabrielle's shoulder.

Gabrielle nodded to the soldiers with her and they separated once outside the tent, grabbing torches up and each of them began setting tents on fire. Gabrielle waited a moment until they had scattered a good distance in all directions and had dropped their torches.

"Fire! Fire!" she began screaming. Within moments the camp was in an uproar, especially with the soldiers away for a battle.

Gabrielle began moving through the camp with Sasha as the guards rejoined her one by one.

Brutus cringed when he heard the dreaded war cry again and ducked instinctively.

"Shields! Shields!" officers were shouting as arrows began raining down on the soldiers from both sides of the pass. In a moment it had stopped and there was no sign of the enemy. Moans and screams plagued the Roman General as soldiers scurried about, tending to the wounded and the dead.

"Damnit, Brutus! She's slowing us up!" Cassius shouted.

"I know, I know. Move the troops up, no delays, no matter what comes at them!" Brutus ordered.

"Lord Brutus! Lord Brutus!" a mounted officer was shouting as he rode towards the two generals.

"Yes, what is it?" Cassius demanded.

"At the front, my lords. Our recon soldiers have been ambushed and slaughtered. The officers have been crucified!"

Brutus went pale and Cassius turned beet red. "Crucified?" he demanded. "She dared to crucify Roman soldiers!"

"Take them down, don't let the main troops see them," Brutus ordered.

"But, sir, they are on exceptionally high crosses, it will take time to get them down." the officer protested.

"Then cut the crosses down!" Brutus shouted and the officer turned his horse back towards the front, shouting directions at several soldiers.

"Damn your personal war with her, Brutus!" Cassius cursed and moved his horse towards the front of the line.

"I probably am damned, I agree," Brutus muttered.

Gabrielle jumped down off the horse and let Sasha down gently. She looked up at the four soldiers who had helped her.

"Thank you. I don't even know your names," she complained.

"I'm Cyprian, that's Barita, Mikolaj, and Rianorix." the sergeant grinned, clasping Gabrielle's hand in a warrior's handshake.

"I'll remember those names. Xena and I are grateful."

"Thank you, MiLady. Vale!"

The soldiers turned their horses back towards the battlefield.

Gabrielle picked Sasha up in her arms and moved towards a tavern to get Sasha and herself some food and wait for her mate.

Xena watched the battle from the top of the pass, fighting the urge to join the battle, reminding herself that this wasn't her fight except to ensure the death of Brutus. The warrior and her troops moved down to the back of the battle when the day wore on and it became clear that Brutus and Cassius were losing, in part due to Xena's planning with the generals of Antony and Octavian and some in part to the demoralizing Xena and her small band of soldiers had inflicted on the enemy troops.

Xena and her band made sure their white headbands were in place. The troops of Antony and Octavian knew that a small band of Roman soldiers were fighting in skirmish actions without helmets and wearing white headbands. Xena didn't want her temporary soldiers getting killed by their fellow soldiers.

With a war cry she led the way into the battle with her small band from the rear. Her strategy was simple, hit and run. Hit and retreat, keeping the rear guard off balance and cutting off any escape route for Brutus and Cassius.

A rumble behind her told the warrior that the engineers assigned to her had completed their task, a rockslide now blocked the pass and Brutus and Cassius had nowhere to run. With a signal she pulled her troop back and watched closely.

The battle lasted well into the afternoon, the slaughter going on forever, it seemed. Xena's troops were better rested than the soldiers they were fighting and they began making headway into the rear guard troops and Xena was pleased with the skills of her soldiers, they were good fighters.

The warrior's eyes narrowed as she spotted the fancy helmet of a Roman General and realized it must be Cassius. Before she could move her horse through the fighting she spotted Antony's flashing helmet and sword working his way to the other General.

Cassius also saw Antony heading for him through the sea of soldiers. The Roman General jumped off his horse and looked around him, seeing defeat.

Antony roared his rage when Cassius turned his sword to his chest and fell on it. Xena merely watched, her face expressionless.

It turned to one of rage when she saw Brutus, however.

The Roman General turned very pale when he heard the war-cry of the warrior woman. He had seen Cassius go down under his own sword and knew his time was done. Either he'd be captured or killed by Antony to face the executioner's block in disgrace, or he'd face the warrior woman.

Brutus jumped off his horse and quickly turned his sword to his chest. He heard Xena's scream as he fell forward.

Xena leaped off her horse and turned the general onto his side and glared down at him. He was still alive but she knew it wouldn't be long.

"Brutus! Do you know what your soldiers did to my son?" she hissed, bending over him. She vaguely noticed one of her soldiers standing at her shoulder, holding off any enemy soldiers from her and Brutus.

"Son?"

"I have a son and they blinded him!"

"And I killed the Amazons and Centaurs and I kidnapped your child, don't expect me to be remorseful at this late time in the game, Xena," the Roman General coughed around the blood flowing from his mouth.

"You'd better pray I don't end up in Tartarus with you!" Xena growled.

"I have Gabrielle and your child, orders to be killed if I die. I'll see you in Tartarus, Xena."

The warrior screamed in rage as Brutus closed his eyes.

After a few moments the soldier guarding her back placed a hand on Xena's shoulder.

"Listen to me, Greek!" he shouted in her ear.

Xena turned to look at him, eyes blazing in berserker fury.

"Can you hear me?" he shouted again.

Xena's eyes calmed after a moment and she nodded.

"I have orders to kill you, we all do, from Antony. All the soldiers with you have decided to be elsewhere, get out of here before the regular troops get here."

"Thank you, I expected something like this. What's your name?" she asked.

"Lycius, warrior."

Xena was stunned but grabbed his forearm in a warrior's handshake and mounted her horse again. The same name as her beloved dead brother. The Fates were strange, she thought, fighting her way past the soldiers towards the mountains.

It was almost nightfall when Xena walked in the door of the inn, her eyes bright from the battle. Her dented, dusty and bloody armor hidden by her cloak. The barkeep and the locals quickly turned away from the sight of the woman warrior's eyes. They had all known of the battle raging around them in the Pass of Philippi but most didn't care either way about it and decided that if this soldier was involved, they didn't want to know about it.

Xena spotted Gabrielle and Sasha in a booth at the back and quickly made her way to them, grabbing the small child up in her arms, the warrior's eyes softening for the first time during the day. She frowned again when she took in the various cuts and bruises on Gabrielle's face and arms.

"I'm okay, we had to make Brutus think I had put up a fight," Gabrielle explained, standing up. "I have a room and have ordered a bath and dinner for us."

"Good, Antony will expect us to head straight for Amphipolis. We'll stay here overnight and travel by boat tomorrow at tide."

"Brutus?" Gabrielle asked, her eyes becoming as intense as the warrior's.

"Dead by his own hand but I was there," Xena frowned.

"Let's get upstairs, away from eyes."

Once inside the room both women began to relax a little and, after sitting Sasha down in a chair, Gabrielle grabbed her mate for a rough kiss and embrace that left both women breathless.

Both could feel their hearts pounding, blood lust still lingering with both of them.

"Oh gods, Xena, I will never get enough of you!" Gabrielle whispered, bringing a moan from her mate at the husky tones of her bard's voice.

"Bath, food and bed," Xena said simply.

"You bet. Sasha, time for a bath! I bet your hair hasn't been properly brushed for days! Guess what? I brought your brush," Gabrielle said as she dug into her packs, smiling at the look of delight on the child's face. Sasha loved to have her hair brushed, especially when Mum or Mom brushed it.

A couple of candle-marks later Gabrielle watched the warrior and child with devoted eyes. Xena was leaned back in a chair while Sasha sat on the floor playing with a toy wooden horse and soldier Xena had carved for her at Yule. Gabrielle smiled and Xena looked at her mate with raised eyebrows.

"Just thinking how much I love both of you," Gabrielle answered.

"Back at you, little one."

"Was it bad today?" the bard asked, having noted the condition of Xena's armor and leathers.

"No worse than any other battle. Men killing each other on the orders of men playing politics."

"You once lived for that," Gabrielle mentioned.

"Yes, I know but I couldn't do that anymore. Not for power or politics," Xena said softly, watching Sasha play, grinning when the little girl rubbed at her eyes with her fists, trying to hide a yawn.

"Was Octavian sick today?" Gabrielle asked with a smile.

"Yes, seems he has a sensitive stomach. Antony was forced to split the victory with Octavian's troops and take most of the battle himself. He wasn't happy that Cassius and Brutus both fell on their swords before he got ahold of them. He probably wasn't happy that I escaped either," Xena grinned.

"He did plan on killing you," Gabrielle was aware of Xena's suspicions and the warrior's plans on leaving the battlefield before Antony could get ahold of her.

"Yes, only the troops he assigned to me decided to look the other way when I rode out."

"So did my soldiers, I think Antony's troops were ordered to kill me, Sasha and Octavian's soldiers."

"It's hard to kill the mother of a child, especially with the child there, even for some Romans," Xena commented.

Gabrielle grinned and picked Sasha up from the floor and dumped the child on the bed, Sasha squealing with delight as Gabby Mom began tickling the little one. Xena jumped up and launched herself onto the bed to get in on the action. In moments the bed was a mass of giggling females.

Within minutes Sasha was sound asleep between her two moms.

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered.

"Yes," Xena answered and untangled herself from the bedding and pulled Gabrielle to her feet and into her arms.

Gabrielle felt her knees go weak at her warrior's lips on hers and Xena's strong arms holding her. She broke off the kiss with a gasp.

"Gods, even after all this time, I still can't stand when you do that!" she muttered, nuzzling Xena's chest.

The warrior reached over to the bed and pulled a blanket off, still holding tightly to her bard. She gently lowered Gabrielle to the blanket, following the smaller woman down to the floor.

Gabrielle wrapped one arm around Xena's back and the other through the warrior's raven hair and pulled Xena close for another kiss. Both women moaned as their bodies touched, Xena's leg coming up between Gabrielle's legs.

The bard could almost feel the heat radiating from her warrior and knew what Xena was still feeling. Even after a bath and meal, she knew they were both still on fire from the fighting energy, the blood lust running through their veins and bodies.

Gabrielle shifted slightly and grabbed Xena's neck with her teeth as she impatiently pulled at Xena's leather shift. Xena moaned loudly and managed to raise up enough for Gabrielle to remove the shift, barely letting go of Xena's neck long enough to slip the material over the warrior's head. Somehow Xena helped the bard remove the warrior's undergarments but Gabrielle was too impatient to wait for the warrior to strip out of her leather skirt.

The bard let one hand run softly over Xena's nipples while the other began a familiar exploration between the warrior's legs. Xena growled and threw her head back with the sensations running through her body. Gabrielle increased her pressure on the warrior's nipples, bringing a hiss from her warrior.

Gabrielle knew that it was difficult for Xena to maintain her position over the bard on her arms when Gabrielle was doing various things like this to the warrior's body. The conflict between the sensations running through her body and the demand on her arm muscles was enough to heighten the sensations and pleasure and Gabrielle knew it.

The warrior cried out as one hand pinched one of her nipples and the other sank several fingers into her. Xena pulled Gabrielle's head back by her hair and looked deep into the heavy lidded green eyes of her bard. The warrior began kissing her mate roughly as her body began to rock back and forth on Gabrielle's hand.

Gabrielle relented and rolled Xena over onto her back and sat up between the warrior's legs, amazed always at how wet Xena was for her. Xena's eyes begged for release as she clutched at the blanket below her.

Gabrielle took a quick moment and pulled her tunic shirt off over her head and then pulled Xena's leather skirt off her. She leaned over Xena's body and slowly lowered herself onto her warrior, both groaning together at the feel of naked skin. Then Gabrielle crawled down the warrior's body, kissing her way down every inch of the way.

Xena was writhing on the blanket, one hand clutching the blanket and the other laced through Gabrielle's short hair, urging her bard lower.

"Please!" she moaned and then groaned as the bard chuckled at her mate's impatience.

Xena jumped as Gabrielle's tongue darted over her clit a couple of times and then stopped. Two fingers lingered at her opening, just enough to tease. Xena growled loudly and started to sit up to face her bard when Gabrielle's tongue and hand claimed whatever complete thought the warrior just had. Xena's back arched and both hands were clutching at the blanket, her body beginning to rock again.

"Oh gods, Gabrielle, don't stop!" the warrior whispered desperately.

Xena could feel Gabrielle working her body like it was a fine lyre or harp, pulling more and more out of the warrior than anyone had ever gotten close to reaching. The warrior felt herself giving over control to her bard and letting her body follow wherever the bard was leading.

Only Gabrielle could do that, she thought.

The warrior found she couldn't control her shaking hands and legs and was almost to a screaming point of frustration when she felt Gabrielle's small hand totally claim her. It was the most incredible sensation the warrior had ever felt and, again, only Gabrielle had ever been able to get Xena turned on and relaxed enough at the same time to do that for her warrior.

Slowly, Gabrielle began moving her fist slowly within the warrior, pulling back to rub against the pelvic bone and then deep again, rocking the warrior's body. When Xena began climbing even higher and higher to the point of climax, Gabrielle whispered to her warrior.

"Let go, my love, I'm here," and returned her tongue to Xena's clit, sending the warrior crashing over the edge. The warrior always fought against giving up total control to anyone, even Gabrielle.

The bard knew it was the ultimate trust Xena could give her. The warrior grabbed Gabrielle's tunic and bit into it to keep from screaming loudly as waves of orgasm swept over her again and again.

Gabrielle crawled up along Xena's body again and began kissing the warrior before Xena had totally gotten her breath back, surprising the warrior as their tongues began dueling for dominance over each other's mouth.

Xena reached between Gabrielle's legs and quickly entered the bard, pulling a groan out of her bard. Xena's thumb began stroking the bard's clit and caused Gabrielle to give up the fight of tongues to grab Xena's shoulders as her body reached for more of Xena's hand on it's own.

The warrior obliged her mate and bent forward slightly to grasp a nipple with her teeth and then the other, pulling the bard into a sitting position. Gabrielle clung to her warrior's shoulders, sinking her teeth back into Xena's neck to keep from screaming.

Gabrielle was so turned on by her mate that she knew it wasn't going to take long on this night. Feeling the bard's rising energy level, Xena increased the depth and intensity of her stokes, feeling Gabrielle's body begin trembling all over.

"Oh gods, little one, you are incredible," she whispered in Gabrielle's ear as she trailed a kiss along the bard's neck and back down to Gabrielle's full breasts.

Gabrielle moaned again, feeling the scream building in the back of her throat. Xena felt the bard's body stiffen in her arms and around her fingers and felt the scream being muffled by the bard's teeth at the warrior's throat. With another muffled scream and then a whimper, Gabrielle collapsed into Xena's arms.

The warrior somehow managed to lift Gabrielle in her arms and placed the bard on the bed with Sasha and then crawled in beside her mate, pulling the blanket up over them and wrapped her arm around Gabrielle's waist. The bard mumbled pleasantly and interlaced her fingers with Xena's and was fast asleep.

Xena began to drift into sleep and noticed the pain at her neck. Curious, she untangled her fingers from Gabrielle and touched the spot where Gabrielle had screamed and bitten at the same time. The warrior was surprised to find blood on her neck and some tender skin.

With a frown she interlaced her fingers back with Gabrielle's hand and drifted into sleep.

Xena decided that they needed to deal with other things first rather than the bard's sharp teeth. A wounded Joxer, a crippled son and a life to rebuild.


	12. 12 Darkness Awakening

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, etc etc etc. I'm borrowing them for my pleasure and, hopefully, the pleasure of others for entertainment. Don't bother suing me, even the government agrees that I don't have anything of value.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** You bet. This story concerns people having sex with the same gender. Also some light bondage and graphic sex. If this bugs you or is illegal where you are, leave. Come back when you're older, have changed your laws, moved or opened your mind.

**Violence:** It is Xena and Gabrielle we're working with here.

**Storyline:** Xena and Gabrielle are struggling to settle down and deal with Solan's injuries and darkness from their own past.

**Feedback:** always welcome and will be responded to.

* * *

"Solan?" Xena spoke softly, not wanting to startle the young man lying on the cot in her Mother's backroom.

"Mom? Mom!"

Xena was across the floor and holding the young teen in an instant. She held the young man while he cried.

"Are you okay?" he finally asked, wiping the tears from his face.

Xena thought her heart was going to break, her son was lying there with a bandage over his shattered eyes and he was asking about her.

"I'm fine, so is Gabrielle and Sasha," she choked out.

"Really?" he insisted.

"Really. We got Sasha back and Brutus is dead. I was there when he died," Xena explained simply.

Her son merely nodded at the information. It was on orders of the Roman General that Sasha had been kidnapped and Solan was blinded for trying to protect his sister and his mom.

"Is Sasha okay?" he asked about his younger half sister.

"You bet. Gabrielle went in and took her right out of the Roman camp while Brutus was busy fighting Antony and me," Xena knew he couldn't see her grin but she hoped he could hear it.

"Great! The healer says the pain should be gone in a couple of weeks."

"Good, good," Xena suddenly didn't know what to say or do. How to handle your son being blinded protecting you? A born hunter and tracker, now blinded. "Listen, I want to go see Joxer, I'll be back in a little while, okay?"

"Sure, Grandma has me putting in a half day helping in the kitchen but she lets me rest during the afternoons, the headache gets bad by then," Solan said easily, laying back down.

Xena squeezed his hand and left the room quickly. She bit back a sob as she dashed across the tavern and out the door.

Cyrene, her mother, watched her daughter rush out the door and turned to Gabrielle. The bard was holding Sasha and looking after her mate. Neither of them were surprised by the warrior's reaction.

"Some tree is really going to pay for Solan's injuries," Gabrielle muttered.

"Mum?" Sasha asked.

"Yes, little one?" Gabrielle asked the small child in her arms.

"Is Mom okay?"

"She will be. Your brother was hurt, remember me telling you about that?" the youngster nodded. "Well, your mom is really upset because he was hurt bad. We're going to have to help him a lot now and teach him how to do things a little different."

"How come?" Sasha asked.

"His eyes were hurt and he can't see anymore," Cyrene noticed the tears filling the bard's eyes as she tried to explain a crippling injury to a small child.

"Oh," the child said simply, eyes wide; trying to comprehend what Gabby Mum was telling her.

Gabrielle empathized, she didn't understand it herself.

"Can you keep an eye on her, Cyrene? I want to see Joxer."

"Of course, she can help me fix dinner. Come on, little one," Cyrene took Sasha's hand and headed for the back.

Gabrielle climbed the stairs towards the rooms of the inn.

Joxer grinned and tried to pull himself up but Gabrielle quickly crossed the room and sat next to the soldier, placing a hand on his chest, stopping him.

"Gabrielle, good to see you! Cyrene told me that you and Xena went after Sasha. Everything okay?"

"Yes, Brutus and Cassius are dead and we got Sasha back," Gabrielle smiled.

"You're beautiful," he muttered.

"Thanks, you're probably looking good if you didn't have several holes in your body," Gabrielle grinned and Joxer blushed. "Thank you for protecting Solan and Sasha."

"It was nothing," he muttered.

"It was more than nothing, Joxer," Gabrielle insisted and reached out to hold his hand.

The soldier began blushing again.

"Xena told me about your wedding, I'm sorry I couldn't be there. I bet you were beautiful."

"Thank you. Joxer, we didn't want to hurt you," Gabrielle said softly.

"I know," Joxer shrugged. "Gabrielle, are you happy with Xena? Is this what you want?"

"I know the last few years have been rough and Xena and I have been to Tartarus and back, but the answer is 'yes,' I'm very happy with Xena," Gabrielle moved closer to the soldier, noticing the tears welling up in his eyes. "Joxer, I love you and I always will but not like with Xena."

"I've been trying to understand, I mean, she slept with Ares!" Joxer growled, struggling to a sitting position.

Gabrielle moved his pillows behind him to help him sit up better and easier.

"I know. I've forgiven Xena for that because she didn't know what she was doing. Living with it wasn't as easy as it sounds, I'll admit that. I don't doubt that she loves me, Joxer. Even with her memories missing she couldn't hurt me and she came back to me."

Joxer was quiet for a few moments.

"Sasha is cute," he conceded.

Gabrielle grinned. "I'm glad she looks more like her mom than her father," the bard confessed and Joxer smiled.

"Xena told me about the gladiator stuff," the soldier said softly.

Gabrielle sighed and drew off her leather bracers and held up her wrists. Joxer turned pale at the sight of the scars.

"Caesar's dead, Brutus is dead, the Amazons and Centaurs are dead. So much loss, Joxer," Gabrielle's eyes filled with tears and tiredness. Both were surprised when Gabrielle laid down next to the soldier and curled into his arms, surprised by the action and by the fact it didn't feel awkward.

Joxer frowned as he felt something shift in his heart and soul and held the small woman as she cried for all the loss and her exhaustion. He fell asleep puzzling over the change, he couldn't work it out. Something happened it felt different.

"Gabrielle," a soft voice caused the bard to open her eyes, the bard blinking several times as she tried to focus. As she raised up on her elbow she realized the shadows in the room had lengthened a bit and that she had fallen asleep.

Asleep. Joxer. What? With a startled expression she sat up on the edge of the bed, looking up in the blue eyes of her warrior.

"Easy, don't startle him," Xena said with a smile in a soft voice.

"What? We were talking," Gabrielle muttered.

"You both fell asleep while he held you," Xena concluded for her confused bard.

"Xena," Gabrielle began but Xena held up a finger on the bard's lips.

"No big deal," the warrior reassured her. "I know how you feel about Joxer."

"We were talking about the crucifixion and the Amazons," Gabrielle whispered.

"Help me wake him up for dinner. The healer says that he'll be all right eventually but it'll take time. Lucky for him, he's got a hard head and that was the worst blow," Xena grinned.

Gabrielle also grinned. "Good thing he upgraded that armor of his."

"Yup, and improved on his skills. Come on, Joxer, time for dinner," Xena grinned and lightly shook the soldier's shoulder, bringing his head up from where it had fallen on his chest while holding Gabrielle.

He began blushing when he realized Xena was in the room with him and Gabrielle.

"Time for dinner, hero," Xena grinned, going to the table and retrieving the tray she had brought up.

"I, uh, hi, Xena," he muttered.

"Eat your dinner," Xena grinned and led her bard out the door for a much needed hug. Gabrielle took in the rough condition of her warrior. Xena was covered with dust and had been working out, hard. The bard frowned; her warrior's eyes were still haunted.

"Mom offered us a room for the night, complete with a bath. She knew we'd be too tired to go home," Xena said, leaning into Gabrielle's hand as the bard stroked her cheek.

"Great, we can face all of this in the morning. Let's get you in a tub, my love."

Later that evening Gabrielle held an emotionally worn out warrior in her arms, gently exploring Xena's body with soft touches of her tongue and fingers. Tonight was one of those nights when they both surprised each other with how gentle they could be in their lovemaking.

"Hey, Mom," Solan said with a wide grin when the warrior walked into the kitchen the next morning.

The warrior was stunned speechless and Gabrielle ran right into Xena's back when the warrior suddenly stopped.

"How did you know it was me?" she asked, moving further into the kitchen, standing back to watch her son.

"I heard the chakram against your leathers," Solan answered as he began chopping carrots, using the side of his finger to guide the knife.

"You must have inherited my hearing," Xena grinned.

The boy grinned.

"He's got a talent for cooking, would you believe it?" Cyrene said as she walked into the kitchen with an armful of a basket of fish.

"THAT he didn't inherit from you," Gabrielle muttered and got a playful whack on the arm from her warrior and a grin from both Cyrene and Solan.

"We've only been gone a few days," Xena commented, watching the teen move around the kitchen with an ease that was reassuring to the warrior.

"He catches on quick," Cyrene commented as she began chopping the fish up and handing the pieces to Solan who quickly seasoned them and prepared the pieces.

"I can't be a hunter any more so Grandma, Joxer and I talked a lot about different jobs and how easy or difficult they could be for a blind man. I kept coming back to cooking. I like it," Solan explained with a shrug, once again reminding Gabrielle of her warrior and his mother, Xena.

"He's already improved one of my recipes," Cyrene bragged.

"No way!" Xena's eyebrows shot up in surprise.

Solan blushed and grinned.

"Yup, a natural," Cyrene confirmed.

"Now we get Joxer healed and maybe we can get back to settling down," Xena muttered.

A week later, Gabrielle grinned at the progress that both Solan and Joxer were making in their individual recoveries. Solan's headaches had diminished enough to where he could work a full day in the inn's kitchen and not require any pain herbs in his tea at night.

Gabrielle had thought of teaching him to find his way around with a staff and soon he had memorized the route between their home and the inn and several buildings around the village. Everyone in village were more than eager to help the boy out, giving him space to work it out and quick to give information about what was where.

Joxer had recovered enough to start working out with the militia, slowly regaining his strength and skills. Xena was pleased to find he had improved on his skills over the couple of years she hadn't seen him and was now an adequate soldier. She also grinned at how he blushed under her praise and encouragement.

Xena had also noticed something about Joxer and had a suspicion that he had noticed it about himself and was confused as she was. Joxer no longer had that puppy dog look around Gabrielle. Xena had frowned when Joxer had shown up in the village, especially because Gabrielle had been away and Xena was the one that had to break the news to Joxer that his beloved bard had married someone else while he was gone. The news that Gabrielle had married Xena.

Xena stood next to the training area and watched as he lightly sparred with sword and shield against one of the villager militia volunteers and reflected that the would-be warrior had taken the news well. He had shouted, cried, gotten drunk, threw up when he heard about Gabrielle's assaults by the Romans and slavers, dry heaved his guts up at the description of her crucifixion and then passed out when his mind couldn't process anymore.

Now Joxer seemed more at ease than he ever had with Gabrielle and Xena. Both Gabrielle and Xena were at a loss to explain it, they had even caught Joxer looking confused when he was with them.

It was like he had turned into Gabrielle's brother or best friend.

Xena decided that it was definitely a weird change but maybe not unwelcome.

The warrior grinned when she spotted Gabrielle and Sasha walking towards her, the bard carrying a basket and holding Sasha's hand. Both were chattering back and forth rapidly, probably sharing a story, Xena thought with her heart overflowing.

Given the circumstances of Sasha's conception, Xena had worried slightly that Gabrielle might hold some resentment. The bard had forgiven Xena for sleeping with Ares, pointing out that Xena wasn't exactly in her right mind and had no memory of her life with Gabrielle, but still, it was a fear the warrior had. Especially since Gabrielle hadn't been with her for Sasha's birth and first few months of life.

Xena needn't have worried; the bard's anger was still at Ares. Even after confronting him, fighting him to a draw, wounding him badly, and basically getting in his face, Gabrielle still growled deep in her chest whenever his name was mentioned and her green eyes flashed with anger. With Sasha, Gabrielle was a wonder and both Solan and Sasha were both delighted that Gabrielle was in their lives.

Xena was beyond delighted; she had no idea what she would do without her warrior bard. Watching Gabrielle walk across the common made Xena's breath quicken. The bard was dressed as any other village woman these days, it was the way she moved that caught the eye of most everyone, men and women. She still moved like a dangerous wild cat.

Xena grinned to herself, what always amazed her was that Gabrielle wasn't aware of it. She really didn't realize how cute and irresistible she was.

The night they spent waiting to enter the Arena of Rome and fight for their lives, the night before Gabrielle had been crucified by the Romans, they had spent the time talking.

Gabrielle had surprised the warrior by thanking her for the life they had led together. Xena had shaken her head in amazement. How could Gabrielle thank her for leading her into constant danger, slavery, assault and death? The bard had tried to explain that before she had met Xena she had felt invisible and that no one but Xena saw what she could be, no one but Xena had given her that chance.

Once again the bard had amazed Xena. If it hadn't been for Gabrielle, Xena knew that she never would have managed to stay on the path towards the right side of things. The warrior had tried to tell Gabrielle that, how the bard was her light, her source. Many people thought Xena was the stronger one but the warrior knew they were wrong. She had given into the darkness for ten years, darkness that had consumed everything about her. Gabrielle had faced darkness and hadn't given in, even when fighting for her life in the Arena as a gladiator and she never let Xena fall too far either.

Gabrielle smiled as she looked up and spotted Xena watching her, her face blushing at the adoring look on her lover's face, feeling heat spread throughout her body. They had been lovers for awhile and married, and still, just one look from the warrior could cause her body to tremble with desire.

Sasha grinned and rushed into her mom's arms. Xena grinned back and picked up the child and placed her on the fence to watch the militia practice, including Joxer. Gabrielle walked up and placed an arm around her warrior's waist while Xena placed an arm comfortably around her shoulders.

"Joxer's doing well," Gabrielle commented after watching for a few minutes.

"Yes, he's recovering nicely," Xena agreed. "What's in the basket?"

"Lunch, Sasha and I thought we'd surprise our hard working warrior with a picnic. Your mom says things are slow enough that she and Solan can handle the lunch crowd."

"I love you," Xena answered, placing a kiss on the top of Gabrielle's head.

"I love you, Xena," Gabrielle answered back, leaning her head into Xena's chest.

"Let's go. Come on, Sasha, let's find a nice tree by the creek for your surprise picnic," Xena smiled, helping the child down from the fence.

Gabrielle sat with her back against a tree with Xena's head in her lap while they watched Sasha splashing in the water at the edge of the creek, both watching closely. Sasha knew how to swim but both women were also protective moms. Xena looked down at the bards hand that was interlaced with hers, looking at their bonding bracelets and the scars on both their wrists. Scars from Gabrielle being crucified and Xena's from fighting against chains on that day, watching her mate being tortured.

Gabrielle looked down and took in Xena's glance and frown. She squeezed her hand with Xena's and smiled as the warrior's blue eyes met hers.

"I love you," Gabrielle said simply.

"I've been thinking," Xena hesitated and Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed in question. "I'd like to travel north for a visit," the warrior said softly.

"To visit Axel and the clan?"

"Yes, and to the Northern Amazons."

Gabrielle was stunned.

"Xena, when Ephiny suggested we go to the Northern Amazons for protection from Ares and Caesar you said that you couldn't go because of what you did to them in the past."

"I know, but you're the one that keeps reminding me that I've been different for a long time now and that others will accept that. I know that the Amazons are important to you and I want you to reconnect with them, even if it is a different tribe."

"Xena, if there's a chance that they wouldn't accept you, then I can live without that," Gabrielle said softly, stroking her warrior's jaw-line tenderly.

"I know that before our Amazons were killed that you wanted to present Sasha as your adopted daughter and for her to be accepted into the tribe. I know that was important to you, to both of us."

Gabrielle felt tears coming to her eyes as Xena opened hers and looked into the bard's green eyes.

"It's not necessary, Xena. I feel like she's my daughter, I don't need a ceremony to feel that way," Gabrielle said softly.

"I know and I love you for it, but as your daughter it is part of her heritage and her right. I know you want to help keep the Amazon soul alive and maybe it's time I make some amends up north," Xena looked away from her bard, watching Sasha chasing a frog across the watergrass next to the creek.

"Xena, do you need to talk about it?"

The warrior sat up and pulled herself next to the bard, still keeping her eyes on her daughter.

"I've told you a little bit about Alti," Xena began and Gabrielle nodded. "She came to me as a shaman and offered me power, more power than I had ever seen. I was ruthless and power was like a drug to me, I couldn't get enough of it. She promised to make me the Destroyer of Nations," a tear escaped the blue eyes and Gabrielle resisted reaching over to wipe it away, giving her warrior space. "Gods, you think you've seen darkness with Ares, it was nothing compared to Alti. Ares is power and madness but it's power, that's all. With Alti it's evil, she wanted the power to destroy someone's very soul, not just their bodies. I think she sensed my inherited powers from Hecate, my natural gift for shamanism and wanted to tap that power."

"Ares wants your natural fighting ability, Alti wants your natural shamanism, and Callisto just wants your blood," Gabrielle complained.

"And you, little one?" Xena suddenly teased.

"Your body, your soul, your heart, and your love," Gabrielle answered back, intertwining her fingers with Xena's and bringing the warrior's hand up to her lips.

"You've got all of them," Xena answered.

"Alti," Gabrielle prompted.

"You know what happened, Alti threatened to show you when we crossed over."

"Yes, when you claimed your goddess gifts from Hecate and we found that Apollo had gifted me as well. She said that you had killed the Northern Amazons and had been brutal about it."

"That's an understatement, most of them were impaled on sharpened tree branches. I used their own reliance on the trees to trap them. I sharpened tree branches and had spike traps all through the trees. Some were impaled, others fell. I killed the leaders for her," Xena closed her eyes, her body beginning to tremble with the memories.

"Xena," Gabrielle didn't know what to say or how to comfort her mate. "Do you need to face them?" she finally asked.

"I know you've forgiven me and I've mostly forgiven myself. That spiritual journey we took and when we fought Alti, that took a lot of it away for me, but not all of it. I don't think I'll ever finish paying for those years." Xena looked down at her hands, almost expecting them to be covered in blood.

"Xena, you can't go on killing yourself with guilt for the rest of our lives!" Gabrielle urged, watching her warrior and also keeping an eye on the small child nearby. "Look at the last few years! All the good you've done throughout the land. Look at the kids. Solan is becoming a fine young man, some of the local girls are beginning to hang around your mother's inn, you know."

Xena's eyebrows went up at that piece of news. Solan? Girls? Well, he was very handsome, gentle, intelligent and going to be a good man. When did he grow up, the warrior suddenly asked herself. Hades, he's almost old enough to think of shaving - what fourteen, fifteen summers?

Xena shook her head in wonderment and looked over at Sasha. The small child was already four Spring seasons old. She was a bright and cheerful child who made everyone she came in contact with smile.

"I know you're right but I never made any kind of retribution to the Northern ones," Xena said simply.

"Then we'll go and present Sasha as an Amazon Princess and you will be accepted as well," Gabrielle said firmly.

"They may want revenge," Xena ventured slowly.

"You are the Consort and Champion of an Amazon Queen, they won't have a choice. We will however, try to make amends and find a way to make peace with you and them," Gabrielle said.

"Might not be easy, little one."

Gabrielle laughed, "When is anything easy with us, lover?" she grinned as she stood up and trotted over to where Sasha was picking wildflowers and grabbed the child in her arms and began tickling the little girl.

Xena smiled at the hug fest that ensued between two of the most important people in her life.

She definitely didn't deserve the bard, she thought.

That night over dinner at her mother's inn, Xena talked with Joxer.

"Sure, I've had some blacksmith training, not much but enough to help Dex out while you're gone. You are coming back, right?" he asked quickly.

"Yes, our home is here now. I'm going to ask Solan if he wants to come or not, he's definitely of an age to make up his own mind about things," Xena grinned. Everyone was pleased at the rapid recovery the boy had made and how well he had adjusted to losing his eyesight. Cyrene took such an immense pride in his accomplishments in the kitchen that she took every opportunity to praise him and tease Xena about her lack of cooking skills. A constant joke between Gabrielle and the warrior was made of it.

Gabrielle came out from behind the bar and approached the two warriors with a pitcher to refill their mugs. Joxer smiled and Gabrielle grinned back. For her warrior, Xena was met with a look that could melt ice.

Gods, would they ever get enough of each other, she demanded of herself and then decided probably not, and she hoped not.

"You looked good today, Joxer," Gabrielle commented and smiled as Joxer blushed, looking much like his old self.

"Uh, thanks. Xena was telling me about your trip. I'm going to help Dex out at the blacksmith shop while you guys are gone," Joxer grinned, pleased to be helpful.

"Great! Listen, I'm getting ready to tell some stories, I'll meet you at home."

"Okay," Xena leaned up for a quick kiss from her bard and blushed as Joxer grinned at her.

"Xena," Joxer frowned and ducked his eyes. Xena waited for him to continue, curious. "I've watched Gabrielle with you since you two have been back and I just want to say... that is... I, uh, thanks," he stammered.

"For what, Joxer?"

"Making her happy," his face turned very red.

"My pleasure," Xena grinned and laughed as he blushed even more and looked at her with that old goofy grin of his.

"I still love her but..., it's not like it was. It doesn't feel like an ache that will never end."

"I'm glad you stuck around to rediscover your friendship with her," Xena said simply.

"Both of you, I hope."

"Yes, both of us. I just wasn't sure if you were mad at me for marrying her," Xena smiled.

"Nah, not anymore. Laying in that bed with blood everywhere kinda put some things in perspective, I guess. I love her and if I love her then I can't be mad at her being happy," Joxer tried to explain.

"I actually followed that."

"You'll keep her safe on the trip?" he demanded suddenly.

"Or she'll keep me safe. That's something I'm still getting used to, Joxer," the warrior admitted. "she's more than a good warrior. She was always astounding with that staff of hers, with those sais, she's amazing."

"We've all grown a little, I guess," Joxer commented.

"Yeah," Xena agreed, watching Gabrielle approach the raised platform at the end of the room and everyone quieted down. Gabrielle's reputation was known throughout Greece and several other countries and Amphipolis counted itself fortunate that such a talented bard had settled in their town. Xena also knew that Potedaia inhabitants would probably never forgive the warrior for luring their own bard away from her home village. Not that they paid attention to her when she was there, Xena thought.

Both warriors settled in for an evening of Gabrielle's bardic talent.

"You know something funny, though?" Joxer commented, watching Gabrielle.

"What's that, Joxer?"

"The hair makes her look a little older but there's no gray in yours or hers. My mom starting complaining about gray hair at 28," he muttered and then went quiet as Gabrielle began her tale.

Gabrielle walked along the road towards home with a confident gait. The story telling had gone well, with several merchants in the audience who showed their appreciation in coin, always pleasing both Gabrielle and Cyrene.

The bard instinctively ducked, reaching down to her boot and pulling up one of her sais as a body landed behind her from a tree. A strong arm went around her waist and another grabbed her wrist as she started to bring the sai back in defense.

"It's me, little one," a familiar voice whispered in her ear.

"Gods! Woman!" Gabrielle squeaked, attempting to turn around but found Xena holding her firmly in an embrace. "You scared the Hades out of me!"

"Sorry, guess I was feeling a little playful."

Gabrielle could just imagine the lopsided grin on her warrior's face and leaned back into Xena's strong arms, lowering the sai back to her boot.

"Found dead on the road in Amphipolis, one bard of a heart attack," Gabrielle complained with a smile.

"I wanted to walk you home," Xena grinned, releasing her bard so Gabrielle could turn around in her arms. She was rewarded with an embrace and kiss that took her breath away and weakened her knees.

"To walk me home you have to hide in the trees and leap out at me like some stalking tiger?" Gabrielle demanded when they could both breathe again.

"Sorry," Xena grinned and bent to kiss her mate again, running her hands up Gabrielle's back under the cloak the bard was wearing.

"Oh you might be sorry later, warrior mine," Gabrielle threatened, fire dancing in her eyes.

"Really?" Xena's voice dropped a notch, signaling to her mate that the thought was intriguing to the warrior.

Gabrielle laughed and began walking along, holding Xena's hand.

"Where are the kids?" she asked.

"Joxer claimed Uncle rights with Solan and Mom is watching Sasha tonight. Seems we wore her out with the picnic and Solan didn't want to wake her to bring her home."

"Then I've got you to myself tonight, eh?" Gabrielle questioned, eyes dancing.

Xena felt a shiver run over her body at the husky tone in the bard's voice.

"It has been awhile," Xena mentioned.

"You are insatiable!" Gabrielle teased.

"Since we got back," Xena countered.

"I know, with both of us catching up on missed work and teaching Solan how to do things differently, I guess we haven't taken the time for each other."

Xena stopped her bard and lifted Gabrielle's chin until green eyes were looking into her blue ones.

"Don't apologize, little one, no one's fault. Just life, I love how much time we've been spending with the kids," she bent forward for another kiss that weakened Gabrielle's legs in turn. "Now, let's take advantage of an empty house," the warrior suggested.

Gabrielle laughed and dragged the warrior the rest of the way, both women grinning.

Once inside the door of their home Gabrielle turned and pinned Xena against the door, holding the warrior's wrists against the door at shoulder level and attacked the warrior's neck with an intensity that surprised the warrior and buckled her knees.

"You seem to like me falling against doors, my bard," Xena commented.

"Hmmmm," was the only verbal response she got for several moments as Gabrielle's teeth found one of Xena's most erotic spots on her neck. Gabrielle brought a leg up between her warrior's, pinning Xena totally to the door as the warrior whimpered, unsure whether she'd go over that edge right there.

Gabrielle pulled back slightly to look into Xena's eyes, still keeping her body against the warrior's and her hands on Xena's wrists. "I think you should get some special attention after scaring me half to death!"

Xena felt a shiver run over her body, this was a new side to her bard and the warrior was finding it exciting. From the beginning the bard had surprised Xena with her energy and ferocity in bed but after her return from slavery Gabrielle had held back somewhat. That hadn't surprised Xena. It had taken Gabrielle a bit of time and persuasion to let more and more of Xena's lusts come out in their lovemaking. The warrior had been terrified of hurting Gabrielle and that the bard would be afraid or disgusted and turn from Xena. Instead the bard had drawn more and more of her warrior out until Xena was comfortable and more trusting with her bard than with anyone she had ever known.

Xena had tried to get Gabrielle to face the lust that could hit after a fight or battle and had succeeded once, just after Gabrielle the gladiator had returned to her. Since then, the bard had held back and Xena knew that the bard was afraid of giving into those feelings again, no matter how much Xena tried to reassure Gabrielle that she would welcome and accept that side of Gabrielle.

Gabrielle hadn't been ready to accept that in herself yet.

Now the bard was attacking Xena with an intensity that was exciting and surprising.

Xena refocused on her bard as Gabrielle snapped her fingers in front of Xena's face. "You haven't answered me," Gabrielle demanded, her eyes dancing.

"Uh, what did you have in mind, little one?" Xena asked with a smile as Gabrielle's hand began to lightly play over Xena's nipples through her tunic top. The bard shoved Xena back against the door when the warrior tried to lean forward into Gabrielle's body.

Xena's eyebrows shot up but she stayed against the door.

"I love you so much, I need you so much!" Gabrielle hissed and showed Xena her trembling hand. The bard leaned her forehead against Xena's chest.

"What is it, Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly, wanting to take the bard into her arms but one hand had a wrist pinned to the wall and the bard's leg kept her body back.

"It's like there's a building hunger in me, an energy," Gabrielle whispered.

"Then give into it, my love. I'm here, I trust you and I love you," Xena whispered back.

"It's nothing like I've ever felt, Xena," Gabrielle dropped the hand holding Xena's wrists and wrapped her arms around the warrior, suddenly holding herself close to her warrior.

Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle and held her, feeling the bard trembling in her arms. After a moment Xena lifted the bard into her arms and carried Gabrielle through the house to their bedroom and surprised Gabrielle by dumping her onto the bed instead of gently placing her there. Gabrielle lay on the bed, on her elbows, looking at the warrior in surprise.

"Nothing you could do, say, or want would make me love you any less," Xena promised, noting the fire still in the bard's eyes.

Gabrielle turned and sat on the edge of the bed, watching Xena warily. Xena approached her mate slowly and knelt down at Gabrielle's knees.

"Close your eyes," the bard obeyed, hands still shaking. "What do you want from me? What do you want to do?"

"I, uh, don't know," Gabrielle whispered.

"Yes, you do. Keep your eyes closed and tell me what you see," Xena encouraged.

"You," Gabrielle's breath quickened. "under me, begging for release."

"Go on," Xena said softly.

"Begging me to take you harder and deeper," the bard's face was flushed.

"Go on, am I tied up?"

"What? Uh, I don't...," the bard hesitated, her face turning very red. "yes," she admitted.

"Okay, what are you doing to me?" Xena asked softly.

"Xena, I can't!" Gabrielle protested, but kept her eyes closed, the warrior noted.

"Yes, you can. I love you."

Gabrielle grew quiet as her hands gripped the blanket under her.

Xena got up quietly and went to one of cabinets and pulled a couple of things out of her bags and walked back to the bard and knelt down again.

"Gabrielle, open your eyes," Xena ordered.

The bard opened her eyes and was shocked to find Xena hold a long strap of leather, Gabrielle's eyes went wide.

"Xena?"

The warrior stood up, went to a chair, and removed her boots and then knelt in front of Gabrielle again. Gabrielle looked dumbly at the dagger Xena placed in her hands.

"I'm yours, totally, my bard. Any way you want me," Xena said simply and held out the leather strip.

"I can't!" Gabrielle protested.

"Really, don't think you can handle it?" Xena suddenly taunted and wasn't surprised when Gabrielle growled and pulled her up onto the bed and on top of the bard, silencing Xena's taunts with her lips. Xena moaned, her leg coming up between Gabrielle's and discovering how wet the bard was already.

Gabrielle growled and flipped Xena over onto her back attacking the warrior's neck again with a vengeance and grabbing Xena's wrists again. The warrior didn't resist when the bard pulled back and wordlessly tied the wrists together and then tied the strap to one of the bedposts.

Gabrielle stopped, looking confused and looked into Xena's blue eyes.

"It's okay, I trust you," she whispered.

The bard looked almost like she was in pain.

"Gabrielle, part of you is still Dancer, the gladiator. Let it out." Xena encouraged. Still the bard hesitated, eyes closed. "I want you, very badly. I want your teeth in my neck, I want your hand inside of me, your lips everywhere, your teeth biting my nipples, your tongue inside of me and stroking me. I want to feel my body trembling and bucking under you, I want to scream your name."

Gabrielle growled and grabbed up the knife from the bed and quickly cut the tunic from Xena's body with a swiftness that surprised the warrior. Next her trousers were off and she was tied to her own bed, naked. Gabrielle removed her own clothing and knelt between Xena's feet and began slowly working her way up the warrior's legs with her lips and teeth.

"Oh gods," Xena said softly, pulling against the leather in reflex. The sight of her bard, eyes blazing, nibbling her way up the inside of Xena's legs was enough to set her body trembling right away.

Gabrielle continued working her way up the warrior's body but skipped Xena's sexual area, bringing a frustrated moan out of Xena. Gabrielle continued nibbling, kissing and licking her way up Xena's abdomen and then breasts.

The warrior arched her back as Gabrielle lightly flicked her tongue over the nipples, lightly teasing and offering no release. The bard kept her body just hovering over the warrior, not quite touching except an occasional brush of skin.

Xena resisted bringing her legs up around the bard's hips, not wanting to give Gabrielle any ideas about tying her legs at this point, thank you.

Gabrielle moved up Xena's chest to her shoulders and lightly nibbled, hitting pressure points that Xena had shown her over the years, making the warrior's body begin to squirm under her. The bard surprised Xena by not attacking her neck again, instead only lightly kissing both sides and then leaning on her arms to look down into Xena's face. This confused the warrior, she knew how much Gabrielle loved to bite, remnants of Bacchus' touch on her life and soul, the warrior. To resist that pleasure probably meant the bard planned on dragging this out.

Xena moaned as Gabrielle straddled her hips, feeling how wet the bard was against her skin. Her hips jerked up, trying to meet the bard but Gabrielle moved up on her knees slightly, denying Xena the contact, making the warrior whimper.

"Wanting something, lover?" Gabrielle whispered, a dangerous edge in her voice.

"You, always you and only you!"

How long Gabrielle tortured her, Xena didn't know.

Gabrielle kissed, licked, nipped and teased every inch of her warrior until Xena was mass of writhing muscles under her. Again and again the bard's hands or tongue would take Xena almost to the point of release and then back away, at first bringing moans of frustration and then cries and whimpers.

All Xena knew was that she was begging for release, begging for her bard's body.

She was almost in tears when the bard's fingers finally entered her again and stayed there, beginning a rhythm that the warrior's hips began rocking to meet the bard's hand, begging for more. Slowly the bard's hand claimed Xena totally, both women stopping for a moment with the wonderment of the feeling of it. When Gabrielle began moving her fist slowly, Xena bit into her lip at the sensations, already on overload. Then Gabrielle's tongue began to stroke Xena's clit and the warrior screamed, her back arching. The bard placed her arm across Xena's abdomen, trying to maintain control of her warrior as Xena trembled uncontrollably, tears streaming down her face as her body shook with wave after wave.

Xena opened her eyes to find herself in Gabrielle's arms; being rocked softly, the leather strap still tied to one of her wrists. Gabrielle's face was one of worry.

"Are you okay, I didn't mean to hurt you," she whispered.

"Shhhh," Xena managed to whisper. "Wonderful, no apologies."

Gabrielle got up and came back into the bedroom carrying a mug and a towel. She crawled back into the bed and took Xena back into her arms, raising the warrior up until Xena could drink the wine being offered her. Then the bard began toweling Xena's hair and face dry and then her own.

Xena wasn't surprised at how wet their hair and faces were. After that workout they were both covered in sweat and their own juices. Xena laid her head against the bard's chest as Gabrielle held her close.

"You sure you're okay?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"Woman, you just sent my body into total melt down, had me screaming your name and begging on my knees. I have no energy left, my muscles have turned to jelly and I have no voice left. Of course, I'm okay. More than okay," Xena smiled as Gabrielle blushed.

"What came over me? I had to possess you totally until you were helpless because of me."

"You've been fighting battle lust ever since you came back to me, you just finally snapped."

"But I didn't feel like that after that mess with the Romans kidnapping Sasha, it wasn't like the battle lust that hit after a match in the Arena," Gabrielle said thoughtfully, snuggling down into the bed, keeping her arms around her exhausted warrior.

"It's been under the surface all this time," Xena said simply, nuzzling Gabrielle's neck. "Just like the Warlord is always in me and sometimes comes out sexually. You now have Dancer and Dancer's anger and fury."

"You've never let anyone tie you up like that, have you?" Gabrielle whispered, a tear escaping her eyes, Xena softly wiped them away with her lips.

"No," she answered easily, "I told you, I'm yours always and I trust you."

"I'm not sure I totally trust myself," Gabrielle answered.

"I know that, that's how I feel when that hits and you always reassure me that you trust me and love me," Xena said sleepily.

"When we go north, can we avoid the Bacchae forest?" Gabrielle asked, her voice becoming small, surprising the warrior.

Instantly, Xena was awake, senses alert. Her bard was disturbed and worried about something and the warrior came to life. She quickly turned the situation around and reached out to hold her bard.

"Of course, my love," she answered, pulling Gabrielle close. "What is it?" she asked.

"There's more darkness, it hurts," Gabrielle whispered, voice growing faint and small.

"Tell me, Gabrielle," Xena insisted.

"I'm afraid I'm close to losing it with you sometimes."

"What is frightening you?"

"My teeth," the bard confessed, curling almost into a ball next to her warrior.

"You've drawn blood before," Xena confessed and wasn't surprised when Gabrielle's eyes snapped open in fear, suddenly very awake. Xena held on tight and wouldn't let Gabrielle back out of the embrace. "I didn't say anything because, one - we were busy with other life crisis, two - I don't care if you nip me, and three - I love you and trust you."

"I thought I had tasted blood," Gabrielle frowned.

"We knew this was there as well as the battle lust. It doesn't worry me, little one."

"It worries me," Gabrielle muttered.

"Why, is it getting worse?" Xena frowned.

"Yes, it's like it's building up, like water behind a dam that has nowhere to go," the bard snuggled back into Xena's arms, her panic momentarily eased.

"Rare meat?" Xena suggested.

"Been there, done that," the bard said weakly.

"Shhh, go to sleep, little one. We'll deal with it, and we won't go near the forest," Xena promised as she felt sleep overcoming both of them.

Gabrielle had taken the day off from the inn to help Torris inventory some of the goods he was thinking of buying from a merchant passing through town. At first the bard had been surprised by the request but had accepted readily, knowing that it was probably a first step for Torris in making amends in how he had treated her and Xena.

The bard had taken advantage of the slow business day at the inn and had dressed in her familiar travel clothes to spend some time running through the woods and practicing with her sais and warrior moves when she had finished with Torris. Dressed in a leather top that held everything in place without covering much skin and a leather skirt-like wrap with knee high boots, sais in place alongside those boots.

After a good run through the forest and time spent in the woods that Artemis, her patron goddess loved, Gabrielle felt much better than she had in days.

It had been difficult to tell her warrior about the fears, the dark desires starting to plague her but she had also remembered the promise she had made Xena make: no secrets between them. Letting her instincts take over in the forest and connecting with everything around her had helped calm those down a little.

The bard was still worried; the craving was still there. Ever since the crucifixion it had been there.

Gabrielle was deep in thought but her eyes scanned the town common square quickly as she left the edge of the forest. The bard stopped, eyes going wide as her hands instinctively began reaching for her sais.

In the common was a small band of Roman cavalry soldiers, all off of their horses and hanging around outside of the inn, their horses taking water at the fountain in the center of town.

The bard attempted to calm her rapidly beating heart back to normal. The soldiers were laughing among themselves and lounging around, none of them on alert, most of them not even looking around at the villagers or the village. Gabrielle realized that they were probably just passing through and weren't looking for her or Xena.

Gabrielle took a deep breath and tried to calm her expression as she slowly began walking across the common towards the inn.

The bard walked past the soldiers without catching any of their eyes even though she could feel their attention on her the moment they had caught sight of her. The bard fought against blushing, knowing that her outfit tended to attract attention, usually not the kind she wanted.

Gabrielle opened the door and was about to step through when a voice cut through the good-natured talk among the soldiers and low muttered catcalls.

"Hey! Slave!"

Gabrielle frowned and turned to see a Roman soldier getting up from one of the benches outside of the tavern, a sergeant.

"Were you talking to me, soldier?" she asked.

"Yeah, what is a slave wearing weapons and where's your collar?" he demanded. The rest of the soldiers had gone quiet, serious looks on their faces.

"You've made a mistake, Sergeant, I'm not slave," Gabrielle stated flatly and turned to enter the inn when the soldier thrust his arm in front of her across the door.

"That brand says you're a slave and it's illegal for a slave to carry weapons. I know lash marks when I see them!"

A couple of the soldiers had also gotten to their feet and moved around the smaller woman. Gabrielle began to feel a sense of panic and fought it down.

"I am free and a citizen of Rome herself, let me by," she demanded calmly.

"I know that brand, no one gets out of that school alive," he growled, leaning over Gabrielle.

The bard's hands ached to grab her sais and shove at least one end of one of them either in his face or another part of his anatomy but Gabrielle fought to stay calm. The other soldiers had moved in closer.

"I am no longer a slave," she hissed, eyes beginning to flash in anger.

The Roman laughed and Gabrielle felt rough hands grab her as she started to reach for her weapons. The bard reacted without thought, bringing an elbow back into the ribs of whoever was holding her and yelping when she encountered a Roman breastplate. Before she could stomp on his foot the soldier had twisted her arms behind her and held her tightly.

"Rewards for runaway slaves are high," the Sergeant commented, stroking her face and quickly withdrawing the hand as the bard snapped at his fingers with her teeth. The Roman drew his hand back to strike Gabrielle as she bared her teeth angrily.

"Touch her again and you die, Roman," a voice said calmly.

The Romans turned to see a very tall female standing near the fountain. Dressed in simple trousers and cotton tunic with leather bracers, she normally wouldn't have looked imposing, but something about the woman caused the soldiers to hesitate. Especially the sword in one hand and a round strange looking thing in the other.

"Who are you to interfere with business of Rome?" the Sergeant demanded.

"You are assaulting a citizen of Rome, one that has the favor of Octavian and Antony. Want to continue on this track, Roman?" Xena demanded.

The Roman frowned. The names of Octavian and Antony were enough to cause doubt in any soldier. They were the most powerful Generals in the Empire.

"She bears the mark of a slave!" he protested, trying to regain the advantage of the situation.

"Let her go, now!" Xena demanded. "She earned her freedom from your damned Arena!"

Several of the soldiers shifted uneasily on their feet. Freedom won in the Arena meant gladiator and that meant a fighter and usually a favored one of the Empire.

"Arena? This female?" the Sergeant demanded.

Gabrielle shook herself loose from the soldier holding her, feeling his grip loosen on her arms as he began to lose his enthusiasm and doubts plagued all of them.

A sai was suddenly at the Sergeant's throat and green eyes were blazing into his hazel ones.

"I am Dancer," she hissed, "Citizen Brie of Rome and gladiator of Caesar's games. Want me to demonstrate how I won that wooden sword?" she demanded.

The Roman hesitated and saw doubt in his men's eyes.

"Dancer was the female who won the sword in the Arena of Rome, Sergeant," one of them muttered. "She ran off North with one of the Senator's wives after winning her freedom."

Gabrielle's eyebrows rose but she kept the sai in the throat of the Roman.

"I have made a mistake, citizen. I apologize," he muttered and she removed the steel from his jaw. She glanced around, eyes still blazing and the soldiers backed off and went back to their benches or towards their horses.

Xena walked slowly past the soldiers, glaring at them and satisfied when they wouldn't meet her eyes. She slowly sheathed her sword but kept the chakram in her hand as she approached the inn and her bard. The Roman sergeant mumbled something and moved away from the door as the two women glared at him. Xena gently encouraged her bard through the door and then shut it behind her.

Xena wasn't surprised when she found Gabrielle trembling from head to toe, hands shaking badly. The warrior slowly took the sai from the bard's hand and led Gabrielle towards the kitchen. Torris and Cyrene looked up, both suddenly concerned at the trembling bard as Gabrielle turned and hugged Xena tightly, tears beginning to fall.

"Xena, what's going on?" Cyrene asked, quickly crossing over to the couple.

"Gabrielle just had a run-in with the soldiers outside. They mistook her for a slave," Xena said softly.

Torris swore a curse Xena wasn't sure she had ever heard before and threw down the ledger he was working on.

"You didn't kill any of them did you?" Cyrene whispered as Xena moved her bard towards a chair.

"No, just threatened them a little," Xena grinned.

"Torris, I would like your help in serving tonight. That bunch is staying the night and I don't want Gabrielle near them again," Cyrene said simply.

"Okay, Mom," he agreed quickly.

"Xena, you take Gabrielle out back and take some time. Then I'd like you to hang around tonight, drunken Roman soldiers can get out of hand," Cyrene continued.

"Any drunken soldier can be a problem," Xena commented, sitting Gabrielle down in a chair and kneeling between her mate's knees and holding her bard tightly. "Is that okay, little one?"

"Yeah, I don't think I can do any bard stuff tonight," Gabrielle wiped at the tears on her face. "Damnit! I cannot let the sight of a Roman soldier paralyze me all the time!"

"It won't, you were still thinking on your feet. It's just going to take time," Xena said softly.

"Xena, I can't ever go back to that!" Gabrielle whispered and buried her head on the warrior's shoulder.

"I know, little one, I couldn't take it either."

After Gabrielle's tears had finally ran out, the couple took Cyrene's advice and went down to the creek running behind the inn to their favorite tree. Gabrielle settling into Xena's arms with a sigh of contentment.

"One thing guaranteed to always make me feel safe, your arms," she muttered, laying her head on Xena's chest.

The warrior smiled and hugged the bard close

.

"What set them off?" Xena questioned after a few minutes of watching the creek stream by.

"That damned brand on my shoulder! And the scars from the lashings!" Gabrielle snapped, eyes blazing once again.

"Maybe we need to find something that covers your shoulders," Xena suggested.

Gabrielle merely growled and snuggled back into her warrior's arms.

After a moment she raised her head and looked into Xena's blue eyes. "Wait a minute, aren't you supposed to be working?"

"I saw the soldiers come into town and Dex and I grabbed weapons. When they didn't make any threatening moves I figured they weren't after us but I was keeping an eye on them while I worked. I saw them starting to hassle you and decided to see what was up."

"Thanks, I wasn't reacting quickly enough," Gabrielle whispered with a frown.

"Hey, it's normal after all you've been through. The first time I faced Cortese after he killed Lycius and raped me, I froze. Then I snapped."

"I could get you killed if I freeze like that," Gabrielle complained.

"Or yourself," Xena agreed. "Gabrielle, you've faced it and gotten through it. It'll get easier." The warrior hugged Gabrielle close. "By the way," she began slowly, causing Gabrielle to look up at her warrior. "what's this about a Senator's wife?" Xena grinned.

"Oh Gods, Brutus told Caesar I was leaving his celebration party to be with the wife of a Senator when we were really getting out of Rome, but I had no idea that would spark a rumor like that!" Gabrielle growled.

"A Senator's wife, eh?" Xena grinned.

"Seems that as the top gladiator in Rome I could have had my pick of anyone, male or female," Gabrielle grinned back.

"I still can't believe how good you are sometimes," Xena admitted.

The bard simply shrugged and then grinned an evil grin, "In bed or in the Arena?" she questioned.

The bard laughed as Xena blushed and then blushed herself as Xena joined her laughter. "Both, woman!" Xena stated. "I love you, little one," Xena whispered.

"I love you too, warrior mine," Gabrielle responded back by leaning up and meeting Xena's lips. She was finally smiling when she snuggled back into Xena's arms.

Xena had just finished helping her mom shut down the common room of the inn for the night when she felt a familiar raising of her hackles at the back of her neck. She went behind the bar and picked up her sword and started for the door.

"Xena?" Cyrene called out, suddenly concerned about the weapon in her daughter's hands and the narrowing of Xena's eyes.

"It's okay, Mom, just going to take a look around outside before closing up," Xena answered, going out the door.

Xena moved into the common area near the fountain, spinning her sword over her hand a couple of times, eyes taking in everything about the village.

"All right, Ares, I know you're there. Show yourself," she demanded and wasn't surprised when he appeared in front of her, out of reach of her sword.

"I hate how you can do that!" he complained.

"What do you want?" she demanded, sword at the ready.

"Xena, do we have to go down the laundry list every time I visit?"

"Sure, passes the time," she countered. "You want me back as Warlord and in your bed. You want Sasha as your daughter and heir and you want Gabrielle dead. Does that cover it?"

"I don't care if Gabrielle lives or dies, although I do admit that I owe her for that little stunt in my temple," he growled.

"Oh, you mean when she stabbed you twice and almost killed you?" Xena grinned and was pleased when he grumbled. "You already know that none of the above is going to happen, so what do you want?"

"Xena, let's put our differences aside. We have a child together, I am her father. I'd like to get to know her," he said easily.

"Never! Just because you happen to be the seed donor doesn't mean a thing to me!" Xena snapped. "Besides, you all ready have more children with mortal women than you can count! Even the bards can't keep up with you and Apollo!"

"Xena, I'm hurt. Besides, none of those women are you. Just think, you never really knew your father. Think of Sasha growing up not knowing her father. Is that fair?"

"Having you for a father isn't fair," Xena grumbled.

"Don't push me, Xena," Ares warned. "I'm trying to be civil about this."

"Don't bother."

"She'll know me eventually, Xena," he stated.

"Hopefully before then she'll be old enough to know what a lying, deceitful, power hungry bastard you are."

Ares took a step forward as his eyes flashed with anger and stopped as Xena's sword was pointed at his chest.

"Remember, I can hurt you now," Xena grinned.

"Don't turn your back to me, Xena," Ares warned. "I don't have a lot of patience."

"Yeah, yeah, yeah. Just go away, Ares."

With a flash he was gone and Xena sighed with relief.

"Will he ever leave us alone," she grumbled to herself as she walked back towards the inn to gather Solan up and head home to her bard and daughter.

Xena was surprised to find Gabrielle awake and sitting at the kitchen table, a mug of tea in her hands. Solan gave his "Gabby Mom" a hug and headed for bed and Xena sat down at the table with her mate. Gabrielle pushed the mug towards Xena who took a sip of the warm liquid. The bard's eyes were troubled.

"What's up, little one?" Xena asked softly.

"I went to the woods today after helping Torris. I was hoping to work off some of whatever is pent up inside," Gabrielle started and Xena nodded, understanding. The warrior had often found herself running just to work off pent up energy, anger or confusion.

"Did it help?" she asked simply.

"Yes, until those damned Romans," Gabrielle frowned.

"Now you've got all kinds of pent up energy. You know that's common after an encounter, Gabrielle. Especially since you didn't get to bash heads. That flight or fight energy is suddenly pumping through your veins and there's nowhere for it to go since things calmed down."

"I know that, we deal with that all the time on the road. This is the other thing," Gabrielle said softly, dropping her eyes.

Xena reached across the table and lifted Gabrielle's chin until the bard's eyes met hers.

"Damnit, Gabrielle, there is nothing to be ashamed of! It's part of you and we'll deal with it. Whatever it takes," Xena said simply.

A tear escaped out of her bard's eye and the warrior softly wiped it away and smiled at her mate.

"You accepted my past, including how I hurt others," she reminded the bard.

"How can I accept it about myself?" Gabrielle demanded. "We fought against the bacchae! What if Alti was right and Bacchus now has a hold on me again?"

"No! You are not a bacchae and you have control over your will. This isn't a whole lot different than my dark side that comes out occasionally. Ares doesn't have me and Bacchus doesn't have you!"

Gabrielle merely nodded, looking very tired.

"Come on, my love, let's go to bed. Those damned Romans should be gone tomorrow," Xena suggested.

The warrior wasn't surprised when the bard thrashed most of the night, held in nightmares. Xena held her mate and soothed her as best as she could.

As much as she tried to reassure Gabrielle, Xena was worried. This was really tearing at her bard and beginning to affect her mate.

The warrior thought that a trip just might be good for them. Give them some time on the road again and some bonding time with Sasha.

"Xena, can I talk to you?"

"Sure, Mom, what's up?" Xena was surprised when her Mom had come up to her at the blacksmith shop just before quitting time. Dex grinned and waved Xena off. The warrior grinned her thanks and pulled the leather apron off and grabbed her sword and sheathed it, walking with her Mom. The warrior was even more surprised when her mom turned their direction away from the inn, towards the stream behind the inn.

Xena was quiet, letting her Mom gather her thoughts and pick the moment to begin whatever was on her mind.

Cyrene sat down on a rock next to the stream and Xena sat down on the grass beside the rocks, both watching the water fall as the sun began to set.

"You know I'm the Priestess of Hecate for this area," Cyrene began.

"Yes," Xena nodded.

"I have some shaman training and insight. I usually don't say anything to anyone about it other than those in my worship group. Prophets, oracles, and seers aren't exactly welcome in most villages."

Xena nodded, she had seen followers of Hecate stoned or hanged as workers of evil, something Xena knew wasn't true of the dark Goddess but it didn't change a lot of people's opinions. Most weren't brave enough to face the darkness and feared it and they feared those who dealt with it.

"Xena, has Gabrielle talked to you?" Cyrene looked troubled.

Xena sighed. The warrior suddenly felt very tired and nodded.

"Are you talking about that darkness she's feeling?" Xena asked, suddenly getting very worried for her bard.

"Yes, I was hoping that she had noticed it and talked to you about it. I can feel it falling and rising in her and it's getting worse. It's a good sign that she's talking to you about it. What has she said?"

"You mean instead of keeping it inside and brooding about it, like I do?" Xena smiled a rueful smile. "She feels a craving for blood," Xena was surprised at how simple that sounded when it didn't feel simple at all. How could such simple words describe something that was beginning to eat away at her mate?

"How does she describe it?" Cyrene asked softly, watching the play of emotions on her daughter's face, trying to gauge how it was affecting both Xena and Gabrielle.

"Like a buildup of water behind a dam, to use her words. She's afraid of the craving overwhelming her during, uh, intimate moments and hurting me," Xena was surprised to find herself blushing and then scolded herself. Talking about sex with your mom was guaranteed to make even a brothel worker blush, she kidded herself.

"That's probably a good description. Has she come close to biting you?"

Xena found her blush turning even redder, she could feel it.

"Uh, yes," she whispered, watching the water flow, not meeting her mother's eyes. She could sense they had gotten wider.

"Xena, how bad?"

"Bad? It's not like she grows fangs and drains me dry!" Xena protested. "She's always been attached to my neck and she's drawn blood a couple of times." the warrior frowned.

"Was it intentional?" Cyrene asked.

"No, she wasn't even aware it had happened. I found some blood on my neck and sometimes on her lips." Xena muttered.

"What is she doing about the cravings on a conscious level?"

"Rare meat and reconnecting with the forest, trying to work off the energy."

"That explains the bit yesterday and her forest clothes," Cyrene nodded, putting pieces together. "It also explains the heightened energy I'm getting from her with the darkness."

"Mom, explain, please," Xena asked. "we've dealt with my darkness and learned to handle it mostly, what do we need to do for Gabrielle?"

"I'm not sure. I think it's going to get worse when Fall begins to come around because of the harvest time. The bacchae get worse during that time because of all the harvest, especially the grape harvest. Bacchus is in full power."

"Bacchus is dead," Xena said flatly.

"No, daughter," Cyrene said softly.

"What? I drove the dryad bone into his heart myself, as a bacchae." Xena protested and wasn't surprised when Cyrene went very pale.

It wasn't something that Xena and Gabrielle talked about a lot, especially to others. Xena sighed.

"Bacchus had injured Orpheus so he couldn't play and keep the bacchae calm. Orpheus came to me for help and Gabrielle was bitten and turned into a fledgling bacchae. You know this," Xena began explaining; leaving out the part that the only thing left of Orpheus was his living head. The warrior didn't think her mom needed to hear that image.

"Yes, from your shaman journey together but I don't know the story," Cyrene encouraged.

"Joxer, Orpheus and I went into Bacchus' lair to stop him from turning the fledgling bacchae he had been gathering into coming full bacchae when they drank his blood, Gabrielle included. I fought Bacchus and thought I had kept Gabrielle from tasting his blood. I beat him and stabbed him with a dryad bone only for him to pop up again and tell us that only a bacchae could kill him."

"I can see how that could be a problem, bacchae are mentally under his control so they wouldn't turn against him but only one of them can kill him. What happened?"

"I let Gabrielle bite me and turn me," Xena whispered.

"Oh my gods!" Cyrene whispered, clutching at her skirt.

"I changed and there was just enough of me and Gabrielle left for us to attack Bacchus and ram a dryad bone into his chest. He exploded and everyone changed back. He died," Xena finished.

"He didn't stay dead, Xena."

"What?" Xena felt her breath quicken.

"He's the God of wine, celebration, harvest, and all that stuff. He regained enough power to come back into the world. He hasn't gathered bacchae around him yet but he probably will someday. That's why I'm worried about the Fall season, his power is at it's height and Gabrielle might be more sensitive to the darkness during that time."

"Then we'll deal with it," the warrior said simply.

"I'll try and find some answers on my end," Cyrene reached down and squeezed her daughter's shoulder reassuringly.

"Thanks, Mom."

"I'm not sure what to tell you, Xena. Rare meat, even drinking animal blood might not be enough at times," Cyrene frowned.

Xena felt a shudder. "You mean she might need human blood?"

"I don't know. You know the bacchae need blood to survive but it's not just the blood. If it were they would feed on animals," Cyrene noted.

"It's the sexual energy that goes with the blood, the arousal and fear of a bacchae feeding," Xena whispered.

"What do you remember about it?"

Xena began blushing again, suddenly embarrassed to be talking to her mom about it. This was something she shared with Gabrielle, something they shared as fantasy during sex.

"I, uh...," she stammered.

"I understand, Xena, but I need to know what to expect and what Gabrielle is going through. I'm not sure how serious this could be. I don't want any of us to lose Gabrielle to Bacchus on any level," Cyrene stated, letting Xena see the concern in her eyes and face as her daughter looked up at her.

Xena closed her eyes and sighed.

"I realized I would either have to kill Gabrielle to save her or risk being able to kill Bacchus as a bacchae myself. Bacchus sent Gabrielle after me, knowing I couldn't kill her. I lowered the dryad bone and... and told her to do it," Xena hesitated, "I was so afraid, Mom. If we lost it meant Gabrielle's soul would be lost." Xena whispered.

"And yours," Cyrene noted, taking in the tears falling from Xena's closed eyes.

Xena opened her eyes and grinned a lopsided grin. "That never really meant a lot to me, you know," Then her face grew serious again. "I felt her at my neck. I was so scared and I felt her body behind me, her hands pulling my head to one side," Xena closed her eyes again, feeling her face blushing. "Fear and arousal are a lot alike and sometimes go together. They're hard to separate and define. Her fangs pierced my neck."

Cyrene watched Xena struggle to put into words the incident, taking in Xena's shaking hands.

"I..., it was incredible. Part of the bacchae magic, I know. When it's happening, all you want is for it to continue. It's such a sexual rush that not much compares. Well, except Gabrielle," Xena muttered the last part and blushed even more, causing Cyrene to grin at her daughter's discomfort.

"Yes, that's part of the dark magic they have. Their victims will come back for more and more, even to the point of death if the bacchae don't turn them," Cyrene agreed.

"I couldn't believe it, how it felt, especially that it was Gabrielle. I already knew I was so head over heels in love with her that it hurt, having her at my neck as a bacchae was beyond belief," Xena stated.

"Yet you fought against the bacchae magic enough to attack Bacchus," Cyrene reminded her.

"Yes, I thought of losing Gabrielle to that darkness and turned and dived at Bacchus and Gabrielle found the strength to join me."

"Gabrielle couldn't fight Bacchus alone, though?"

"No, she hesitated when he ordered her to drink his blood but she almost followed through twice. I stopped her with my chakram the first time and then Joxer began playing the lyre and Orpheus began singing the second time, causing her to drop the chalice. She was his though."

"That's when she tasted some of the blood, even though none of you realized it at the time," Cyrene said thoughtfully.

"Yes."

"When Bacchus calls the Bacchanalia, Gabrielle might not be able to resist and he might try and claim her as bacchae again," Cyrene warned.

"Damn, when will the gods leave us alone!" Xena growled.

Cyrene smiled. "I have a feeling that's not going to happen in your lifetime, Xena."

"Yeah, well, I'm tired of it. Maybe the trip up north will do us some good and get her away from Bacchus' influence."

"I think that might be a good idea, even though I'm going to miss all of you terribly."

"We'll be back, this is home now, Mom," Xena grinned.

Cyrene brushed a tear away as Xena leaned on her mom's leg. "I'm glad you're home."

"Me too. Mom, we've got to find a way to help Gabrielle face this. She's everything to me."

Cyrene knew that this was a difficult admission for her warrior daughter to make and stroked her daughter's hair gently.

"I know, Xena. We'll figure it out."

Cyrene watched the water flow by in the river, pondering how to help her daughter and daughter-in-law.


	13. 13 Amazons North

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Argo, etc etc etc. I'm borrowing them for my pleasure and, hopefully, the pleasure of others for entertainment. Don't bother suing me, even the government agrees that I don't have anything of value.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** You bet. This story concerns people having sex, both with the opposite gender and of the same gender. If this bugs you or is illegal where you are, leave. Come back when you're older, have changed your laws, moved or opened your mind.

**Violence:** It is Xena and Gabrielle we're working with here. Battle scene, some good fights and a blood lust. Nothing more violent than you see on the show.

**Storyline:** Xena and Gabrielle travel North to the Siberian Amazons to make amends for Xena's past history concerning Alti and discover that things aren't settled.

**Feedback:** always welcome and will be responded to.

* * *

Xena pulled Argo to a halt and let Gabrielle move her horse closer to her.

"Why don't you take Sasha for a bit?"

"You're afraid of being recognized and attacked before we can say anything?" Gabrielle frowned as she began unhitching the small child from her harness at her mom's back and moved the child in front of her, taking the opportunity to hug Sasha and get a giggle from her adopted daughter.

"Something like that," Xena said, eyes darting around.

"I don't know why we haven't been challenged yet. It's been two marks since we passed the boundary markers. I know they're out there," Gabrielle complained, looking around the forest they were traveling deeper into.

"I know. You okay, Solan?" Xena glanced back at her teenage son on a horse just behind Gabrielle. Her heart always gave a painful jerk at the sight of the band of cloth covering his eyes.

"You bet, Mom," he answered easily but Xena could tell from his body that he was tense.

The family had only gone a few hundred yards when arrows landed in the ground in front of their horses. The women stopped their mounts and raised their hands in a symbol of peace.

"Solan, Amazons!" Xena said loudly and the boy followed the example of his mothers.

Several figures appeared from behind trees and out of them, surrounding the family with notched arrows and drawn swords.

The leader demanded something in a language Gabrielle didn't recognize but Xena did and answered and the scout leader switched to Germanic, enabling Gabrielle to follow.

"Who are you? You know the Amazon sign of peace," the obvious leader of the Amazon scouts and guards demanded from behind her mask of leather and fur.

"I am Gabrielle, Queen of the Southern Amazons and this is my Consort and family," Gabrielle answered easily. "We wish to visit your village."

"The Southern Amazons were killed," the leader stated flatly.

"Not all of them, I am alive and so are two others of my tribe. They survived the attack by the Romans, Brutus and Antony," Gabrielle responded, slowly lowering one hand and reaching into the pack nearest her and pulled out her Queen mask, showing it to the band.

"We heard the Southern Amazons joined with the Wine Country Amazons and then went north and were still killed."

"And you are?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Svetlana, Scout Chief."

"I have identified myself as Amazon, are we welcome or not?"

Xena heard the frustration in Gabrielle's voice and resisted grinning. As an Amazon, especially as royalty, the Amazons should have acknowledged the family and extended a welcome by this point. Xena knew that her bard wasn't comfortable with the royal treatment her rank meant but this behavior was bordering on rudeness.

"If you are Amazons," Svetlana said sullenly.

"If?" Gabrielle shouted and handed Sasha quickly to Xena as she leaped off her horse. "If?"

The bard stomped right into the face of the Scout leader and Xena bit her lip to keep from grinning as the smaller woman got right into Svetlana's face and the tall Amazon backed up two paces.

"I have identified myself as an Amazon and one of royal rank, either take us to your village and your Queen now or we turn and leave!" Gabrielle demanded, her green eyes flashing.

Svetlana slowly removed her mask, showing downcast eyes.

"I apologize, my Queen," the Amazon stammered. "We never get visitors from the southern tribes."

"Enough! Lead us!" Gabrielle demanded and leaped back onto her horse, grabbing up Solan's reins.

Xena resisted grinning as the Amazons quickly began leading them down the trail. A quick glance towards her mate's direction confirmed that Gabrielle was still fuming.

They were met inside the village by curious Amazons and Svetlana reluctantly led the bard and warrior into the largest wooden dwelling.

An older Amazon sat on furs and didn't rise to greet them, both Gabrielle and Xena spotted the crutches next to her body and the thin legs.

"This is our Queen Arja," Svetlana announced.

"I am Gabrielle, Queen of the Southern Amazons and Wine Region Amazons, this is my Consort and Champion," Gabrielle bowed respectfully.

"You are welcome, Queen Gabrielle, to my tribe and my home."

"Just Gabrielle, please," Gabrielle smiled, a familiar request whenever she was with the Amazons.

"I understand, please just call me Arja," the older woman smiled. "Why have you come to us?

"Several reasons, Arja," Gabrielle hesitated as another young woman entered the hut. Both Xena and Gabrielle figured the intense looking woman as the shaman by the way she was dressed in leather, bones, feathers and fur and her headpiece was of leather, beads and stag horns.

"This is Yakut, our shaman," Arja introduced.

Shaman and Greeks sat down on the furs, joining Queen Arja.

"I am Gabrielle of the Southern Amazons and this is my Consort," Gabrielle stated. She glanced over at Xena, noting the warrior's clenched jaw, and reached out to hold her mate's hand. "Many Summers ago my mate wronged your tribe. Since that time she has become a champion of the Amazons throughout the Southern countries but we haven't made amends to your tribe. That's one of the reasons we've come."

"And the other reasons?" Arja asked.

"There are two survivors of my tribe, they are with a friendly Northern family. I would ask permission for them to join your tribe. They are an older woman who is a trained baker and a small child. I would also ask an Amazon recognition and bonding ceremony for the child of my mate as my legal heir as an Amazon," Gabrielle said simply.

"You are not an Amazon, warrior?" Arja asked Xena.

"No, I've been asked to join several tribes over the years but that would always mean taking a Goddess as a patron and I'm not much for serving the gods." Xena responded.

Gabrielle resisted grinning at that understatement. Xena was notoriously known for her dislike of dealing with the gods.

"And how would you make amends, Consort?" Yakut asked.

"My crime against your tribe was great, maybe beyond forgiveness. I'll leave that to your Elder Council and my mate," Xena said softly.

"Your crimes are great, Xena, but you are protected by your status as Consort to a Queen. You would turn yourself over to our judgment?" Arja asked.

Xena's eyes dropped. "You know me."

"Yes, I was waiting to see your business with us," Arja said simply. "Your answer, Consort?"

"I submit," Xena answered.

"Xena," Gabrielle growled and Xena squeezed her hand.

"We knew there would be a price," Xena said softly.

Gabrielle turned to the Queen. "And what would that price be?" she demanded.

"That will be determined. The child you wish named as your heir is the daughter of Xena?" Arja asked.

"Yes, she is our daughter," Gabrielle stated.

"I know of you and your reputation as a Queen, Gabrielle. I will petition the Elder Council myself for this acknowledgment. It will also go far in your behalf, Xena," Arja stretched one of her legs out in front of her. "You have become a champion of our sister Amazons, would you protect us as well?"

"Yes," the warrior answered easily.

"Think carefully," Yakut advised. "We knew it was you, Xena. Even if Arja didn't recognize you, I saw of you in a vision and your journey here."

"You recognized me," Xena repeated softly.

"Yes, I was a seasoned warrior at the time. My legs were shattered when I fell to one of your traps in the trees that day you slaughtered most of the fighters and leaders of this tribe. I lived," Arja answered.

Gabrielle tightened her grip on Xena's hand as the warrior's head dropped.

"I know that telling you that I'm sorry for that isn't enough, Arja, but I am," Xena looked up, fighting back tears.

"I believe you and I accept that. I am no longer the same person I was on that day, Xena, and I believe that you aren't either. Others may not be as quick to forgive you though, understand that," Arja warned.

"You shouldn't forgive me," Xena said grimly, looking at the shattered legs of the Queen.

"Forgiving you is easy, Xena. Forgiving yourself will be the hardest for you, I think, if I read your character right," Arja smiled.

"You do, she has changed," Gabrielle stated firmly.

"You mentioned a vision, Yakut?" Xena prompted, anxious to turn the conversation away from her and the changes.

"Yes, Xena, there were two visions. The first vision was of you killing the Amazon leaders of this tribe so long ago and of their spirits. The second vision is of you fighting our greatest enemy and freeing them."

Xena and Gabrielle frowned. "What do you mean, freeing them?" Gabrielle asked.

"All the Amazons who died that day are trapped in the Land of the Dead," Yakut answered. "They are unable to cross over into Eternity. Our most sacred word isn't enough to free them."

"Cyane?" Xena whispered.

"Yes, and those who were injured that day, when they die their spirits are also trapped," Yakut answered, looking at Arja.

"When you die, your spirit will be trapped as well?" Gabrielle asked, turning to Arja.

"Yes, so it seems," the Queen answered easily.

"Who can do this?" Gabrielle frowned.

"Alti," Xena whispered and Yakut nodded.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered. "Didn't we have enough of her already?" the bard complained.

"You've dealt with her before?" Yakut asked sharply.

"When I went on a shaman journey Gabrielle somehow connected with me and we had to fight Alti in the spirit realm," Xena explained.

"Think carefully of this, Consort, would you fight to free our sisters?"

"I don't have to think about it, Arja. I caused this mess, I'll fix it," Xena answered easily.

"Xena, we'll fix it," Gabrielle corrected.

"Not this time, little one."

"Xena," Gabrielle growled.

"First things first," Arja suggested. "Yakut and I will approach the Elder Council with your presence here, Xena, and your agreement to help with Alti. Then we'll decide which comes first, battling Alti or welcoming your daughter as a member of the tribe and heir to Gabrielle."

"Just understand, Xena, some of us will accept your help but we will remember that it was you who put them there in the first place," Yakut growled and left the hut.

"Her mother's spirit is trapped in the Land of the Dead and is being used by Alti," Arja explained.

Xena nodded, understanding. After a moment she rose and helped Gabrielle to her feet.

"The guards will show you and your family to the guest hut. Your son will have an escort, even though he is blind, he is a male on Amazon land."

"Of course, Arja. He was raised by Centaurs, he understands Amazon custom."

The family was served dinner just after dusk by non-talking Amazon tribe members. Sasha chatted away about the wonderful fur and leather of the Northern Amazon clothing and Solan kept her occupied, as Xena was quiet and withdrawn. Gabrielle, knowing her warrior, merely curled up in her lover's arms while they waited.

It was a candle-mark after dark when Arja and Yakut entered the hut with three other Amazons, all armed with drawn swords.

Gabrielle felt her warrior growl behind her and squeezed Xena's hand reassuringly.

"Sasha, look!" Gabrielle said cheerfully, "They have swords like your Mom's. Solan, want to put Sasha to bed soon?" the teenager nodded, sensing the tension in the room and the reason for it. "Sasha, we're going to go visit with these Amazons for a little bit, okay?"

The youngster nodded and ran into Solan's welcoming arms. The small child accepted Gabby Mum's cheerful words but she had grown quiet and thoughtful, much like her mom.

Gabrielle stood up and lent a hand to her warrior.

"Gabrielle, only Xena is requested at the Council," Arja stated.

"You think I'll stay behind?" Gabrielle asked with a rueful smile and Arja nodded in understanding and stepped aside for the two visitors to join them outside.

Once outside the hut Xena turned and handed over her sword and chakram. Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in question to the other Amazon Queen.

"No, we don't need your weapons, Gabrielle," Arja answered the unspoken question.

"I've died for my Amazons before but that doesn't compare to what I would do for Xena," Gabrielle answered, handing over her sais. Arja nodded and accepted them.

Inside the meeting hut, the two women sat down on the furs indicated, facing a semi circle of grim faced Amazons.

While Arja and Yakut settled into their positions in the circle, Gabrielle took the chance to look around. The huts were made a little differently than in the South, she reflected. Of large chunks of earth, hides and wood, unlike the wood of the south. Circle in design with a smoke hole in the center of the roof, a fire blazing in the center of the room. Instead of chairs and tables, these Amazons preferred sitting on furs mostly, although some of the older women sat on small stools.

The tension in the room was thick and Xena shifted in her position. Gabrielle once again reached out and held her warrior's hand.

Xena looked over at her mate and gave the bard a small smile. Under different circumstances, the warrior would have trouble concentrating on anything other than her mate. Gabrielle had worn her Amazon royalty clothing, which always caught Xena's attention. The bard carried her mask, waiting to see if formality would be needed before donning it.

Arja sat down in the center of the semi circle and faced the two women.

"We of the Northern Amazons are honored to welcome Queen Gabrielle of the Southern Amazons. We are especially pleased to learn that your tribe is not dead and the spirit of the Amazons live on in you and that you wish to pass this along to your adopted child. We would be honored to assist in this and accept your mate's daughter as your heir and as an Amazon," Arja said.

"Thank you, Queen Arja, I am grateful for this welcome and your acceptance of my child," Gabrielle said carefully, not bringing Xena into it yet.

"Consort," Arja turned her attention to Xena. "You would normally be as welcome to our village and our tribe as Queen Gabrielle but you have a past history with this tribe that must be addressed."

Several of the women shifted on their furs.

"Many Summer seasons ago you committed the ultimate crime against our tribe by killing an Amazon."

Xena's eyes dropped.

"This was made worse by the fact that you killed quite a number of our leaders and best fighters. Normally, nothing could make up for this crime other than your death at our hands. To make the situation worse, we discovered that our beloved tribe members are held in limbo in Tuoni, the Land of the Dead and not permitted to reach Manala, the Isle of the Dead, Eternity. This is because of your slaughter of them for the evil shaman Alti and her power over their souls. Does this state the facts fairly?"

Xena looked up, the struggle evident on her face.

"Yes, Queen Arja, the facts are stated fairly," she said firmly.

"Since that time I have stated to the Council that you have changed drastically and this should be considered. Queen Gabrielle insisted on being here, so I would ask her to speak on these facts."

Gabrielle squeezed her mate's hand again and began telling the Council the shortened version of Xena's abandonment of the dark side of herself and her struggle towards the Light. Xena reflected that her mate was a truly gifted bard, her words having the power to enthrall most any audience, even the rowdiest of drunken soldiers.

Xena listened as the bard weaved her tale of a reformed evil Warlord into a warrior seeking redemption. From the first time that a young girl from Potedaia saw the Warrior Princess, when Xena saved Gabrielle and the other females of her village from slavers; from their exploits in rescuing Prometheus, and thus saving mankind; rescuing Death herself; stopping the war between the Centaurs and Southern Amazons, preventing many deaths and forming a new alliance between the two tribes; saving Helen from the fall of Troy; getting the Helm of Invisibility back for Hades; returning the sacred casket to the Children of Abraham.

Xena did note that her bard skipped over the telling of their first meeting with Callisto and agreed with her mate. Bringing up one of Xena's victims who had turned killer probably wouldn't help her case with the Northern Amazons, she thought.

The bard continued with how Xena had used her battle learned medical skills to help save soldiers and victims from both sides of a war and ended up stopping the senseless fighting; then fighting and defeating Bacchus, saving Gabrielle and risking her own soul in the process. The bard speaking eloquently about saving the Princess Diana from assassins and helping end slavery in that kingdom; helping Ares get his sword and his godly powers back and of Xena's death and her fight to return to Gabrielle, even before they were lovers. The bard especially focused on defeating the Goddess Velasco and saving the Southern Amazons again and of Xena risking permanent blindness in order to rescue Gabrielle. The tale of Xena facing her dark self when they faced the Horde.

Gabrielle gave a summary of all the bandits, slavers, and assassins they had stopped during their travels.

Then Xena heard the bard's voice catch and Gabrielle described how they had hid their feelings from each other, each afraid of rejection and pain. Especially of Xena thinking she would never be good enough for Gabrielle because of her past, no matter what she did to make up for it.

The Queen of the Southern Amazons went on to tell of their Amazon marriage and how Xena nearly went insane with berserker fury when Gabrielle was poisoned by the Romans and how the warrior resisted giving into the darkness even when Gabrielle was in agony from the poison.

Gabrielle hesitated again and looked at her mate for a moment and Xena nodded, sensing the question.

"When Xena was in the darkness, she belonged to Ares, our God of War and Chaos. When she left those ways he became enraged and has worked endlessly to get her back as Warlord. Like Loki of the North, Ares doesn't play fair. He has framed Xena for murder, hoping she would turn to him to get her out of the mess; he has disguised himself as her father to reawaken her warrior rage; he attempted to kidnap me the night of our wedding and kill Xena when she stood in his way; he has also tried to turn me to his cause. The worst was when he took the form of a trusted friend and tricked Xena into sacrificing at one of his old altars and gave her drugged wine. The wine was enchanted and my mate lost her memory of the last two winters and all memory of me."

Xena felt Gabrielle's hand tighten in hers. She knew this was difficult to talk about, especially with strangers.

"He convinced Xena that I was sent by the gods to seduce her and turn her away from her destiny as ruler of the world at his side. He sent her back to me to assassinate me," Gabrielle smiled at her mate for a moment before continuing. "She wasn't able to do it. Even with her memories gone she wasn't able to kill me. Given the chance, I was able to re-establish our blood bond and her memories returned. Nine months later she gave birth to Sasha and I accepted the child as ours."

"May I speak?" Xena asked as Gabrielle hesitated. Xena could feel Gabrielle tense up.

"Yes," Arja answered.

"I lost Gabrielle while I was pregnant with Sasha. She was kidnapped by slavers and a good friend was crippled by them. The only thing that kept me alive was our blood connection, I knew Gabrielle was alive and I would find her. That and the birth of Sasha. I was almost insane with grief and worry but I still refused to give into the darkness. I credit Gabrielle with it always."

"I got back to Xena and accepted Sasha as my own. Then, even with all the sacrifices we made and the well made plans, our Amazons were killed. Even after we got them out of Italia," Gabrielle's head dropped as she fought back against the tears, remembering her friends and family: Ephiny, Solari, Eponi, Nikkita, all the others. "Xena was beside me during all of that, risking certain death to try and free our Amazons being held captive by Caesar. We went on a suicide mission to free them and she wouldn't turn away from it, even though it meant leaving Sasha without parents."

Gabrielle raised her head to look at the Elder Council. She slowly removed her leather bracers and held up her scarred wrists for them to see.

"I was crucified by the Romans to save my Amazons. The only way I had the strength to face that was because Xena was beside me."

Gabrielle replaced her bracers and held Xena's hand again.

"I ask the Council to consider all of this. I know Xena's past crimes are serious but I believe that she is making up for them every day that she resists Ares and the darkness that enveloped her for so many years. She has saved Gods, Amazons, Kings, Princesses, Kingdoms and common people since that time. She is also my Champion and my Consort and the mother of my adopted children. She's my life."

Gabrielle grew silent and wiped away a tear quickly.

"Thank you, Queen Gabrielle. I state that the Council will fairly consider all that you have said. Yakut has asked to speak on this as well," Arja said simply.

"You know me, my sisters. My mother was one that fell on a spiked tree branch and died painfully because of Xena. You also know I am your shaman and have found that the souls of our dead are not traveling onto their Eternity. They are being held in captivity in the Land of the Dead by Alti, the evil shaman that turned Xena away from being a friend to this tribe to its murderer. I publicly forgive Xena for her crime against my mother and our sisters. I also state that I believe Xena may be the only one who can help me free the souls of our sisters from Alti's control. I sense that Xena has shaman abilities, that's probably what drew Alti to her, besides her darkness."

"The Council knows that I became crippled because of Xena that day. I was one of the survivors. I also publicly forgive her this crime against me. I have discussed the situation of Alti and the warrior has agreed to fight against Alti to save the souls of our sisters, have you not, warrior?" Arja asked.

"Yes, no matter what you decide my punishment to be, I would ask that you give me time to face Alti and be given the chance to defeat her," Xena said firmly.

"You would face Alti at the risk of your life and possibly your soul to help us and then still face whatever punishment we decree?" one of the Council asked.

"Yes, I gave Alti the power to capture the souls of your sisters. This is my doing and I want a chance to free them and stop Alti. After these years she's gained a lot of power and needs to be stopped," Xena answered.

"And you, Queen Gabrielle? Would you face this danger for strangers?" another asked.

"Xena and I face danger for strangers all the time. This is even more important, as Amazons, you and those trapped are my sisters. I died once for my tribe and I'm willing to face that for this tribe and I'll face anything with my mate," Gabrielle answered strongly.

"The Council will discuss this and make a decision. Since you came willingly to face us, I suggest that the warrior be allowed to return to the guest hut with Queen Gabrielle to await our decision in the morning. I don't feel the need for chains or guards," one of the Elders spoke and the others nodded.

"Thank you for addressing the Council, Queen Gabrielle. Xena, thank you for facing this with the same bravery that Cyane once saw in you. I'm glad you're living up to the potential she saw in you," Arja said and Xena nodded, not trusting her voice.

Entering the guest hut once more the warrior hurried over to her children.

"Solan, we're both here," she said softly, taking Sasha into her arms and giving the youngster a hug.

"Without your weapons," the teenager commented.

"How can you tell?" Xena asked with a smile.

"Your chakram isn't rattling against your leather tunic," he answered.

"You're the only one who can hear that," she grinned and hugged him with a free arm.

"What happened?" he asked.

"They'll tell us in the morning," Gabrielle answered. "We'll go up against Alti and that'll probably square things."

"How will you fight Alti?" Solan asked.

"I'm not sure, we need to find out how strong she is and what her plans are. She'll know we're here and I expect some kind of move from her soon," Xena said simply, setting Sasha back down on the sleeping furs as the little girl yawned, drifting back into sleep.

"We know that she can hurt us on the spiritual plane," Gabrielle commented, beginning to unlace her boots.

"And we have no idea what she's capable of on the material plane now, either."

"What about attacking her body while she's fighting on the spiritual plane?" Solan asked.

"That's definitely an idea but one she'll be expecting. We'll talk with Yakut in the morning and see what she knows of Alti's powers," Xena suggested, kneeling in front of her bard and beginning to help Gabrielle off with her boots.

Solan shifted on his own furs. "I'm going to sleep," he announced. "Goodnight, Mom, night Gabby Mom."

Gabrielle grinned and threw a rolled up rabbit fur at him. Watching him settle down, the bard smiled. His smile was a lot like his mother's, she thought.

Xena sat next to her bard and let Gabrielle begin to unlace her boots in return.

"Thank you," Xena said softly, surprising her mate. Gabrielle smiled and continued unlacing the boots.

"No thanks needed, my love."

"Yes, there is. I don't tell you enough how important you are to me. I love you so much, Gabrielle."

"You're my life, Xena," Gabrielle responded, leaning up to kiss her mate. "Let's try and sleep."

"Not sure I can," Xena muttered, a frown crossing her face.

Gabrielle gently caressed Xena's cheek. "I know, my love. I'm worried too and I am so proud of you for this. You didn't have to do this."

"Yes, I did. If we ever want any future with any other Amazon tribe, it needed to be done."

"Come to bed and let me hold you for once," the bard offered.

The warrior didn't snuggle in her mate's arms often, her warrior instinct raging against being in a vulnerable position, but when she did, Gabrielle was grateful to be shown that level of trust and Xena welcomed the comfort of her mate's arms and soothing touch.

Both women slept restlessly that night.

The two women found they had little appetite for breakfast and waited impatiently for the Council meeting. Solan raised his head and Gabrielle noticed Xena's head turning as well.

"With you two around, no one will ever sneak up on us," she teased the two of them.

Solan blushed and Xena shrugged.

"I have many..."

"Ack! Don't say it!" Gabrielle begged with a grin and then lost the grin when two Amazon warriors entered the hut. Everyone noticed that they didn't have their swords drawn this time.

"The boy is allowed outside with the child, several Amazons would like to meet them. The Council has asked to see both of you, Queen Gabrielle and Consort Xena," one of them announced.

"Great, how would you like to look around, Sasha? Meet some new people?" Solan said enthusiastically, letting his sister take his hand and grabbing his staff in the other. Sasha led him to the door and one of the Amazons led the children out of the hut.

The two women followed the other warrior towards the meeting hut.

Gabrielle was hoping that it was a good sign that they were being treated with respect and that the guard used Xena's title of Consort. She hoped it was a step forward.

She reached for Xena's hand as they sat down on the furs to face the Elder Council again.

"Queen Gabrielle, our tribe would be grateful to accept your help in dealing with Alti and would be pleased to welcome you and the children into our tribe as Amazons," Queen Arja stated.

"Thank you, we would be honored," Gabrielle answered easily.

"Consort Xena, it has been decided among the Council that we accept your offer to help fight Alti. It has also been decided that this will be acceptable as repayment for your crimes against this tribe. Because you helped cause the situation, if you are successful in defeating Alti, your final punishment will be that you will not be asked to join as a full Amazon of our tribe at this time. Your rank of Consort to Queen Gabrielle will be honored and acknowledged but you will not become a full sister to us at this time."

Xena dropped her head and then looked up at the Council.

"I thank the Council for this opportunity to try and make some amends to this tribe and I won't rest until the danger from Alti is finished. I thank you for honoring my bonding with Queen Gabrielle, as well."

"Then it is settled, you will be considered a guest of this tribe and treated as such. Yakut and I want to meet with both of you immediately to decide upon a course of action. The Council meeting is ended."

Both sighed with relief as they left the meeting hut while the meeting broke up. Xena pulled Gabrielle into her arms for a quick hug and kiss. Gabrielle held the warrior's head, capturing the warrior's lips, turning the quick kiss into a passionate one that surprised Xena. Gabrielle broke the kiss and leaned her head against Xena's shoulder.

"I love you, Xena," she said simply.

"I love you, my Queen," Xena smiled.

They turned at Yakut's call and re-entered the hut and sat across from Arja and Yakut and two of the Amazon warriors, one of them Svetlana.

Xena was amused to see the Scout leader treating Gabrielle with a little more respect than the day before.

The next two candle-marks were spent discussing Alti and the situation. It included a basic crash course in shamanism and fighting on the spiritual plane for the two Queens and Amazon warriors from Xena and Yakut. In turn, Yakut caught Xena up on Alti's rise to power in the region over the years.

"She's got about 75 men and women under her and a number of slaves. The number rises and falls and we can't keep track of how many she has, especially young women," Yakut informed Xena and Gabrielle.

"Why up and down?" Gabrielle asked and noticed Xena's jaw clenching.

"She prefers using the blood of young women and children for her shaman working," Xena muttered. "She wanted me to murder a young Amazon girl named Otere for the shaman journey working, Borias stopped her."

"Otere still lives, she's on scouting patrol on the northern border," Arja commented.

"What else?" Gabrielle asked, eyes narrowing.

"Any Amazon getting close to her territory falls ill until they can't move and die," Yakut continued.

"How far does her territory extend?" Xena asked, looking at a map on the back of a deerhide. Yakut pointed to a darkened area.

"It grows each winter season," Arja commented.

"It's said that Alti has been seen in two places at once, I believe it is her loyly," Yakut said.

"Loyly?" Gabrielle questioned.

"The part of yourself that is separate but together. It is the part of you that goes traveling when you sleep or enter trance. The loyly of a powerful magician can become powerful itself and is called a varjohaltia," Yakut explained.

"Shadow Ruler," Xena whispered.

Yakut nodded. "Yes, it can act as a spirit guide and helper. To an evil magician, it helps attack your enemies and drains their life force."

"She's using the haltija of the dead Amazons to power her magic here on the physical realm," Xena commented.

"Haltija?" Gabrielle again questioned.

"Everything has a haltija, a spirit. The life force that defines us," Yakut explained.

"How do we defeat her?" Svetlana asked.

"I don't know, we've been trying to figure that out for years," Yakut complained. "Any warrior sent against her is defeated by the berserker."

"Berserker? She has a berserker warrior with her?"

"Why do I feel like I'm in school?" Gabrielle muttered, "I remember Axel saying something about berserkers. Fierce Viking warriors who can turn into bears or wolves and are impossible to defeat in battle, right?"

"Yes," Arja answered.

"I've met all types of warriors before and Gabrielle has fought all types in the Arena as well, what makes the Berserker different?" Xena asked.

"I watched one of the fights, Erkka, our best fighter in years. She trained for over a year to face Alti and her soldiers. When she went against the Berserker, she did well," Svetlana said. "Then something happened, she was knocked off her horse but the Berserker was more than an a spear throw away. When she stood up to face him, she had blood at her mouth. The Berserker charged her and she knocked him from his horse. When she rushed to finish him she stopped suddenly and grabbed her stomach, falling to her knees in pain. When she looked up, blood was pouring from her nose and then she went flying backwards, as if something hit her. The Berserker walked over and cut her head off with one stroke."

"She was hit by something, Alti," Xena muttered, her eyes narrowing. The others looked at her closely. "Gabrielle and I fought Alti in the spirit realm when I went on a shaman journey to settle something with the gods. Alti used her powers to attack us in the spirit and our bodies took the hits in the physical."

"You mean, if she hit you in the spirit, then your body in a trance was hit?" Yakut questioned closely.

"Yes."

"How did you defeat that?" Arja questioned.

"By focusing our minds. Alti slipped and said that it wasn't the strongest body that won in the spirit realm but the strongest mind. By focusing, we were able to turn her power away and not let it affect us." Gabrielle answered.

"That's it! If we all work together, we could combine our strength in the spirit realm and defeat her there. She can't be strong enough to take on the whole tribe!" Yakut suggested excitedly.

"There's just one problem with that," Xena stated. "We could take Alti that way but she's protected on the spirit realm. We didn't try to fight her, just keep her from hurting us."

"Who would protect her in the spirit realm besides her varjohaltia?" Yakut questioned.

"Your Amazon sisters are held by her. She uses their haltija's power and she uses them as soldiers in the spirit realm," Xena said sadly.

"Our Amazons would fight us?" Svetlana asked in disbelief.

"Yes," Xena's head dropped and her fists clenched.

"How can we get enough warriors focused enough in trance to fight our sisters in the spirit realm, have enough warriors to fight through her soldiers and attack her physical body?" Arja thought outloud.

"We don't have enough warriors talented enough in trance working to accomplish that," Yakut complained.

"May I suggest that beginning with the New Moon that everyone be taught the basics of trance working beyond just celebration dance ritual?" Gabrielle smiled.

Arja nodded in agreement. "I know, something that should have been done long ago," she muttered.

Gabrielle frowned, noticing Xena's withdrawn look and drawn eyebrows.

"What is it, love?" she asked softly.

"Yakut, you said that Alti holds prisoner those that I killed that day and any who were there at the slaughter? What about those who have died since?" Xena asked, eyes flashing.

"They have passed on to Eternity without any problems. Some stayed behind in the Land of the Dead with their sisters or mothers."

"What are you thinking, Xena?" Gabrielle asked.

"How to defeat an enemy on a two front line," Xena muttered.

"You divide your forces, taking the best and putting them where they're best used," Svetlana prompted.

"Exactly, the problem is that Yakut and I can't be in two places at the same time like Alti can."

"What are you thinking, my love?" Gabrielle asked again.

"We need several fighters to take on the spirit Amazons and keep Alti busy in that realm. I've done that before but I need to be in the physical realm to take on the Berserker, fight through her troops and get to her body and end it. For that I need a lot of fighters," Xena explained.

"How many of your warriors are trained in trance working?" Gabrielle asked the Amazons. Yakut frowned and looked down.

"Not enough, I would risk six of them," she answered softly.

"I killed more than that on that day. How many have died since?" Xena questioned.

"There are at least two hands each," Svetlana answered.

Xena quickly translated the Amazon's difficulty with Germanic from the Amazon's native language. "At least 20," she frowned.

"Cyane is a legend among our tribe, she was a great warrior. None of our fighters could take her," Arja commented.

Xena noticed Gabrielle's pensive look and silence. "What is it, little one?" she asked in Greek.

"You sometimes forget I'm a skilled fighter now and I've faced Alti," Gabrielle answered in Germanic.

Xena turned pale. "Face Alti on the spirit realm? No, please."

"I won't be alone, I'll have the other Amazons with me. You take the rest of the fighters and get to her physical body and we'll end it," Gabrielle suggested.

"You'd still need more warriors than this tribe has trained in trance," Arja frowned.

"Others can still cross into the spirit realm," Yakut said softly.

"How?" Arja continued frowning.

"Those recently dead would cross over into the Land of the Dead and could join us," the shaman whispered.

"You would ask our sisters to kill themselves?" Arja demanded and Yakut blushed. The Amazon Queen got to her feet and began pacing on her crutches, muttering in her Siberian native tongue. Everyone was quiet as they pondered the prospect and the problem, looking for other solutions.

Arja threw her crutches down with an obvious curse. "Any other way around this?" she asked the group.

"How many fighters do you have in total?" Xena asked.

"We can send to the other smaller tribes, they've already pledged aid against Alti. A total number of 50 warriors," Svetlana responded.

"I think I have an idea, can you get Otere here as well?" Xena asked.

"Yes, easily, why?" Arja asked.

"A way to fulfill a prophecy and help us at the same time," Xena's eyes narrowed again and a smile played across her face. "I suggest a break while I work out some details in my head. And send for Otere."

"Good idea, I'm getting a headache," Arja agreed, climbing to her feet once again with the aid of her crutches.

"Gabrielle, go grab some lunch with the kids. I'm going to grab some cheese and bread and take a run. I need to clear my head," Xena suggested.

"You're not keeping anything from me, are you?" Gabrielle demanded in Greek.

"No, little one. No secrets. I just need to stretch my muscles and the mind a bit," Xena grinned and helped her mate to her feet and kissed the bard.

"All right," Gabrielle agreed reluctantly.

Gabrielle was pleased and surprised to find Solan with several of the Amazon scouts and they seemed to be training him on something. When the bard got closer to the training area she was very surprised to find a bow in his hands. She looked down the field and saw an Amazon scout by a hay bale.

The bard stopped short of joining the small group as she watched the young teenager pull a notched arrow back. Everyone grew very quiet and still. Gabrielle wasn't sure if she stopped breathing for a moment.

The Amazon at the hay bale yelled something three times with small pauses between the words and at the ending of the last word, dropped to the ground and lay flat. Solan released his arrow as the word died.

Gabrielle tried to remember to breath as the arrow landed dead center of the target above the Amazon. The Amazon scouts around the boy began cheering and clapping him on the shoulder. The bard smiled widely as the boy grinned and blushed.

Then the Amazons spotted Gabrielle and went to their knees.

"Okay, let's get this out of the way," Gabrielle smiled. "No kneeling unless it's an official function and call me Gabrielle, not Queen Gabrielle or Your Highness. Okay?"

The Amazon scouts got to their feet slowly and then grinned. The bard hugged Solan around his bow. Sasha was sitting on a log nearby and clapping at Solan's achievement.

"Solan, that was great!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

"Thanks! I think with the hearing I got from Mom that I could turn this into a talent," he said excitedly.

"Looks like it. How about some lunch and then you can continue. Come on, Sasha, lunch!" Gabrielle scooped up the smiling youngster into her arms and walked with Solan and the scouts to the food hall.

"A couple of the scouts want to teach me to throw daggers, too," Solan said as they walked.

"That'd be great. How's the language thing?" Gabrielle grinned.

"Not easy, especially since I can't see what they're pointing at and trying to explain," the teenager complained. "You guys spent time in the North and picked up the Germanic stuff, I didn't."

"It'll come," she reassured him.

"Where's Mom?" he asked, nose picking up the scents of the food hall.

"Out for a run, thinking," Gabrielle answered, grateful that the warrior's weapons had been returned to her. Even out for 'just a run' could lead to trouble for Xena, the bard knew.

Gabrielle grinned when Xena entered the bath hut. The warrior stopped just inside the doorway, taking in the sight of her very naked mate in the hot springs fed water, a smile beginning on her face as well.

"Get in here, lover," Gabrielle ordered as she lounged back against the edge of the pool.

"Yes, my love," Xena grinned, stripping off her deerskin leathers and boots. "You know me too well, sometimes."

"Yup, and I never get enough of you," Gabrielle smiled. "How was your run and swordplay?"

"Good," Xena responded and sighed with pleasure as she lowered her body into the water. Even in summer the air was a little cool to the Greeks and the warrior had cooled down quite a bit after her run and workout and the hot water felt like paradise on her skin and muscles. Xena opened her eyes and saw her mate's heavy lidded eyes and flushed face and went to Gabrielle to embrace the Amazon Queen, drawing Gabrielle's naked body against hers, both moaning in pleasure with the contact.

When both women broke contact, trying to remember to breath, Gabrielle turned her warrior around and began to run soap over the warrior's back and taking advantage of the situation to nibble at Xena's neck as well.

"This is going to be hard, isn't it?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, not only are we risking our lives but our souls as well. The only time that's come close was with Bacchus. I'm not sure which would frighten me more, to be a slave to Bacchus or Alti," Xena muttered.

"You have an idea though."

"Yes, but it's dangerous for everyone," Xena said, leaning back into her bard's arms.

"Well, Solan has a surprise for you when we get out of here and Otere came in from scouting just before you got back," Gabrielle informed her mate.

"Great, what's the surprise?" Xena asked, beginning to moan as Gabrielle's hands moved from her back, moving under her ribs and over the warrior's breasts.

"Can't tell you that, it wouldn't be a surprise," Gabrielle grinned, nuzzling Xena's neck.

"I hate surprises!" Xena growled and then gasped as Gabrielle's hand moved lower and she added teeth to Xena's neck. "Oh gods, you keep that up and we aren't getting out of here before dinner!" Xena warned.

Gabrielle laughed but moved her hand back up to hug her mate.

"I can't help it, you're irresistible!"

"So are you, little one."

"We need to get out, don't we?" Xena could feel Gabrielle's mood change.

"Yes, Alti knows we're here. I tested the talismans and charms at the border nearest her and she's pushing and testing them. I could hear her laughing at me," Xena muttered, turning around to hold her mate. "We need to start planning."

"Damn," Gabrielle muttered, running a hand lightly over the warrior's shoulders and down the arms holding her, delighting in the passion building in Xena's eyes.

"Gods, woman!" Xena complained and quickly released her mate and turned Gabrielle around in the pool. "Out! I can't think when you touch me!"

Gabrielle giggled and crawled out of the water, reaching for the towels, her nose and eyes crinkling in amusement as she handed a towel to her mate.

Once again the two Greeks found themselves sitting in front of Arja, Svetlana, two other Amazon warriors and now Otere as well.

Xena looked closely at the young woman. "Do you remember me?" she asked softly.

"Yes, warrior. Borias turned me over to the Amazons after I was orphaned," Otere answered.

"Do you remember Alti?" Xena asked.

"Yes, she wanted you to kill me but I knew you wouldn't."

"Do you remember why?"

"She said I would steal your power from you one day," Otere answered, her face puzzled.

"That day is here, young one," Xena answered cryptically.

"What is your plan, Xena?" Yakut asked.

"Time moves differently in the spirit realm. It's possible for several warriors to be almost killed, fight in the spirit realms and come back before their bodies are gone too long," Xena tried explaining.

"How would they cross over?" Yakut asked.

"The Pinch. I learned how to use pressure points, both to heal and kill. When used a certain way a couple of nerve pinches can kill someone by cutting off the flow of blood to the brain. If the pinch is removed quick enough, the person lives, coming back from unconsciousness."

"But you need to lead the physical warriors against Alti's soldiers to reach her body while she's in trance," Arja questioned.

"Exactly, that's why Otere is going to learn my skills and take my power," Xena grinned.

"Okay, out with it, love of mine," Gabrielle insisted.

"Otere and Gabrielle will lead the spirit warriors on the spirit realm. Otere and Gabrielle know enough of journeying and Otere will temporarily 'kill' the fighters they need. Some of the Amazons will watch over them and be their link to the physical world. Svetlana and I will lead the Amazon warriors against Alti's soldiers. I'll get to Alti's body and kill her and end this once and for all."

"Sounds simple," Yakut commented, "it's also extremely dangerous for everyone."

"Yes, if Alti wins on any level, she'll have our souls captive. That's not how anyone wants to spend eternity," Xena agreed.

"Anyone else have a better idea?" Arja asked, knowing that they didn't.

"Looks like you'll be learning the ways of the Shaman before I expected," Xena said softly to Gabrielle.

"Where do I fit in, Xena?" Yakut asked.

"You'll be the messenger between the worlds. You'll travel both roads, shaman."

The next candle-mark was spent working out the details and some advice from Yakut on what Otere and Gabrielle needed to learn quickly.

It was almost sundown when the Greeks stepped back into the common area of the village. Xena stretched and looked around.

"Where's the kids? I want to spend some time with them," Xena said.

"You mean before we start preparing tomorrow?" Gabrielle asked, dreading the coming fight.

"Yeah, before we get wrapped up in this thing."

"Solan and Sasha are with the scouts at the training yard," Gabrielle answered, reaching out to hold Xena's hand and lead her warrior.

"Training yard?"

Gabrielle was delighted with Xena's stunned expression when the scouts spotted them and got Solan on his feet and a bow in his hand. Gabrielle halted Xena just short of the group as the Scouts set up the demonstration with the hay bale and Amazon sounding out the call for the young man.

Xena's face broke into a wide grin when the arrow hit dead center in the target.

Solan began blushing and grinning when he heard his mom's voice cheering and whistling off to one side. Sasha ran over to her mom's arms as the warrior and bard walked up to the beaming group.

"That was amazing, Solan," Xena commented, noticing all the Scouts looking pleased with their teaching and the praise from the warrior.

"Thanks, Mom. Might come in handy," he shrugged.

"I hadn't thought of archery," she muttered.

"They want to teach me to throw daggers next," he said proudly.

"Good," the proud mother grinned and hugged her son close and began thanking the scouts. Xena knew how hard it was for the young hunter to lose those skills when he lost his eyesight. This just might make up for it in a small part.

The next two days were spent preparing for battle on both sides. The Scouts reported that Alti's soldiers were seen heading for the main camp throughout the region and the Amazons spent hours training and preparing their weapons and bodies.

Gabrielle and Otere spent hours with Yakut and Xena, preparing their bodies, minds and spirits. Solan practiced his new skill and Sasha began learning both Germanic and the native Siberian language of the Amazons.

Xena wasn't surprised to find Gabrielle and the kids asleep when she entered the hut on their third night there. Gabrielle had spent the day learning trance working, dancing to induce trance and chanting in Siberian. Xena had split her day between helping Yakut teach Gabrielle and Otere and the rest of the day with the Amazon warriors, helping prepare them and their weapons for the fight against Alti. Everyone was tired and tense.

On the fourth morning, the day and night of the New Moon, Gabrielle and Otere left the village before dawn. Xena and Svetlana watched them go, both with worried looks on their faces.

"They'll be fine," Svetlana said simply.

"Yes, a simple hunting task," Xena agreed, still frowning.

Several candle-marks later both warriors breathed sighs of relief when they spotted the two would-be shamans entering the village, Gabrielle carrying the body of a freshly killed and gutted deer across her shoulders.

Both women had deer blood markings on their faces and hands. Xena noted the flash in both their eyes and nodded. The bard and Otere headed for the hut of the shaman, Yakut.

Xena turned to Svetlana. "The fighters start out just before dawn. Have Arja gather all the tribe, tonight we chant and dance Gabrielle and Otere to the spirit side."

The blond warrior nodded and dashed off.

"Gabrielle," Xena whispered. "I wish I could think of another way."

"Don't let go of me," Gabrielle has asked.

"No, never!" Xena had promised. Now the warrior watched worriedly as her bard lay on the ground, eyes staring at the pre-dawn sky but not seeing it.

Yakut placed a hand on Xena's shoulder and squeezed, trying to reassure the warrior.

"Kilpa will watch over them, we need to go," the shaman said softly.

Xena looked around slowly. A large number of Amazons waited near the end of the village, waiting for her and Svetlana to lead them into battle against Alti's soldiers. Another group of warriors sat around the three fires, waiting. Xena stood, she and Yakut approached Otere. Xena reached down and picked up the bowl of deer's blood while Yakut began chanting and the drummers picked up the beat. Otere took the bowl from Xena's hands.

Xena went to stand next to Solan and leaned towards his ear, whispering.

"They're going to invoke the sacred gods and goddess of the North. It is thought that Otere will be taking on the spirit of their sacred Warrior Goddess, the Virgin. A lot like our Artemis," she explained.

"O Virgin, unsheathe your mother's sacred sword. Take up the breastplate of your ancestors. Take up your powerful helmet. Bring forth your steed of black. Fly to the open field there where the great army with countless weapons is found." Yakut chanted. "O Virgin, cover me with your veil. Protect us against the power of the enemy, against sword and arrows, warriors and weapons, weapons of wood, of bone, of copper, and iron and steel."

"O Neitsi, utupp sinu ema puha mook. Votma ules seda rind talkdrik ara sinu ode. Votma ules sinu voimas kiiver. Tooma edasi sinu hobu must karbesel seda avameelne olema, seal seda suur armee gaarvutu relv be rajama. O Neitsi, katma mind sinuga loor. Kaitsma mind vastu seda voimas vaenlane, vastu mook ja nool, sõjamees ja relv, relv puit, kont, vask, ja raud, ja teras."

Solan frowned. "That isn't Germanic, that's their own language, isn't it?" he questioned.

"Yes," Xena whispered back. "Yakut is going to form the sacred circle that separates those inside the circle from the rest of the world. The circle helps protect those inside and creates a doorway to other realms and makes it easier for the gods and goddesses and such to interact with those in the circle."

Yakut went to the east of the circle the warriors and shamans had formed.

"Mother Earth, subdue every evil and unclean being so that he may not cast a spell on us or do any harm," she chanted as she poured out honey mead in offering. "Ema maa, alistama iga paha ja määrdunud olemine niisiis on sellega asjal tema mai ei heitma a haigush."

"Mother Earth, engulf the unclean power in your boiling pits, in your burning fires," she chanted as she poured out honey mead in offering. "Ema maa, ümbritsema seda määrdunud voimas sisse sinu keetmine kaevand, sisse sinu tuline tulekahju."

Then she moved to the south. "Mother Earth, calm the winds coming from the south and all bad weather. Calm the moving sands and whirlwinds." Again the offering of the mead.

Then she moved to the north. "Mother Earth, calm the north winds and the clouds, subdue the snowstorms and the cold." Again the offering of the mead.

Xena knelt down by Otere.

"Give us a candle-mark and then cross over. Gabrielle is in a light trance now, you'll find her waiting just at the twilight of the spirit realm and the physical one. You've practiced the pinch enough and know how to use it, don't be nervous."

"Count on me," Otere said firmly.

"We all are," Xena responded and stood up, nodding to Yakut and the shaman began walking towards the waiting warriors with the horses. "Yakut will go between the worlds when I get close to Alti's physical body. Watch for her."

Xena hugged Solan, "Take care of Sasha for me until we get back."

"Count on it," he said firmly.

Otere nodded and watched the warrior look down at her mate once more, her face pained.

"Gabrielle, if this doesn't work, you won't be trapped there alone," Otere heard Xena whisper and the warrior was moving towards the horses.

Otere sat waiting patiently.

Gabrielle knew that Xena had wanted her in the twilight before the others so the bard could adjust to the strangeness of the spirit realm. When she had accompanied Xena on the warrior's spirit journey, they hadn't taken much time to look around and hadn't fallen under the spell of the uniqueness of the place.

Time moved differently, Gabrielle learned, when it moved at all. Birds stopping in mid-flight, leaves suspended in air, sound trapped in nothingness. Nothing seemed "normal" any longer, colors shifted as they pleased.

Gabrielle spun one of the sais in her hand, its weight reassuring the bard. She knew that it would be useless against Alti but against the other Amazons trapped in this realm, the weapons should prove effective.

Gabrielle frowned, something she had neglected to ask Xena and Yakut. What happened if your spirit died in this realm? Gabrielle knew that if the spirit died in this realm then the living body on the physical realm died, but what happened to the spirit?

The bard knew what Xena and Yakut didn't want to think about, let alone talk about; the spirit died a sort of death and became a slave to Alti. Gabrielle realized why Xena was so distressed that it was the bard facing Alti on the spirit realm while Xena attempted to attack the physical body, if anything went wrong, Gabrielle's spirit would be captured by Alti as either a slave or be destroyed forever. After facing Alti before and standing beside Xena, Gabrielle knew that neither option by Alti's hands would be pleasant.

The bard stood up when Amazons started appearing around her on the ground. With surprised looks they began sitting up, rubbing their necks.

"Well, looks like Otere learned enough of the first part of the pinch, anyway," Gabrielle muttered, standing up from the rock she had been sitting on, totally focusing on the spirit realm, pulling the other sais from her boot sheath. Alti would sense the large disturbance on the spirit realm. The bard knew the spirit Amazons would be coming quickly.

"On your feet, defensive positions," she snapped as the Amazons helped their sisters to their feet. The coherent ones quickly moved into a circle around Gabrielle and the ones still waking up.

The bard smiled and felt her body and mind shifting into fighter mode as Otere appeared on the ground next to her. She reached down and helped the Amazon to her feet.

"Glad you could make it," Gabrielle, once known as Dancer the Gladiator, smiled, eyes darting around.

"Let's just hope we get back," Otere responded, pulling out her sword.

"We don't have a choice if we want any kind of future and I have a wife and kids to get back to," Gabrielle grinned. "You're the Scout, where will they come from and how do we fight them?"

"Xena suggested to out Amazon the Amazons," Otere said simply.

"The trees."

"Yes, Sisters - move! You know the plan!" Otere shouted and the group moved quickly towards the grey trees, away from the general direction they could sense Alti's power coming from.

Within minutes ropes were flying through trees, branches were being broken and sharpened. Each of the Amazons worked quickly and tried to avoid thinking too much. Gabrielle winced at the progress they were making, shaking her head. Otere landed on the branch next to the warrior bard.

"What is it?"

"We're planning on killing Sister Amazons the same way they were killed in the first place. This is madness," Gabrielle muttered.

"I know, we just have to keep reminding ourselves that it's necessary if we're going to defeat Alti and save their souls," Otere said grimly.

"Are the rest up to this? It's one thing to kill an enemy soldier, it's another to kill one of your ancestor sisters."

"They have to be," Otere stated.

"Who is the Goddess of your tribe?" Gabrielle asked.

"Pieve, she is the Sun."

Gabrielle smiled a small smile. "In the south the Sun is male and the moon is female."

"Here she is female. We also honor Metsola of the forests," Otere answered.

"Then say a prayer to them, I think the others are coming."

Xena gripped the reins of Argo tightly as she took in the approaching army in the valley below. Her band of Amazons were outnumbered and the soldiers below were wearing light armor while the Amazons wore their usual leathers. More of it than the Southern Amazons, but it was still leather. The women would be superior in movement and possibly fighting skill but not in protection.

"Svetlana, you know the plan. I'm going to take the first group in, let the leaders see me and then drop back. You bring in the two flanks in the pincer move while I work my way around and try to get to Alti's camp," the Amazon leader nodded and moved her horse off. Xena turned to Yakut. "Ready?"

"Yes, as soon as her camp is in sight I will find a place to trance out and try and help Gabrielle keep her occupied on the spirit realm," the shaman stated.

"Let's do it," Xena said grimly and raised her hand, signals traveling down the line of Amazons in the tree line above the valley. Xena's sharp eyes took in the soldiers, looking for the leaders and their battle plan.

With her famous war cry the former Warlord moved forward out of the tree line, letting the soldiers catch sight of her. Three lines of Amazon archers moved out of the tree line, the first line kneeling and firing while the next line fired over their heads. The first line dropped back while the second line knelt and the third line moved forward to shoot over their heads. A continual barrage of arrows met the front lines of the soldiers.

Xena's eyes narrowed as the screams began to fill the valley and shouts and confusion. The warrior had noted that the soldiers didn't have a large number of archers and she had the Amazons take advantage of their superior skill with the bow before signaling them to melt back into the trees as the soldiers tried to regroup and send their archers forward.

Xena grinned and turned Argo back into the trees as the soldiers sent a rain of arrows in their direction, almost uselessly.

The Amazon archers had moved into the trees, a very comfortable place for them to fight from, and began to pick off the soldier archers one by one.

Xena spotted the man who was obviously Alti's general, moving his horse back and forth behind the soldiers, shouting orders and waving his sword. The soldiers pulled close together, huddled behind their shields, as they began to advance toward the Amazon's positions in the trees.

Xena waited until the soldiers had reached the incline towards the trees and sent another signal along the lines of the Amazons. The warrior grinned as she watched the other General as he realized what was happening, too late to save most of the troops in the front of the advancing ranks.

The Amazons had quickly moved wagons onto the incline and set fire to the large loads of hay and then released the wagons. In moments the fire wagons had crashed into the front lines of the soldiers, again the valley was filled with screams of both men and horses. Most of the soldiers had seen what was coming but had nowhere to run, the ranks behind them pushing them forward, right into the fires.

The other General was shouting, his face bright red with anger.

Xena signaled again and moved out of the tree line and towards the front ranks with her famous war cry, several mounted Amazons following her.

The warrior felt the familiar blood rush as her sword began cutting through the resistance around her, Argo moving with her unspoken commands. Xena's eyes danced as soldier after soldier fell to her sword or Argo's hooves. A glance around told her that the mounted Amazons were also holding well in the confusion after the fire wagons.

Xena spotted the General shouting and trying to move his horse through the foot soldiers towards her. The warrior grinned and moved Argo back towards the front of the lines. The other Amazons followed her as the General regrouped his mounted soldiers, urging them forward.

Xena and the Amazons broke from the enemy's ranks and raced toward the tree line again with the cavalry enemy close behind. The warrior and Amazons sped by other Amazons coming out of the tree line.

Before the cavalry enemy knew what was happening, the Amazons on foot grabbed up long, sturdy spears and braced them against the ground. The men couldn't stop their horses in time.

Xena tried to drown out the screams of the horses and then the men as they fell.

By this point most of the foot soldiers were near the tree line and Xena saw Svetlana give a signal off on her far right.

The enemy soldiers stopped in their tracks as they heard Amazon war cries filling the valley from their left and right and from in front. Amazons poured down the valley wall from all three sides, flanking the soldiers and catching them off guard.

Xena spotted the General take in the situation and turn his horse, leaving the battlefield at a run.

The warrior's eyes narrowed and she urged Argo and her mounted Amazons to follow.

Gabrielle felt the branch under her snap and reached out desperately for the tree limbs unsuccessfully as she fell. The bard landed hard on the pine needles below, the wind knocked out of her, stunning her.

When the bard opened her eyes again, trying to get her lungs to fill with air again, she realized that Otere was standing over her, slashing at three Spirit Amazons. Gabrielle touched Otere's leg and the Amazon moved slightly and reached a hand down, helping the bard to her feet. The bard was amazed that, somehow, she had held onto her sais. Gabrielle shook her head to try and clear it and took up a position next to Otere, helping in the struggle against the three Spirit Amazons.

Two Spirit Amazons went down, one under Otere's sword and another to a well placed sai between her ribs. Gabrielle fought off the sorrow that tried to overwhelm her as she watched a sister fall to her hands. The other Spirit Amazon screamed in rage and went to the trees.

"How are we doing?" Gabrielle asked, holding her lower back.

"Better than I thought we would. We've almost defeated them all. Something is bothering me, though, I haven't seen Alti," Otere answered.

"Well, here I am, bitch," a voice carried to the two Amazons. Gabrielle felt a chill run over her spine. She knew that voice, she and Otere turned and saw Alti standing in a clearing with a Spirit Amazon.

"Alti," Gabrielle whispered.

"Well, Xena's little bitch, I'm impressed. Thought after the last meeting, you'd learn your lesson and keep out of my playground," Alti grinned.

"If I remember right, it was you who was screaming in frustration, just before you disappeared out of sight," Gabrielle grinned, sais at the ready.

"Yes," Alti hissed, anger flashing in her eyes.

Alti turned her head, taking in the figure of Otere moving slowly away from Gabrielle in a flanking move. With a gesture of her hand Alti sent the Amazon flying backwards into a tree. Otere shook her head as she regained her feet, watching Alti warily.

"Well, Gabrielle?" Alti asked.

"What?"

"How about Amazon Queen to Amazon Queen?" Alti purred, placing her arm around the Amazon Spirit warrior standing next to her. Gabrielle frowned, taking in the striking woman in front of her, the blond hair, cold blue eyes and bearing. The Amazon reminded Gabrielle of Xena, a lot.

"Cyane," the bard heard Otere whisper.

The legendary Amazon Queen of the Northern Amazons. The only warrior to ever beat her was Xena and she had also beaten Xena before that. The Amazon Queen moved a couple of feet in front of Alti, twirling her sword, just like Xena.

"You know I can't beat her," Gabrielle growled.

"Well, it's either that or this," Alti grinned and motioned with her hands and Gabrielle screamed, dropping her sais and grabbing her wrists. Going to her knees with the pain as the blood began flowing from wounds in her wrists again. Then she felt her lungs beginning to constrict, laboring to gain breath.

"Gabrielle!" Otere cried, rushing to the bard and standing over Gabrielle with her sword drawn, once again acting as a protector.

"Focus, have to focus!" Gabrielle hissed and narrowed her eyes, holding her wrists in front of her, steadying her breathing. After a moment, Otere saw Gabrielle's eyes go unfocused and the bleeding stopped and the bard's breathing returned to normal. After another moment, Gabrielle reached down and picked up her sais and stood up to face Alti and Cyane.

"I've played your game before, Alti," Gabrielle stated simply, eyes flashing with anger.

"Yes, but you haven't played with Cyane here. Cyane, this is Gabrielle, Queen of the Southern Amazons and lover to Xena, your murderer. Xena, the one who sent you here to do my bidding," Alti purred and Gabrielle felt a chill, she could see the hatred building in the mostly lifeless eyes of the Amazon Queen in front of her.

"We have to buy time for Xena," Gabrielle muttered, stepping in front of Otere.

"Wait, here," Otere said, stopping the bard and handing Gabrielle her sword. "Don't try and fight fair, Gabrielle. Cyane was deadly in battle."

"I was a gladiator, I never fought fair. There's no such thing," the bard muttered, taking the sword and handing one of the sais to Otere.

Gabrielle moved forward into the clearing to face a legend.

Xena yelled, urging Argo on as she kept the enemy General in sight, the rest of her small band of Amazons trying to keep up. At the edge of a small hill, Xena pulled Argo up and looked down at the encampment below as the General rushed into camp, shouting orders, sending the guards left behind scurrying.

The rest of the Amazons caught up with the warrior.

"Yakut, that main tent!" Xena pointed. "Alti should be in there, it's heavily guarded and large enough. Your turn!"

Yakut nodded and moved off a little ways with another Amazon and they both quickly dismounted. The other Amazon, Metsa, spread out a fur and Yakut quickly sat down cross-legged as Metsa handed her a flask. Arja pulled up on her horse and joined Yakut on the fur, watching the shaman closely.

Xena watched as the shaman began drinking from the flask and Metsa pulled a drum off her horse and began drumming and chanting behind the shaman.

Xena looked at Metsa. "Alti's General will try and wake her up, hope that Yakut, Gabrielle and Otere keep her busy in the spirit realm while we get to her."

The Amazon nodded as Xena and the others turned with a shout and rushed down the horses, screaming war cries.

"Keep them off balance!" Xena shouted.

Gabrielle's lower spine felt like it was on fire and she limped heavily from a deep gash in her left thigh. Her skills had kept her alive during several clashes with the other Amazon Queen and the bard could see Alti's eyes growing concerned and Cyane's growing angrier. Cyane rubbed her jaw where the handle of a sai had connected; only her quick reflexes had saved her from a broken jaw or having her head removed.

Gabrielle stumbled backwards and fell heavily.

Cyane's eyes flashed and she screamed a war cry as Otere cried out Gabrielle's name. Everyone could see that Gabrielle was moving too slowly to parry the sword strike with her sword.

Yakut stood up next to Otere and resisted screaming herself as she took in the sight of Gabrielle on the ground and a Spirit Amazon closing in for a killing strike with Alti looking on and grinning.

Xena growled with frustration. She had been pulled off Argo when she and the Amazons reached the edge of the camp and had gone under several fists, feet and sword butts. The Amazons with the warrior had been surprised when the group of soldiers were shaken off with a war cry and Xena stood in the middle of them, blood flowing from a cut above her eye and a slash on her sword arm.

Two of the Amazons rushed in to help and drew back at the look of fury in the warrior's eyes. Xena drew her chakram and sent it flying as she launched herself in the air, hitting two soldiers on either side of her with her feet and landing back in time to catch the chakram that had sliced through the throats of two other soldiers fighting with the Amazons.

Xena began carving a path towards the tent with the two Amazons following.

The warrior growled and slashed out with chakram and sword, hands moving too fast to follow. The guards were thick and wouldn't back off. Xena wasn't surprised with the desperation they fought with; the warrior could well imagine the punishment they would receive if they displeased Alti. They weren't only fighting for their lives, they were fighting for their souls, just like the Amazons.

That made everyone dangerous and unpredictable.

Xena took out three more soldiers and felt a hot pain at her side and struck backwards with her sword, impaling a soldier behind her. The warrior looked down and grabbed at the wound, blood flowing freely around her hand.

Before she could really take it in, the warrior was fighting again, ignoring the pain and the flowing blood.

Gabrielle growled and turned slightly on the ground, taking the sword strike along her ribs and curled around the sword, twisting her sai around the blade and yanking hard, putting her weight behind it.

Cyane looked stunned when her sword snapped, never having seen a sword-breaker designed weapon before.

Gabrielle rolled back and flipped herself up into a crouch, bringing her sword up into Cyane's ribs before the other Amazon could react to the broken sword.

"No!" Alti screamed as Cyane went to her knees, looking at the sword sticking through her body and the broken one in her hand.

Gabrielle felt tears streaming down her face as the life left Cyane's spirit body and the warrior fell onto her side, curling around Gabrielle's sword.

The bard growled and spun her sai at Alti, hoping to catch the evil magician off guard but the shaman merely gestured with her hand and the sai stopped in midair and then turned towards Gabrielle.

"Uh oh," the bard muttered, attempting to scramble to her feet.

Otere screamed in frustration and rage again when Gabrielle stumbled back, clutching at the sai buried under her ribs. The bard fell back to the ground and growled when she pulled her weapon out, facing Alti.

"Xena's taste in playthings has improved over the years. I am impressed!" Alti grinned. "Let's see how you handle you own demons."

"Been there, done that, remember?" Gabrielle muttered, trying to get to her feet.

"You merely faced the knowledge, not the actual power. Come to me on the dark side, my little one!" Alti began chanting and motioning with her hands and Gabrielle's body jerked as if hit by a physical blow.

Otere and Yakut watched in horror as Gabrielle's head was thrown back and her eyes closed, muscles twitching.

"What is she doing!" Otere demanded.

"I don't know! Distract her! Keep her busy, Xena is fighting her way to the tent," Yakut said and disappeared.

Otere gave a whistle and one of her Amazons dropped out of the trees next to her. "Quick! Arrows!" the Amazon ordered and the Amazon fighter quickly drew several arrows out and began sending them at Alti.

The evil shaman merely looked in their direction and each arrow launched burned in midair. The shaman kept her attention and chanting directed towards Gabrielle.

Otere cursed and began running towards the bard.

Xena was stunned, she and the handful of Amazons fighting beside her were actually being driven back through the camp. Several of their ranks had fallen and the soldiers were fighting back with a fury that had taken the Amazons by surprise.

The warrior glanced back up the hill and saw Metsa watching the battle. The Amazon didn't send any signals. That meant Alti was still occupied in the spirit realm.

Gabrielle collapsed just as Otere reached her. The Amazon drew the bard into her arms, quickly checking for a pulse as Alti's laugh reached her.

"She's mine, Amazon!" Alti laughed.

Otere found herself scrambling backwards as Gabrielle opened her eyes. The Northern Amazon found herself looking into yellow eyes lined with red and a bard with very long canines as Gabrielle sat up.

"Oh Pieve, save us," Otere whispered. "Vampiir!"

Yakut appeared next to several Amazons at the tree line as they took in the sight of the bard rising to her feet, yellow eyes shining brightly with hunger.

"Mielikki, preserve us!" Yakut whispered. "Gabrielle, fight it! Fight back!" she screamed. "Sisters, surround her but don't hurt her!"

Yakut disappeared.

Xena and the Amazons had rallied and were beginning to push through again. The warrior glanced up and saw Matsa standing and helping Yakut to her feet. The Amazon shaman turned, spotted Xena and gave a series of hand signals.

"No!" Xena whispered, turning in time to slash another soldier across the chest. "We've got to hurry!" Xena shouted, sending out a war cry and fighting back with a renewed sense of desperation.

The hand signals told the warrior that her bard was in trouble in the spirit realm and Alti was winning.

Yakut turned to Matsa and Arja.

"Gabrielle has been cursed by the vereimeja, the vampiir. If we don't break the hold Alti has on her, we could lose her," Yakut explained.

"Its keeping Alti distracted and in the spirit realm, can we sacrifice Gabrielle for that?" Matsa asked.

Arja frowned. "Alti might just leave the spirit realm if she thinks we'll be distracted by Gabrielle becoming a vampiir. We must find a way to break the hold and keep Alti frustrated and off balance there."

"How? We can't hurt Gabrielle and I don't think of any of us can reach her?" Yakut asked.

"I don't know, we have to find a way to keep her soul safe!"

Otere and the other Amazons kept Gabrielle surrounded with spears and swords, not letting the bard get close to any of them or letting her break free from their circle.

Alti continued to laugh.

"I could kill you all with just a flick of my wrists!" she taunted. "I could release her and she'd rip your throats out! One taste of unwilling blood in this realm and she's mine! Only blood can break it and only blood can seal it!"

Otere cursed over her shoulder at the shaman. "Is it true that your mother mated with a paha vaim, a demon?" she spat.

Otere turned with a muttered curse and sent her sword hilt along side Gabrielle's head as the bard got too close. Gabrielle merely shook her head, yellow eyes glaring and fangs snapping.

Yakut turned from the scene and disappeared again.

Otere began cursing loudly when Alti also disappeared.

Xena flipped over the heads of several soldiers and rolled under the material of one of the tents, disappearing out of sight. The warrior gained her feet and waited to see if anyone followed and grinned when they didn't. She quickly went to the back of the tent and slit the material open with her sword and began working her way to the main tent, away from the fighting.

The warrior stopped outside, her ears picking up the sounds inside.

"Come on, damnit!" the warrior heard a male voice demanding. "Wake up already!"

"What is it? Merrick?" Alti's dazed voice demanded.

"Xena! A handful of Amazons and Xena are fighting their way here!" he shouted.

"Then keep them busy!" Alti snapped. "I'm busy elsewhere. By the end of the day I'll have enough Amazon souls to destroy, releasing enough power to blast the entire country to bits if I wish! You want to know the best of it?" Xena's eyes narrowed as Alti giggled. "I've got Xena's pet on our side. The Amazons will be forced to kill her or she'll kill them. Either way, I've got them all! Xena won't be able to live without her bitch and then I'll have her as well!"

Xena felt her heart skip a beat. What could Alti mean, that Gabrielle was on Alti's side? Gabrielle could never give into the darkness that was Xena's weakness.

"No," Xena whispered, remembering Gabrielle's fears.

"Now, go and keep them busy. I just need a little longer and Xena's bitch will be mine totally and then I'll deal with Xena out here," Alti ordered and Xena slipped into the shadows.

Xena growled, waiting for Alti to slip back into a trance state.

Yakut tried to sit up and fell back onto the fur. She looked up into Arja's eyes.

"Gabrielle is vampiir and Alti isn't going to be held long. Alti said the first unwilling blood she takes will seal her fate," Yakut whispered.

"None of our Amazons can die like that! Their souls would be lost!" Matsa muttered.

"I know, if your soul dies to a vampiir you wander the land as a ghost spirit for eternity," Yakut muttered.

"What would Alti do if the spell on Gabrielle was broken?" Arja questioned.

"Go insane, she wants to use Gabrielle against Xena," Yakut whispered, trying to regain her strength. Going back and forth between the worlds was taking its toll on the shaman.

"It would keep her distracted," Arja commented.

"Yes, my Queen," Yakut agreed.

"Then a sacrifice is needed," Arja said simply.

"What?" Yakut sat up suddenly, her eyes growing wide with horror as her Queen pulled out her dagger.

"No!" Matsa cried out and started to move towards the Queen. Arja held her hand up in a stopping motion.

"As Queen, this is my place. If we fail here then my soul is already lost to Alti. I give my right of succession to Otere."

Before either Amazon could act the Queen slit long furrows up her inner arms and began chanting.

"No!" Yakut cried, attempting to grab her Queen's arms. Arja grabbed the shamans weakened arms.

"Yes, this is my duty to my tribe and maybe our only chance. Get back there and guide me ove,." Arja ordered.

"Yes, my Queen," Yakut said softly.

Alti grinned at the sight of the Amazons trying to keep a vampire bard captive without hurting her and without getting hurt. Two Amazons were sitting nearby, nursing broken arms and the others were getting tired.

"What's wrong, Amazons? You know you'll have to kill her eventually," Alti taunted.

Otere was stunned to see Yakut reappear with Arja by her side. On the spirit side Arja's legs were no longer crippled and she walked confidently towards the small group of Amazons.

"Oh goody!" Alti cried, "more playmates!"

Arja ignored the shaman and walked up to Otere, watching Gabrielle closely as the young woman growled, baring her fangs, her body bleeding from several wounds and cuts.

"We can't keep this up, my Queen," Otere muttered.

"I know. I order you not to interfere," Arja stated simply.

Otere frowned, as did the other Amazons.

Before Alti could question the change in attitudes, Yakut surprised the shaman with an energy bolt that blindsided the evil shaman. Alti turned with a growl, releasing her own energy bolt, sending the Amazon flying backwards.

Yakut shook her head, getting to her knees. She released another energy bolt, causing Alti to growl in frustration.

Arja took advantage of the warfare behind her and Alti's distraction to step forward into the circle of Amazons to face Gabrielle.

"Sisters, to break the hold on Gabrielle, willing blood must be shed. Do not interfere," The Queen stated and grabbed Gabrielle's hands in hers with surprising strength, forcing the bard to her knees. Arja went to her knees, focusing all of her will into holding Gabrielle's eyes.

"Gabrielle, I know part of you can hear me! Alti doesn't have all of you yet. I am Queen of the Northern Region Amazons and I offer myself for my tribe," Arja said softly, slowly releasing one of Gabrielle's hands.

The bard cocked her head slightly, a curious expression on her face, her body tense, ready to spring.

Arja pulled out her dagger slowly and raised her hand, the one holding Gabrielle's hand. Keeping Gabrielle's focus with her eyes, the Queen opened her hand enough to slide the dagger between the palms of the two women, one Amazon and one vampire.

Gabrielle growled and attempted to pull away when Arja pulled the dagger down, slicing open both their hands. Arja surprised everyone by quickly pulling Gabrielle into her body, holding her other hand tightly against Gabrielle's.

The bard responded by sinking her fangs into the Queen's neck, taking the other woman over onto her back.

"Stay back!" Otere cried out as the Amazons started to rush forward.

"What!" Alti suddenly screamed and Otere turned to find the shaman looking at Gabrielle and Arja, rage filling her face.

Otere saw Arja's body go limp and Gabrielle fall away from the Queen. Otere knelt down beside the bard and pulled the woman into her arms. Gabrielle opened her eyes and Otere glared at Alti in triumph when she saw green eyes instead of yellow.

"She's not yours!" Otere shouted.

Alti screamed and raised her hands, her face a murderous rage. Otere closed her eyes and twisted to shield Gabrielle as best she could. She could feel the other Amazons crowding around them as well.

"Alti! Open your eyes, bitch!"

The shaman snapped her eyes open and yelped at the sight of the manic blue eyes staring down at her, with Xena's sword raised above her.

"Xena!" Alti managed to cry out as the sword fell and impaled her through the chest.

Xena fell off the shaman as the woman struggled around the sword pinning her to the furs under her. The warrior drew a dagger from her belt and grabbed up a bowl. She nodded at the terror she saw in Alti's eyes. Xena grabbed one of the shaman's wrists and sliced it open and let the blood pour into the bowl.

"I'm going to let Yakut seal your soul with your blood, Alti. We're going to seal your soul forever in the Land of the Dead, just like you did to the Amazons," Xena muttered.

"You won't win every time, Xena," Alti whispered.

"Don't bet on it," Xena growled and watched the light fade from Alti's eyes.

The warrior got to her feet slowly and looked at the sword sticking out of the shaman's body.

"Glad I didn't use mine on you, witch. You'd probably melt the damned blade," she muttered and walked into the sunshine, watching with detached interest at the last of the fighting between the Amazons and the few remaining guards. The main force of the Amazons having caught up with the small band and finishing off the camp guards.

Svetlana ran up to the warrior and grabbed Xena as the warrior stumbled. The Amazon's practiced eyes quickly took in the blood flowing down Xena's leg and how much there was. She quickly lowered the warrior to the ground and ripped a tunic from a fallen enemy soldier and wadded it up against the wound.

"You've lost a lot of blood, Xena," the Amazon frowned.

Xena merely nodded. "Alti's dead, have Yakut use the blood," she whispered.

"Yes," Svetlana nodded, holding the makeshift bandage tight. She looked around at the warriors finishing up the fighting and tending to their wounded. "Make stretchers for the wounded. I need help here, Xena is wounded! Also, make a stretcher for Alti's body! Yakut and Arja will want to bury her with special rituals," she ordered.

"Gabrielle!" Xena attempted to sit up and was restrained by Svetlana's strong hands.

"You won't know anything until we get back to the village, so rest until we get you a stretcher," the Amazon scout ordered.

"Yakut, Yakut will know, find her!" Xena hissed.

"You won't rest until you know, will you? Linna! Hold this bandage in place, don't let her move!" Svetlana ordered and quickly mounted a horse, heading for the small hill overlooking the camp.

"Goddess, no!" the Scout whispered as she slowly dismounted, taking in the scene of Yakut and Matsa sitting next to the very still body of their Queen. Matsa was rocking back and forth and Yakut had tears streaming down her face. The shaman looked up at Svetlana.

"Alti?" she asked.

"Dead at Xena's hands. Xena is wounded badly and asking for Gabrielle," Svetlana said softly, going to her knees beside her Queen. Her eyebrows furrowing in puzzlement at the blood and the wounds on the Queen.

"We'll explain later. Tell Xena that Gabrielle lives and is in the village waiting. Take me to Alti and then see to your Queen," Yakut ordered, standing to follow the Scout back to the camp.

Xena opened her eyes and attempted to sit up quickly, only to be restrained by Yakut's hands on her shoulders. The shaman pushed the warrior back down on the furs and then applied a cool cloth to the warrior's forehead.

"Gabrielle!" Xena whispered, surprised at the harshness of her voice. Yakut reached over and held a cup of water to Xena's lips.

"She lives, Xena," Yakut answered.

"Where is she?" Xena demanded, her eyes narrowing at Yakut's pained face.

"Let me tell you what happened in the other battle," Yakut said simply and sat down next to the furs.

Xena closed her eyes and listened as Yakut told the warrior of the battle in the Spirit realm. Of what Otere had told them all about the battle, about Gabrielle fighting Atli's influence and tricks, about Xena's bard facing Cyane alone. Xena's hands clenched at the furs under her at the description of the battle between the legendary warrior and her mate. A fierce grin coming over her face when Yakut described Gabrielle managing to defeat Cyane in battle. Then Xena's hands began to shake as Yakut described Alti's spell over Gabrielle, bringing her bacchae blood to the surface.

Tears escaped from the warrior's closed eyes as Yakut described Arja's sacrifice and how she broke the control Alti had over Gabrielle.

"What happened to her?" Xena asked.

"When we got back I found her withdrawn into herself, curled up. Otere said that when they came out of the trance Gabrielle screamed and curled up. She won't come out of it, even when I told her you were in the village and wounded," Yakut said.

Xena frowned. She didn't think even Cerebus or Hades could keep Gabrielle from her side if the bard knew the warrior was wounded.

Yakut nodded, sensing Xena's thoughts. "I thought that would bring her running, forgetting her own pain but it didn't."

Yakut hesitated, "Alti's curse, it wasn't just a random thing, was it?"

"What do you mean?" Xena asked, taking another drink of the water.

"It was already there, wasn't it? Gabrielle is part vampiir already."

Xena's eyes closed again. "If a vampiir is like our bacchae, then the answer is yes. Several seasons ago we went up against Bacchus, our god of wine and bacchae. Women who are bitten by other bacchae, once they drink some of Bacchus' blood, they turn into full bacchae and are his totally, mind and soul. They live forever, feeding on the blood of others and Gabrielle was turned. We thought we had defeated Bacchus before she drank his blood but she tasted a few drops without us realizing it. She has a bit of bacchae in her," Xena tried to explain.

"Our vampiir are the dead who have been cursed to roam the night seeking the blood of others until they die and turn into vampiir too," Yakut explained.

"Almost the same," Xena commented. "How long have I been out?"

"Two days, we thought those wounds would kill you but you are recovering at a remarkable rate! You have surprised our healers."

"Left over from being one of the gods' favorites," Xena shrugged. "Help me up, I've got to see Gabrielle."

"Arja sacrificed herself to save Gabrielle and our tribe and Gabrielle can't handle it. It was difficult enough for all of us to fight our ancestor Amazons but to take Arja's life pushed Gabrielle over, especially the way it happened."

"I know, it's been a fear of hers, that she'd lose control over the bacchae craving and hurt me. She's such a gentle soul, Yakut," Xena brushed away tears as she sat up slowly. "Even as a gladiator in the Games of Rome, the killing made her sick. To be responsible for Arja, I don't know what to do for her."

"I don't either, Xena. Arja knew what she was doing and did it willing but I don't think that'll be much comfort to your mate right now," Yakut grumbled.

"Help me," Xena asked and the shaman helped the warrior to her feet slowly and held her steady while Xena tried to regain her sense of balance.

As they walked towards the guest hut, Yakut turned her head to Xena.

"Why didn't the Berserker show?"

"The Berserker was one of Alti's soldiers being guided by her loyly, her spirit. She was too busy fighting on the spirit realm to send her spirit into a warrior. We managed to keep her from using that talent," Xena smiled a grim smile.

The warrior felt her heart breaking as she entered the guest hut, taking in the sight of her son and daughter sitting next to Gabrielle's sleeping furs, talking to the bard and holding her hand.

Xena could tell that the Amazons had taken good care of her mate while Xena had been unconscious. The bard was bandaged and clean and an Amazon sat just inside the hut, conscious of any of the bard's needs.

"Solan," Xena said softly and walked slowly to the sleeping area and knelt down next to the bard, reaching out to touch her son's shoulder and hug her daughter gently.

"Mom, glad you're up. They said you were starting to wake up earlier," he said softly.

"How is she?" Xena asked, looking down at her bard.

Gabrielle appeared to be asleep with her eyes open slightly. Curled almost into a fetal position, hand drawn up under her chin, the other in Solan's hands.

Xena brushed a lock of hair from the bard's eyes and got no reaction. Xena looked up at Yakut.

"I don't know how to reach her, Xena," Yakut answered.

"Come on, Gabrielle, come back to me," Xena said softly. After a few minutes Xena frowned and turned to Yakut.

"Can you put Solan and Sasha up in another hut for a couple of days?" she asked.

"What's up, Mom?" Solan asked, taking Sasha from her mom's lap and hugging the little one as she watched her mom and Gabby mum.

"I need some time with Gabrielle and it might get a little rough. I know we haven't spent a lot of time with you two..."

"It's all right, Mom. You're the only one who can reach her and we want her back. We want Gabby mom not to be sick anymore, don't we, Sasha?"

Sasha nodded enthusiastically, bringing a smile to the warrior.

"Thanks. Yakut, for a little while just have food and fresh bandages left outside the door, okay?"

"Yes, anything you need."

Xena turned back to her mate as everyone began clearing out of the hut.

"Yakut," the warrior suddenly called out, stopping the shaman at the door. "I learned a word stronger than your sacred word. Give it to your Amazons on the spirit side and they'll be able to cross now that Alti is defeated."

"The word of our Amazons is 'courage,' Xena. Can there be a stronger word for Amazons?" Yakut questioned.

"Yes," the warrior smiled, stroking Gabrielle's hair softly. "The word is 'love.'"

Yakut nodded, her eyes dancing. If Xena was right, then the trapped Spirit Amazons would be freed.

Xena turned her attention to Gabrielle.

"Okay, little one, time to come back to me or take me with you," Xena growled.

Yakut had taken up a position just outside the guest hut and spent hours listening and chanting.

Well into the first night, Otere approached the shaman slowly.

"How goes it?" the new Queen asked.

"I don't know. I'm hoping that the gods show a blessing on those two."

"They've been through enough," Otere shook her head. "You should have seen her facing Cyane. I'm not sure I could have done that. Doesn't she realize that Arja knew what she was doing?" Otere frowned.

"No, Gabrielle is trapped in the memories of the blood. She took another Amazon's life by draining her blood. Even if it was on the spirit plane, it was a death and she can't handle that about herself," Yakut responded.

"She's killed before," Otere continued to frown.

"Yes, only when necessary, usually to save others and herself only as a last resort. To willingly take a life because of a her craving for blood is too much."

"Where has her haltija, her spirit, gone?"

"I don't know, I can't follow it. She's either so far into her own mind that she can't find her way out or her spirit has fled, maybe even snapping the cord holding it to her physical body."

Otere shivered at the thought. The body would live for awhile but would be soul-less, empty. The soul would wander throughout the different realms, never finding peace and never finding its way back to her soul mate.

"I've seen victims of extreme trauma snap like this," Otere muttered. "Sometimes they don't come back."

"I know."

The second evening sent Yakut jumping to her feet, eyes wide with surprise as another scream ripped from the guest hut. Several Amazons came running from all directions as the screams turned into howls of anguish.

Otere ran up and quickly put her arm across the door, barring the way.

"Those screams! We should see!" one of the Amazons insisted.

"No, we need to trust Xena," Otere insisted.

Several women grumbled but eventually everyone moved onto their normal routine as Otere and Yakut sat down outside the hut, keeping an eye on everyone and listening closely at the hut door.

The howls subsided into sobs and both women hoped that was a good sign, either Xena was getting through to the bard or Gabrielle had passed over totally, leaving her warrior behind.

Yakut began praying and chanting softly.

It was the morning of the third day when the door opened more than just a crack to reach for food or bandages. This time the door opened totally and Yakut quickly moved to her feet, facing a very exhausted looking Xena.

The warrior smiled slightly. "We'll be okay," she said simply.

With a smile Yakut quickly uttered a prayer. "How can we help?"

"Help me get her to the bath hut, both our bodies are stiff as boards," Xena suggested.

Otere trotted over upon seeing the open door and quickly offered her help. Together the new Queen and shaman managed to help the wounded warrior and bard to the bathing hut.

Yakut and Otere both noticed how pale Gabrielle was and that she wouldn't meet their eyes yet. Xena just shrugged.

Both of the Amazons were just grateful that the bard was up and moving.

Gabrielle moaned as Xena helped her into the warm water. Most of the wounds had already healed over into light scars and the massive wounds along the bard's thigh and ribs were closed over. Xena's wounds also matched her bards in rapid healing. There were definite benefits in being the children of gods, Xena reflected.

Gabrielle began to softly cry as she leaned back in Xena's arms in the water.

"Shhh, it's all right, little one," Xena said softly, holding her mate close, stroking her hair.

"I can't face them!" Gabrielle whispered between her sobs.

"Yes, you can. No one blames you for anything."

"I killed Arja! I killed their Queen!" Gabrielle protested, struggling in Xena's arms but the warrior held firm.

"And I killed Cyane and their leaders and they're willing to forgive that. Arja knew what she was doing when she cut her hand and offered you her connection and her blood. She figured out that a willing sacrifice would break Alti's hold on you," Xena said, once again going over it with the bard. After two days and nights, Xena was tired and mentally drained. It had taken all of her focus to get Gabrielle to work her way back out of the self-induced catatonic state. Hours spent talking, yelling, pleading and crying.

They had been over Arja's sacrifice but Gabrielle couldn't get past blaming herself.

"Look," Xena said firmly, turning the bard around to face her. "We've been through a lot in a very short time and we've gotten through it. We'll get through this."

Gabrielle's head dropped and then after a moment she raised her eyes to meet Xena's.

"All right," she said simply.

Xena drew her into a hug. "Don't leave me like that again!" Xena whispered. "I couldn't follow you!"

"I love you, I'll always come back to you," Gabrielle promised.

"Besides, little one, the tribe wants to welcome Sasha and Solan as members of the tribe, you too."

Gabrielle shivered again. "They can't want me after killing their Queen," she whispered.

"Gabrielle!" Xena snapped, catching the bard's eyes. "You fought Cyane, you risked your life and soul for them and they know that. They also understand that Arja sacrificed herself willingly to save them. They know the risks you took and the pain you went through."

Xena caught a flash in the bard's green eyes as Gabrielle stiffened and frowned.

"What is it?" Xena asked.

"I'm getting tired of dealing with that damned Bacchus thing!" the bard snapped.

"I have a feeling that we're not done with it yet, little one," Xena smiled a tired smile.

Gabrielle sighed and curled back into Xena's arms.

"I know, me too," she whispered.


	14. 14 Amazon Darkness

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** less than a typical TV episode.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Xena, Gabrielle, Solan and Sasha are with the Northern Amazons for the winter when things get complicated.

* * *

The Amazon Shaman moved around the circle of dancers and drummers slowly, chanting and moving to the beat of the drums. Behind her was the Shaman apprentice, Ulrike, carrying the bowls of sacred ingredients.

Xena leaned over and whispered to her son, Solan, describing their surroundings and the actions to the blind teenager.

"Yakut is in traditional Shaman clothes," she whispered as they sat outside the circle. "Leather headdress with beads, feathers, fur and shortened antlers. Her clothing is buckskin, fringed with fur and beads. Her face is streaked with paint, one side is the design of the sacred spiral of life and their Earth Goddess, and the other side is stripes, indicating the claws and their connection to nature."

Solan nodded, quietly swaying with the drumbeat.

"She's carrying a staff with intricate carvings, fur covering, beads, feathers and topped with a large crystal," Xena continued. "Behind her is her apprentice Ulrika carrying wooden bowls of something."

Xena found herself swaying to the intoxicating beat as well.

Yakut moved to the outside of the northern part the circle of dancing and sitting Amazons and raised her arms to the sky in invocation.

"Yakut is invoking the spirits of the Air to join the ritual and protect those here," Xena whispered.

Ulrike moved forward with a bowl of burning incense and waved the smoke about and followed Yakut to the East, then the South, the West and finally back to the North. "Her apprentice offered smoke from incense to the Air Spirits." Xena whispered.

Yakut raised her arms again in invocation and Ulrike poured fresh spring water on the ground. "Now they're invoking the Water Spirits and offering fresh water." Once more the circle was completed.

The Shaman again invoked in a loud and firm voice and Ulrike followed with an offering of honey mead to the earth. "Invoking the Earth spirits and offering mead." Xena explained as the Shaman and apprentice completed another circle.

The final invocation and offering included a ritualistic dance with two torches woven in a complicated pattern and the circle was formed once again. "To the Fire Spirits, with torches."

Yakut moved to the altar to the north of the fire pit and the drumming grew calmer and the chanting grew silent. Otere, the new Amazon Queen, moved forward from the crowd to stand next to the shaman and turned to face her Amazons.

"My Sisters," she began, "Tonight we welcome new members into our tribe and celebrate!"

The Amazons cheered loudly and Xena felt herself grinning and saw Solan was doing likewise.

Yakut raised her arms and head to the sky.

"Taevataat, god of wisdom and life, be with us!

Ukko, God of Thunder; Akko, goddess of life, be with us!

Raunni, goddess of the woods, Paiva of the Sun, Kuu of the Moon, be with us!

The Great Bear Otava, Ilma of the air, Luonnota the sacred mother of Vainamoinen, be with us!

The daughter of the Moon, Kuuta; Daughter of the Sun, Paivatar, be with us!

Aske, god of the moon, Pellervoinen of the fields and plants, be with us now!

Metsola of the forests, Mehilainen, bee of messages; be with us!

Forest family: Tapio the father, Mielikki the mother, Nyrrikki the son, Tuulikki the daughter, be with us!

The water family: Ahti the god, Vellamo his wife, Vetehinen and Tursas the daughters, and the Veden Haltia, the water spirits. Turn your evil away from us and bless us with your good!

Metsola, protect us from Lempo, Paha and Hiisi!

Earth Mother, protect us, bless us and join us!"

Solan leaned closer to his mom. "They invoke male deities too?" he questioned.

"Yes, they see their deities as closer to each other and to the land and the people than the Greeks. You'll notice they don't have a god of Justice or Victory but more along the lines of many nature deities and they don't have as much reluctance in dealing with male spirits." Xena whispered.

"Maybe their male gods don't go around acting like male jerks," Solan suggested with a grin and bit his lip to keep from laughing as Xena lightly shoved him playfully.

The Amazons took up the chant to the deities of the Northerners and the drumbeat increased in speed and loudness. The dancers took up a frenzied dance as Yakut watched and judged the raising of the energy. Xena and Solan could both feel the energy flowing from the circle, their own breath and pulse increasing.

At a signal from Yakut the dancers dropped to their hands and knees, the drummers and chanters stopped cold. It almost felt like a physical blow to the warrior and her son.

After a moment, Otere raised her head and nodded to the shadows outside the circle.

Xena turned and saw a blindfolded and bound figure being led to the circle by two Amazon warriors with drawn swords. The Warrior Princess felt her heart skip a beat as she caught sight of the figure. Xena knew it was part of the ritual of the Northern Amazons for the binding of the initiate but it still made the warrior nervous to see her mate like that.

Gabrielle also looked stunning. The Amazon Queen was dressed in white leathers, designed much like her wedding tunic and the leathers were of soft deerskin and hugged the bard's body nicely and was sleeveless, revealing the warrior bard's well-developed arms. Instead of Gabrielle's usual boots with sais sheathed alongside, tonight she was wearing white deerskin boots without the sais. Xena also knew that the bard wasn't wearing her knife either.

The only adornment on her mate was the twisted metal of gold and silver at her wrist, her bracelet symbolizing her bonding to the warrior. Xena had a matching one on her wrist, usually tucked under her bracer.

Xena frowned slightly when two other warriors approached her and Solan. She stood up, her face questioning.

"We're the escorts for you and the boy when it's over," one explained softly and the warrior nodded and sat back down on the log.

She leaned over to Solan and described how Gabrielle looked and about the two Amazons who had joined them.

"Still say you should be invited too!" Solan hissed quietly.

"No, I'll probably never be invited to join the tribe and you know it," Xena explained. "They've forgiven me for the murders all those years ago but it doesn't erase what I did."

"You and Gabrielle both fought Alti to fix that," Solan insisted.

"Yes, that's why they've forgiven me my crime and are honoring Gabrielle tonight. It's alright, Solan, really," Xena insisted.

"Still..."

"No, I understand it and accept it," Xena said firmly. "I'm very glad that you and Sasha have been formally adopted as Gabrielle's children and are acknowledged by the tribe."

The Amazons led Gabrielle to the edge of the circle where Queen Otere faced them. Xena's pulse quickened as the Queen raised a sword to the base of Gabrielle's throat. Xena could see Gabrielle raise her head slightly, feeling the point of the blade.

"Gabrielle of Greece, you have been invited to join this tribe. You are an Amazon Queen and our Sister, will you join with us?" Otere asked loud enough for everyone to hear.

Xena held her breath. The debate over the last two weeks had been endless concerning her bard's status in the village.

It had only been three weeks since the Greek family had traveled to the colder northern climate to visit the Northern Amazons. There had been two goals in mind for the family of Xena and Gabrielle, to make amends for what Xena had done to the tribe many years ago and for Sasha to be recognized as Gabrielle's adopted daughter and accepted into the tribe. The tribe had readily agreed to the second goal, welcoming Sasha as Gabrielle's adopted daughter and even accepting Xena as the Amazon Queen's Consort.

The difficult part had been the first goal. Many summer seasons before had seen the army of Xena and Borias in the area and Xena intent on conquering everything in sight, including the Amazons. The Warlord met someone even more ambitious than she was, Alti. The evil shaman had shown Xena the power of darkness and used Xena to gain even more by persuading the warrior to slaughter the Amazon Queen and most of the Amazon leaders in a most brutal manner.

Xena and Gabrielle had gone to the Northern Amazons ready to face Xena's past and make amends, whatever that meant. What had shocked the two women was finding out that Alti had captured the souls of the Amazons Xena had killed and held them prisoner in the Land of the Dead, not allowing them to move onto the Isle of the Dead. The evil magician used their never-ending energy to fuel her dark magics.

Xena and Gabrielle joined with the Amazons to defeat Alti, hopefully for once and for all. It had been a difficult fight and difficult choices had been made. The plan had been for Gabrielle to lead several Amazon warriors in the Spirit Realm against Alti and the tortured Spirit Amazons while Xena and the main Amazon warriors fought their way through Alti's physical troops. Xena planned on killing Alti's body while Gabrielle kept the Shaman's spirit occupied in the Spirit Realm.

It had been a good plan until Alti used Gabrielle's dark bacchae influence to surface, turning the bard into a full bacchae in the Spirit Realm. To break the spell, the Queen of the Amazons, Arja, had willingly sacrificed herself to Gabrielle's fangs.

The distraction had been long enough for Xena to fight her way to Alti's tent and slay the evil shaman, but only after fierce fighting and taking several serious sword wounds.

When Xena had regained consciousness she found Gabrielle catatonic from the shock of killing the Northern Amazon Queen. It had taken Xena over two days to bring the bard out of it.

Then the debate had begun, the tribe still wanted to invite Gabrielle in as a full member of the tribe and as royalty. Gabrielle protested she wasn't worthy after killing their Queen, even if Arja had intentionally sacrificed herself. Otere, the new Queen, Yakut, and the Elders had all protested that it hadn't been Gabrielle's fault, that the bard was as much a victim of Alti as Arja was, but Gabrielle had been stubborn.

Finally, the Elders had won the argument by pointing out that Gabrielle had to be accepted into the tribe before Sasha could be accepted. Wanting the status for Sasha, Gabrielle had finally agreed but Xena knew that the bard still didn't think it was right and was still feeling guilty about the death.

Now was the moment of decision for the bard and Xena held her breath and could feel the tension all around her. Every Amazon in the tribe knew how Gabrielle felt about the killing and her acceptance of it.

"I would join with my Sisters of the North," Gabrielle answered firmly.

Xena felt her body relax as she began to breath again. She felt Solan's hand reach out for hers and squeeze it encouragingly.

Yakut moved forward and walked behind the bard and cut her bounds.

"To join us, you must enter this circle that represents the never ending cycle of life, with a pure heart and with love for your tribe. Let there be no doubt of your commitment to this tribe. If there is doubt in your heart or soul, if you look there and find that you could not bring yourself to die for your Sisters, then fall forward on this sword or walk away. You are free to choose." Otere challenged the young woman.

"I would gladly give my life for my Sisters of all the tribes." Gabrielle answered, holding her place.

Otere sheathed her sword and stepped back. Yakut gently guided Gabrielle into the circle and to the altar, still leaving the bard blindfolded.

"Who speaks for this woman?" Otere demanded.

"I do," Yakut stated and stepped forward to stand next to Gabrielle.

"You are recognized as an honored member of this tribe and as its shaman. Do you stand for this woman?" Queen Otere challenged.

"Yes, My Queen, I claim she is worthy to be our sister and challenge any who say otherwise," Yakut answered easily.

Xena could see Gabrielle shift uneasily on her feet and the warrior could see the torment on the bard's face. Xena knew that Gabrielle didn't feel worthy at all, no matter who stood for her.

"Is there a challenge?" Otere asked.

Gabrielle began to reach for her blindfold.

"I stand for Gabrielle as well and claim her worthy!" a voice suddenly called out and everyone went silent.

Xena found herself on her feet as she took in the sight of the warrior standing in the center of the circle. The Amazons that were standing went to their knees, including Otere and Yakut.

Gabrielle's face was one of confusion; she could sense the awesome silence around her.

"Remove your blindfold, Gabrielle, and face the truth," the voice ordered.

The bard slowly removed the blindfold and blinked in the firelight, trying to get her eyes to focus. After a moment, Xena saw her mate's face go pale and Gabrielle went to her knee and bowed her head.

"Queen Arja," she whispered.

"Gabrielle, taking the blame for my death stops tonight. I claim you are worthy to be part of my tribe," the spirit said simply.

"But…." Gabrielle started to protest but the Spirit held up her hand to stop any spoken protests from the bard.

"No, no challenges and no more blame. You are a worthy Amazon and you are a worthy Queen."

Gabrielle and the other Amazons blinked when they realized that Queen Arja was no longer standing in the circle with them.

Yakut and Otere stood slowly and looked at each other and then at Gabrielle. The bard blushed under their stares of wonderment.

After a few stunned moments, Otere shook her head and continued.

"You have already faced spiritual testing, as attested to by our Queen and Shaman and the spirit of our Queen Arja. Are you ready to face the physical test?" Otere questioned the bard.

Xena frowned; Gabrielle hadn't mentioned anything about a physical test.

"I am," Gabrielle answered firmly.

Two Amazon warriors moved from the main body watching the ritual to stand on either side of the bard. From her position to the North of the circle, Xena could see into Gabrielle's eyes very clearly and frowned when she saw concern.

The warrior started to stand, eyes narrowing, when a firm hand came down on her shoulder, restraining her. Before she could react, another hand came down on her other shoulder and a dagger was being held at her throat.

"Listen, Consort, we know that you can take us, just listen. This is Queen Gabrielle's choice, alright?" one of the warriors whispered in her ear.

Xena struggled to maintain control and caught Gabrielle's worried eyes and nodded slightly and watched the bard relax and nod to Otere and Yakut. Xena could feel Solan shift uneasily on the log.

"Solan, Gabrielle is going to go through a difficult part of the ritual and they want to make sure I stay quiet," Xena whispered, trying to explain.

"It's the pain part, isn't it?" he whispered back.

Xena gritted her teeth. "I think so," she whispered back.

"It'll be over quickly, Consort," one of the Amazons whispered only to be answered by a growl from the Warrior Princess.

"What do you know of it, Solan?" Xena whispered as her son reached out and took her hand in his again.

"I'm not sure about the Amazons, the Centaurs have a blood letting part of the ritual to manhood when a boy is officially recognized as a man or a new member is accepted into the tribe. We heard the Amazons had similar rituals," he whispered back.

At a signal from Yakut the chanting and drumming began again and many of the Amazons began dancing around the circle. Otere handed Gabrielle a goblet and Xena watched as her mate drank the entire contents and then leaned back into the music and closed her eyes. It wasn't long before the bard was swaying with the music with the other Amazons, her face taking on that trance look Xena knew well.

Gabrielle was susceptible to the hypnotic energy of music and altered easily to it. Xena also wondered what had been in the drink as she watched Gabrielle's body relax for the first time in weeks.

The bard's eyes didn't even open when Otere moved closer and unlaced Gabrielle's tunic and lifted it off over her head, leaving the initiate bare to the waist.

Xena's felt her pulse begin pounding in her head and her heartbeat quicken. Solan, sensing the change in his mother, squeezed Xena's hand reassuringly.

As Otere moved behind the bard, the two Amazons on either side took Gabrielle's wrists in their hands as the bard went to her knees, her eyes still closed and body still swaying to the music.

The music picked up in beat and energy, tension filling the air and Xena felt her other hand tighten into a fist. The hands on the warrior's shoulders tightened as Otere pulled an object from her belt and held it high for all to see. Xena felt a whimper escape her throat.

"What is it, Mom?" Solan whispered.

"A bear claw," Xena answered, her voice strained.

The Amazons holding Gabrielle's wrist stepped to the side, pulling the bard's arms out to the side and tightened their hold as Otere approached the bard's naked back, already lightly laced with scars from the lashings she had received as a Roman slave and the brand of a Gladiator slave.

"A tribal marking," Solan commented and tightened his grip on Xena's hand.

Otere leaned forward and whispered something in Gabrielle's ear and the warrior saw her mate nod slightly. The Northern Amazon Queen stepped back slightly and lashed out with blinding speed with the claws, racking right across the brand that marred the bard's shoulder from her time as a slave in Rome.

The chanting and music stopped suddenly.

The Amazons holding Xena used both hands each to hold the warrior down as she instinctively tried to jump up. The former Warlord whimpered at the sight of Gabrielle's pain racked face as the bard bit her lower lip to keep from screaming. Sweat pouring off her body and face.

Yakut went behind the bard and caught some of the blood pouring from the four slashes along Gabrielle's shoulder and went to the altar and poured the blood over it.

"Your blood has joined that of your Sister Amazons and you will carry those scars as a sign and reminder of your pact with us," Yakut declared.

Xena could see the Amazons holding Gabrielle relax their hold and she could tell from Gabrielle's eyes the bard was in an altered state from the music, the pain and the drink. The two Amazons helped Gabrielle to her feet, holding her steady.

They slowly led the bard through the crowd of Amazons and out of the circle towards the Shaman's hut.

"They'll tend to the wounds and make her comfortable for the night, she'll have vision dreams tonight, Consort," one of the Amazons holding onto Xena whispered to her. The warrior relaxed and the Amazon warriors removed their hands.

"Time for you and your son to retire to your hut, the Amazons will celebrate inside the sacred circle until dawn," the other Amazon suggested and Xena nodded, pulling Solan to his feet.

The warrior felt drained and frustrated. She wanted to go and comfort Gabrielle but, having been through shaman rituals herself, Xena knew that wasn't the best thing right then.

Xena knew it would be a long night.

Xena knew she wasn't going to get much sleep but also knew that Gabrielle needed the space on this journey. Reluctantly, she let the warriors escort her and Solan back to their hut.

The warrior finally smiled when she saw Sasha curled up on the sleeping furs with one of the older girls sitting nearby, sewing some leather into something, keeping an eye on the youngster.

The girl, Lempi, smiled and went quietly out the door.

"Is Gabrielle alright?" Solan asked softly as he sat down on his sleeping furs and began to remove his boots.

"She will be, I think. It's just hard seeing her hurt," the warrior muttered.

"I know, like when I was hurt," Solan commented. "I knew it almost killed you."

Xena brushed away a tear. There wasn't a day that she didn't curse Brutus and the Roman soldiers who had blinded her beloved son.

"Yes, I would do anything to change that, you know that."

"Yup, just like you'd take all the pain for Gabrielle if you could and we'd do the same for you."

"I love you, squirt."

"Back at you, Mom."

Xena found herself outside her hut with chakram in hand when another scream ripped through the night. The warrior growled and rushed towards the Shaman's hut when two Amazon warriors stepped out of the shadows with their swords drawn, blocking her.

"Xena!" Yakut cried out as she stepped out of the hut. "It's alright, it's only a nightmare. Gabrielle is fine!" the shaman attempted to reassure the warrior as Xena blinked rapidly, trying to think.

"She's alright?" she demanded.

"I give you my word, it's just the dreams," Yakut said simply and Xena lowered the chakram. The two Amazon warriors melted back into the shadows.

"I'm sorry, automatic reaction," Xena mumbled as Yakut walked up to her and began leading the warrior back to the guest hut.

Xena felt a shiver run over her body and looked down, realizing that she was only in her sleeping shift and nothing else, not even boots.

Yakut grinned. "You heard Gabrielle scream and was half way across the common ground before you even realized you had your eyes open," Yakut guessed.

Xena blushed and smiled a small smile herself. "Yeah, that's about it," she agreed.

"I wouldn't have expected less, Xena," Yakut grinned and entered the hut with Xena.

"Mom?" she heard Solan's voice in the semi-darkness. Sasha was still sleeping, fortunately.

"It's me. Sorry about waking you."

"I heard Gabby Mom," he muttered, running a hand through his hair.

"She was having a nightmare, Yakut says that Gabrielle's okay," Xena turned to the shaman and nodded. "I won't interfere or try and see her," Xena promised.

"I know, a natural reaction for a blood bonded couple," The shaman commented as she walked out the door.

Xena tried to settle back down into her sleeping furs, trying to get the sound of Gabrielle's screams out of her mind. The warrior didn't sleep well the rest of the night.

The next morning found Gabrielle waiting for her outside the Shaman's hut. Xena approached her bard slowly and was glad to see Gabrielle's welcoming smile as the bard stood up to meet her mate.

Xena drew the bard into her arms, careful of the wounds across Gabrielle's shoulder and kissed her lightly. Xena drew back slightly to look deep into the bard's green eyes.

"Are you alright?" she asked.

"Yes, no…. I don't know. I'm still trying to sort through the dreams and visions," Gabrielle answered, dark circles under her eyes.

"Anything I can do?" Xena asked, her face concerned.

"Maybe later," Gabrielle muttered, eyes suddenly distant and looking troubled.

"How about breakfast?" Xena suggested and got the smile she expected and laughed at her mate. "That always gets you," she teased and delighted when Gabrielle blushed. "I love you, Gabrielle."

"And I love you, my warrior." The bard answered as they began walking towards the food hut.

"Why didn't you tell me about the scarring?" Xena asked as they walked.

"I couldn't. They didn't tell me what the ritual was, just that it involved some pain and I couldn't tell you anything about it," Gabrielle answered with a frown.

"Why not? I wouldn't have stopped you."

"You were allowed to be there outside the tribe because you're my Consort and Champion and Solan because he's our son and blind. No one else has seen the rituals outside of Amazons."

"It was just hard for me seeing you hurt. How are the wounds?"

"Okay, hurts like Tartarus but the salve they put on it has taken most of the pain away," Gabrielle answered as they started into the food hut.

"With your god-given gifts, how will that scar?" Xena asked softly.

"Yakut knows about my rapid healing abilities and will put a light touch of tattoo ink in the healing wounds. It won't be as dark as a tattoo but the slashes will scar."

Xena shook her head, still hating to see the cloth wrapping her bard's wounds.

Gabrielle smiled softly and reached up to stroke Xena's cheek.

"I love you too."

The next few days puzzled the warrior. Xena expected Gabrielle to open up about her visions; instead the bard withdrew into herself. She continued to spend time with the kids and Xena and also time learning the ways of the Northern Amazons but emotionally she seemed withdrawn to the warrior.

The bard was also having bad nightmares again. Even worse than when she had returned from her captivity as a gladiator and slave. Each night Xena would wake up and soothe the dreams away until Gabrielle settled back down to sleep in her arms. The bard was getting less and less sleep and it was beginning to show.

On the fifth night after the ritual, Xena woke up in the dark, reaching for her bard to discover that side of the sleeping furs empty. The warrior frowned and waited several minutes for her mate to return. A quick glance told the warrior that Sasha and Solan were still asleep in their furs and Xena pulled the blankets and furs off and reached for her boots.

Xena found Gabrielle sitting on the same logs Solan and Xena had sat on five nights before, outside the ritual circle. The bard looked even smaller than usual wrapped in her fur cloak and huddled over into herself. The warrior knew that Gabrielle heard her approaching but the bard didn't even look up. Xena sat down slowly.

"What's up, little one," she asked softly.

Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat at Xena's question and felt herself biting back tears. The bard knew she was exhausted but also scared to face the dreams. She leaned heavily against her mate's shoulder and didn't answer.

"Gabrielle?"

"I can't, Xena," she whispered.

"Can't what, my love?" Xena encouraged, leaning her head over onto Gabrielle's.

"I keep seeing the images in my head!"

"Ready to talk about it, little one?"

"I've talked with Yakut about it and I'm just more confused," Gabrielle complained, her voice tense.

"Can you talk to me about it?" Xena questioned softly.

"Yes, no secrets. Can we move to the fire?"

"Of course," Xena stood up and pulled Gabrielle along with her, the warrior wrapping an arm around the bard's shoulders as they headed to the main campfire. Xena knew that several of the guards around the village had spotted them and were giving them privacy.

The couple sat down against a log, the bard leaning into Xena's arms.

"There's so many images, I still can't sort them out," the bard complained, running a hand through her short hair. "The one that is so clear scares me, my love."

"I'm here," Xena said, trying to reassure her mate.

"It's us, there's snow outside and we're lying in a large gray place, rough ground," Gabrielle hesitated. The bard could feel the coldness of the image creeping into her bones and huddled even closer into Xena's arms. "We're not moving and there's blood everywhere. We've been attacked by dogs and killed."

Xena tightened her embrace around the bard. She had been on a few shamanism journeys before and knew how real the images were to the vision traveler.

"You know I don't believe in unchangeable Fate," Xena said softly, gently rocking the bard as she felt Gabrielle begin crying.

"I know, I keep telling myself that. What you and Hercules always say about how we make our own fate."

"What else did you see?" Xena asked softly.

"Some guy in a long cloak and wide hat, wolves, ravens and us with Axel and the Germans. And…"

"Go on, Gabrielle."

"Blood, always, blood," The bard answered softly.

"The cravings back?" the warrior asked with a frown. She was hoping that being away from Greece and the influence of Bacchus would reduce Gabrielle's craving for blood.

Once again Xena softly cursed Bacchus and felt Gabrielle begin crying again. Xena fought back tears herself, knowing this continued to tear at her bard's soul. Especially after killing Arja during the battle with Alti.

"Yes, getting hard to ignore," Gabrielle finally answered.

"Yakut knows about the bacchae influence, have you asked her for advice?"

"Yes, she says that all the visions tell her is that I have to face the darkness to change the outcome of that fate. Yakut didn't know how to do that," the bard answered, her crying finally stopping.

"Have you tried Apollo?" Xena asked softly.

"Yes," Gabrielle had been surprised Xena would suggest it, knowing how the warrior felt about dealing with the gods, but the God of the Sun was her father, after all. "He didn't show. Neither did Artemis."

Xena frowned. She knew that Gabrielle was hurt that Artemis hadn't made an appearance to the bard when the Amazons were killed in Germania, even when the bard had mourned deeply, holding an Amazon grieving ritual and sacrificing at Artemis' temple. Xena was puzzled by the behavior of the goddess and didn't think it was because they found out that Apollo was Gabrielle's father, Apollo and Artemis usually got along fairly well. It was Ares that Artemis kept trying to use for archery practice, Xena thought with a smile.

"Raw meat?" Xena suggested.

"Been there, done that. It's getting to a point where it's not helping," Xena could hear the bitterness in Gabrielle's voice and her heart ached at the sound of it. She held the bard closer in her arms.

"Animal blood?"

Gabrielle shuddered. "I… I haven't yet," she whispered.

"Might help," Xena encouraged. "I could go out with the next hunting party."

Xena drew the bard into her arms as Gabrielle broke down totally, crying and Xena carried her mate back to their hut and sleeping furs. The warrior held the tortured woman until she fell asleep again.

The warrior, however, didn't sleep any more that night. Xena kept remembering the conversation with her mother before the Greek family had traveled north to the Amazons.

"I'm not sure what to tell you, Xena. Rare meat, even drinking animal blood might not be enough at times." Cyrene frowned.

Xena felt a shudder. "You mean she might need human blood?"

"I don't know. You know the Bacchae need blood to survive but it's not just the blood. If it were they would feed on animals." Cyrene noted.

"It's the sexual energy that goes with the blood, the arousal and fear of a Bacchae feeding." Xena whispered.

Xena didn't say anything to Gabrielle when she returned the next evening from the day's hunting, she merely handed the bard a wine flask and held the young woman tightly. The warrior tried to ignore the tears filling Gabrielle's eyes as the bard left the hut, tears filling Xena's eyes as well.

Xena wiped the blood from her hand and left the hut to find Solan and Sasha before dinner to get them cleaned up.

Gabrielle didn't say anything about the animal blood but Xena noticed the bard slept the night through for the first time in days.

Xena could tell that Gabrielle was pleased when the warrior suggested that they stay with the Northern Amazons for the Winter season and travel to see their adopted Germanic family at the first frost thaw in the Spring. She knew Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli, would be visiting Axel and Eddvar about that time as well.

Xena was put to work with the blacksmith, Hillevi; and Gabrielle alternated between learning the Northern Amazon ways and the language and teaching the Northern Amazons the ways of the Southern Amazons so the rituals and traditions would be saved.

Both Gabrielle and Xena knew that special exceptions were being made for the Greek family in letting Solan stay inside the village. Males weren't permitted to stay long in any Amazon village but his position as the adopted son of an Amazon Queen complicated things. So did his being blind. The Amazons couldn't expect him to be welcome in any nearby village nor be able to camp outside Amazon territory in the middle of winter in Siberia.

In the end, he stayed in the village, always with an escort whenever he left the hut. Having been raised with Centaurs and allied with the Amazons, the boy understood and accepted the condition. In turn, the scouts and warriors delighted in teaching the boy fighting moves that he could do even without sight and everyone was amazed with his skill with a bow and throwing knives if he could hear the target.

Sasha and Solan also joined in learning the languages with Gabrielle. Sasha also started learning the basics of being an Amazon, from customs, to playful exercise and storytelling that passed along the history and myths of the tribe. Gabrielle had once told Xena that Sasha was smart and the Amazons were also quick to inform the warrior that she had an exceptional child, bringing a blush to the proud mother.

Xena, naturally, also helped train the warriors and scouts.

The warrior was walking across the common grounds towards the training yard when a familiar laugh caught her attention. Xena grinned and leaned against a tree as she watched Sasha and Gabrielle playing with Solan in the snow. Her mate and daughter would yell out and try to dodge as Solan launched snowballs at them while they tried to get closer to him.

Eventually the "fight" ended up as a wrestling match in the snow with a lot of laughter.

Xena turned and grinned as Otere walked up and joined the warrior watching the Southern Amazon Queen and kids.

"You'll need to get that bunch into the sauna hut by the time they're done," Otere grinned.

"Yup," Xena agreed with a smile.

"I'm glad you decided to stay with us for the winter," the Queen smiled as they watched Gabrielle trying to get a handful of snow down the back of Solan's jacket and Sasha tackling the bard's legs. "I was worried that Gabrielle might not forgive herself enough to stay with us."

"So was I," Xena admitted. "The rest will do us all some good. It's been a rough few years."

"Gabrielle has told me a little bit about it. She doesn't talk a lot about the time she was held by the Romans, is she alright with it?"

Xena lost her smile. "As well as any woman can be with being beaten, raped repeatedly, whipped, and forced into a life she never wanted."

"I'm sorry," Otere whispered.

"It's alright, I guess I still feel guilty for not protecting her," the warrior answered.

"She doesn't blame you," Otere said softly.

"I know and I don't blame her, doesn't help the guilt a lot," Xena smiled a grim smile.

"It will ease, Consort," Otere encouraged.

"Hey!" Xena yelped suddenly as a snowball landed right at the base of her neck, sending cold wet slush down the inside of her leather jacket.

The warrior and Amazon Queen looked over to see Solan grinning from ear to ear, still sitting in the snow and Gabrielle and Sasha trying to look innocent but giggling nonetheless.

Otere decided on a strategic retreat behind the tree while the warrior rushed over to join the wrestling match with her mate and kids before dragging them to the sauna hut to warm up.

Otere watched the interaction of the family and grinned. The Amazon Queen spotted several of the guards grinning as well and was pleased with the Council's decision to forgive Xena her debt to the village after the battle with Alti. They were a welcome addition to the Amazons.

Yakut joined her Queen as Otere watched Xena helping her mate and kids to their feet, brushing at the wet snow sticking to their leathers. Everyone was wet, cold and laughing. The warrior wrapped her arm around Gabrielle's shoulders as Solan picked up Sasha and they headed towards the sauna hut.

"I grew up with stories of the monster Xena," Yakut spoke as she and Queen Otere began to walk towards the training yard. "How my mother was killed brutally, betrayed by Xena. Hearing about the blood rituals and how ruthless she and Alti both were." Yakut pointed at the family entering the sauna hut. "That's not the same Xena."

"No," Otere agreed. "I'll tell you something, though. I'm glad this Xena is on our side, I have a feeling she's as deadly as her former self if anything happened to her family."

"Yes," Yakut agreed.

Later that evening, the family sat in the meeting hall, watching some of the Amazons practicing dance moves and drumming. Several small groups were playing various games consisting of bone toss and dice. Solan was with a small group of the Amazon Scouts arm wrestling and Sasha was with the other children of the village in a play area. Xena and Gabrielle leaned against the wall near one of the fire pits, Gabrielle leaning back against her mate with Xena's arms wrapped snuggly around her.

"Thank you," Gabrielle said, surprising Xena with the comment from nowhere.

"What for, little one?"

"For talking me into staying," the bard answered, echoing Otere's thoughts of earlier.

Xena grinned and hugged Gabrielle in a loving hug.

"My pleasure. I'm glad we stayed too," Xena agreed. "Are you telling a story tonight?"

"No, not tonight. Sasha asked if she could stay with her friend Maiju and her parents for the night and Solan has offered to stay in the small guest hut," Gabrielle informed her mate with a smile.

Xena felt additional warmth spread through her body and leaned down to lightly nuzzle her bard's neck, sending shivers down Gabrielle's spine. Gabrielle sighed and leaned further back into Xena's embrace, leaning up to capture Xena's lips with hers.

Xena leaned back after a long kiss and grinned. "You mean we're alone for the night."

"Yes," Gabrielle confirmed with a grin.

"After that battle today, I'm a little tired, maybe we should turn in early," Xena suggested with an evil grin that caused Gabrielle's heart to skip a beat.

"I agree, that was a ferocious battle today, our leathers are still soaking wet," Gabrielle agreed.

Svetlana grinned and pointed to the couple leaving the main hut to her Queen as they discussed winter supplies. Otere looked up and smiled as well.

"Good, they need some time," Otere muttered.

Deep into the third month with the Amazons, the snow was thick and most of the time was spent inside the huts, working on indoor crafts; repairing weapons, making new ones, sewing new clothing and repairing old, teaching snow skills to the youngsters and the Greeks, and telling stories and histories of the Amazons.

It also meant long hours of darkness with almost no sun at all, something the Greeks weren't accustomed to and the Amazons worked hard at keeping them busy, knowing that the lack of sun and being caught indoors for long periods of time could be deadly on the mind and spirit.

Towards the end of the month Gabrielle began tossing and turning in her sleep, caught up in nightmares again. The bard also noticed her appetite decreasing, which was astounding, as Xena would tease her if she noticed. Gabrielle began trying to avoid sleeping, which was difficult with Xena right by her side. The bard silently cursed the warriors astounding instincts. The warrior always seemed to know when Gabrielle tossed and turned and was awake instantly.

The bard also noticed her hands shaking more and her nerves on edge more and more.

Xena had noticed Gabrielle's lack of sleep and nervousness and suspected what was causing it. What concerned her was that Gabrielle hadn't come to her with it yet.

After a week of the situation building up, Xena was determined to get her bard to talk to her. The warrior waited until she saw Gabrielle talking with Otere outside the main hut and approached them slowly. Unfortunately, Gabrielle was engrossed in whatever she and Otere were talking about and tired; she didn't hear the warrior approach from behind.

When Xena walked up behind the bard and placed a hand on the woman's shoulder she was surprised when Gabrielle yelped and spun on her heel, bringing her fist up in a defensive blow. Only the warrior's years of well-honed experience and instincts kept the bard's fist from connecting with her nose. Her hand caught Gabrielle's wrist and stopped the fist just short of her nose.

Gabrielle's eyes went wide with shock as she slowly lowered her hand.

"Xena! I'm sorry!"

Xena grinned as Otere and the bard tried to calm their breathing. "It's okay, no harm. I should have said something."

"I almost hit you!" Gabrielle protested, falling into Xena's arms, tears welling up in her eyes.

"You almost got me too, quick reflexes!" Xena smiled, holding the bard tight. The warrior looked up and Otere nodded and went back inside the hut, leaving the two alone. "Time to talk, little one," the warrior said softly.

"Okay," Gabrielle agreed, not meeting Xena's eyes.

The warrior led them back to their hut, knowing that Solan was off helping with the cooking and Sasha was learning Amazon history. She stirred up the fire and sat down on the furs. Gabrielle, instead of snuggling in Xena's arms, sat a couple of feet away on the furs next to the fire.

Xena's heart felt heavy as she saw the pain in her mate's eyes.

"The cravings are back and getting strong again," Gabrielle said simply, her hands clenched into fists.

"How can I help, raw meat?" Xena asked, the concern thick in her voice.

"Been doing that all week," Gabrielle said bitterly, turning her eyes away from Xena and staring into the fire. "When do the hunters go out again?"

"Svetlana says in the morning, actually. I'll go with them," Xena said simply.

"Okay," the bard said softly.

Xena reached forward to wipe a tear away from Gabrielle's cheek and gently drew the bard into her arms.

Xena found the wine skin she had used the month before hanging on the door when she got up early before Gabrielle and Solan.

The warrior wiped away a tear of her own as she looked down on her sleeping mate.

Later that day Gabrielle entered the dark hut to grab her new quill from her packs when a noise from the shadows stopped her hand in mid reach.

"Who's there?" she called, eyes narrowing in the semi dark room.

The Amazon Queen's eyebrows rose in surprise and question as Solan and his escort stepped into the light from the smoke hole in the ceiling. Both were blushing furiously. The escort, Reija, was pulling at her tunic to straighten it.

"Oh Hades," the bard muttered, realizing what she had just walked in on and what that could mean on Amazon land. "Reija, would you leave me with my son, please?" she asked calmly. "And light the lamps on your way out."

"Yes, Queen Gabrielle," the girl muttered.

Gabrielle didn't correct the young Amazon teen in her preferred non-use of her title, instead letting the Amazon acknowledge her fear through the use of Gabrielle's title.

The girl quickly lit the lamps and scurried out the door, hiding her face in the hood of her cloak.

Solan shifted on his feet, his head lowered.

Gabrielle sat down on the furs next to the fire.

"Sit down, Solan," she ordered, her voice firm but betraying no emotions.

He sat quickly and waited and Gabrielle made him wait for several moments.

"Want to explain?" she finally asked.

"Not really," he grinned a lopsided grin, reminding the bard of his mother.

"Give!" she ordered.

"I don't know," his face changed to one of distress. "We've gotten close and everything gets confused whenever she's around. It's like I can't think straight, I can't focus, and I hear her voice or scent of her special soap and my heart stops and I can't breath."

"Oh gods, you're in love," the bard muttered, running a hand through her short hair and shrugging off her coat.

"Is this what it feels like?" he asked softly.

"I don't know. You're both young," she frowned.

"How old were you when you met Mom?" he questioned, shifting on the furs.

"Seventeen summers and you're only sixteen winters old, how old is Reija?" she asked.

"Seventeen winters," he muttered.

"Terrific," Gabrielle muttered. "Does she feel the same?"

"Yes, she knew the consequences if we got caught," he muttered.

"Do you know the consequences?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Yes," he answered, dropping his head again.

"Tell me," Gabrielle insisted.

"Blinding, castration, death, banishment, becoming a slave to the Queen, depending on how…" he stammered.

"Depending on how far the violation went," Gabrielle finished for him.

"It was consensual!" he protested.

"I know that, I never suspected otherwise. It could still be serious for both of you. Banishment for her and worse for you," Gabrielle shook her head. "Why didn't you come to me?"

"I don't know," he whispered, suddenly sounding young again. "We thought we could handle it and it wouldn't go anywhere."

"Terrific," the Amazon Queen muttered. "How long have you two been making out?"

Solan began blushing even more. "I… uh…"

"Give!" Gabrielle growled.

"I… uh… this was the fifth time," he finally admitted.

"Oh Hades!" Gabrielle snapped. "This is serious. How far have you two gotten?"

"Mom!" the young teen protested.

"Talk!"

"Just kissing!" he protested.

"And?" she demanded.

The boy began blushing an even brighter red. "I've felt under her shirt," he whispered.

"And how far did she get?" Gabrielle asked.

"My shirt off and teasing my… uh…"

"Nipples or lower?"

"Mom!" Solan squeaked. "Nipples."

"Okay, it might help that you're both still virgins," she muttered.

"MOM!"

"Quiet, I need to think about what to do with both of you," she ordered.

"Could we just keep quiet?" he asked hopefully.

"No, I'm an Amazon Queen, damn it! I can't just ignore something this major!"

"Ignore what, my love?"

Both son and mate turned to see Xena entering the door. Solan began blushing all over again while Gabrielle turned to look at him and glare.

Xena raised her eyebrows at Gabrielle's obvious anger and her son's distress. She was surprised when the bard got to her feet, taking her coat with her.

"Ask your grown up son," Gabrielle muttered as she brushed past the warrior and out the door. "I need to think."

Xena turned to find Solan's head lowered and the teenager still blushing.

Xena found Gabrielle in the exercise hut, practicing with her sais, going through complicated gladiator fighting moves. The bard had worked up a sweat and had an intense look on her face.

Her jaw tightened when she noticed Xena enter the hut. Gabrielle finished the set of moves and approached her mate.

Xena noted the bard's stubborn jaw and her cat-like walk and knew Gabrielle was still upset. The warrior sat down on one of the benches and waited for her mate to join her.

"Don't ask me to ignore this," Gabrielle stated flatly.

"I won't."

"Oh gods, this is serious, Xena," Gabrielle sat down and leaned on the warrior's shoulder.

"Even more serious than you think," Xena said softly and Gabrielle sat up to look in her mate's eyes. "Reija is willing to leave the tribe for Solan, they were planning on running away to Greece in the Spring."

"By the gods!" Gabrielle whispered in shock. An Amazon willing to leave her tribe and lifetime of training and dedication for a male was almost unheard of. Usually if an Amazon fell in love with a male, he would live near the village and the Amazon would spend time with him but her first loyalty was to the tribe.

Xena nodded, unhappily. This was complicated and probably going to get more complicated very quickly.

"Where's the girl?"

"I don't know, I sent her out of the hut when I caught them."

Xena smiled a small smile. "That must have been interesting!"

Gabrielle lightly punched her warrior on the arm with a smile and then became serious again. "Good thing it was me, any other Amazon might have killed him before thinking or asking questions."

"I know and they were bound to be caught eventually. What do we do?"

"I want to talk to the girl and Solan and then we go to Queen Otere," Gabrielle

said simply. "Meet me back at our hut?" she asked as she stood up.

Xena rose to her feet and lightly kissed her bard's lips. "Yes," she responded.

The warrior watched the bard put her coat on and head for the door, her walk still determined. Xena looked around at the training area and was tempted to whack a couple of the wooden post with her sword as well. She sighed heavily and headed towards their hut.

Gabrielle quickly tracked the young scout down in the main food hall. The young teenager was sitting quietly with her friends at a table. Most everyone glanced up when Gabrielle entered the long hall and nodded in recognition and went back to their games, food, or talking. Reija went pale and her friends surrounding her noticed the look on her face and how quiet she was when the Southern Queen entered.

As Gabrielle walked towards the table everyone sitting went quiet, sensing something out of place and feeling the tension.

"Reija, come with me, please," Gabrielle ordered simply, her face firm. Without waiting for a response she turned on her heel and walked towards the door.

A low hum of interest sprung up around the room as the Amazons began wondering what that intense scene had been about. Gabrielle could imagine the girl blushing and brushing off whispered questions as she rose to follow the bard.

The bard entered the hut and hung up her coat without a word and motioned for the scout to sit on the furs next to the fire pit, Xena and Solan already sitting down. Xena kept quiet, letting Gabrielle take control of the situation. As an Amazon Queen the bard was better equipped to deal with this. She sat down, her face still serious.

Xena had watched the scout enter the hut after her wife and took close notice of the Amazon. She had trained a few times under Xena, the warrior reflected. She knew Reija was a good scout, adequate warrior and excellent cook. The girl was the same height as Solan and looked like she was at the end of most of her growth, Xena thought to herself. The boy would probably end up a few inches taller in a year. Whereas Solan's hair was blond and fine, Reija's was dark and thick, cut short like a lot of the scouts. Her blue eyes were a deep blue and she was cute and would be beautiful, Xena concluded.

Not that Solan could see her beauty. A bad sign, Xena thought, which reduced the possibility that it was lust that could be handled.

"Reija, Solan, you've both had time to think. You both know you should have come to us before it got this far, you also know what the consequences could be. What solution would you come up with?" Gabrielle questioned.

Neither teenager spoke, both Gabrielle and Xena's quick eyes caught Reija's hand reaching out to Solan's.

"Reija, what do you feel for Solan? You knew the risk you were taking," Gabrielle said, her face softening a little.

"I don't want to live without him, it's like he's a light in my life."

"Why didn't you come to us or the Elders? You know they probably would approve a match between the two of you," Gabrielle asked.

"I didn't want an Amazon bonding," Reija answered softly.

Gabrielle and Xena were stunned.

"Have you heard of this?" Xena asked softly.

"Not at her age," Gabrielle answered. There were cases of teenagers deciding they wanted the life outside the village and they were released from the tribe if they could find a family to take them in. Never had an Amazon of Reija's age been willing to leave the life for any reason, even for marriage.

"Solan wants to return to Greece but he would be willing to stay here and live outside the village but that's not what I want. I want a regular marriage with Solan." Reija answered.

Gabrielle looked at her mate and frowned when Xena merely shrugged, indicating she didn't know what to do either.

"Solan?" Gabrielle asked.

"I love her, Mom, and I want to marry her."

"We have to go to the council," Gabrielle looked at her mate and the warrior nodded in agreement.

"Mattita is the Council Elder and has decision in law, she won't agree!" Reija protested, tightening her grip in Solan's hand.

"Why not, if you're not happy in the village and it's a good match, he is the son of an Amazon Queen," Xena asked.

"She's my mother," Reija whispered, a tear running down her cheek.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered. Mattita was one of the most traditionally minded Amazons Gabrielle had ever known. She had voted against Solan staying in the village in the first place, Gabrielle remembered. Mattita was very anti-male and anti-world in general.

"We don't have a choice, little one," Xena said simply.

"I know. Who to go to first and how?" Gabrielle mused while the teenagers shifted uneasily. "Xena, you'll stay with Solan until someone comes to escort the two of you, probably to the Queen's hut." Xena nodded. "I'll take Reija to Yakut."

"Why Yakut?" Xena questioned and was surprised when the bard started blushing.

"So she can swear to the Council that Reija hasn't been touched by Solan beyond the lips," she muttered. Xena joined her mate and teenagers in blushing as well with a muttered curse.

"I won't let him be hurt," Xena warned.

"I know, if it comes to it, we'll leave the village," Gabrielle agreed.

"Gabrielle," Xena started to protest.

"No, Xena, if it comes to it we'll all leave together," Gabrielle cut short the warriors argument that she and Solan would leave and leave Gabrielle and Sasha safe.

Xena grumbled but nodded muttering a curse that her mate knew her so well.

The bard motioned for the young Amazon to follow her and grabbed her coat again.

The arguing went on for two days between the Elders, Queens, and the teenagers.

It was the evening of the second day when Otere finally exited the meeting hut and dashed across the snow to the Southern Queen's hut. Slamming the door against the wind, she took a moment for her eyes to adjust and took in the occupants looking at her, trying to read her expression.

Solan was sitting against the wall with an older Amazon warrior standing beside him, his new escort. Sasha playing at his feet with a wooden horse and soldier. Reija was sitting near the fire pit with Gabrielle, while Xena sat on a stool, sharpening her sword. Otere noticed the warrior was wearing her chakram as well. A quick glance at the other Amazon Queen confirmed her sudden suspicion. Gabrielle had her sais in their boot sheaths and a dagger at her belt.

Otere suddenly wasn't sure if they could take the boy easily from his two moms if it came to that.

"The Council has decided for immediate banishment of them both," she said quietly, trying to keep her face neutral.

"Over my dead body," Xena growled with her eyes narrowing.

"You know that sending them out this time of season would mean their deaths if the nearest village or farmstead didn't take them in!" Gabrielle protested.

"I know," Otere said, her weariness suddenly showing plainly to everyone, even Solan could hear it in her voice. "I've been fighting with the Council for two days, Gabrielle. Mattita has many friends on the Council and a couple of others owe her. It's the decision."

"How can a mother send her child out to die?" Xena demanded.

"Mattita, my mother, gave up on me a long time ago," Reija stated. "We never agreed on contact with outsiders and especially about contact with men. Her plan is to have men as slaves to keep the Amazon tribe alive but nothing more than slaves."

"For work and breeding only?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Yes," Reija nodded. "I disagreed loudly and she disowned me as her daughter."

"Then we'll leave in the morning," Gabrielle stated, her eyes blazing in anger.

"Not you Gabrielle, just Solan and Reija," Otere protested.

"That's my son!" Gabrielle snapped back, "If he leaves, we all leave."

"You can't take Sasha out in this!" Otere frowned.

"Not my choice!" Gabrielle snapped back.

Otere held up her hands to try and calm the moment. "Let me talk to the Council again, we were afraid of this," she muttered, heading back out the door.

"What if they won't let me and Sasha leave?" Gabrielle asked Xena as the warrior continued sharpening her sword, her face with a deep scowl.

"I don't know and I don't want to know," Xena muttered.

"We can't fight the Amazons," Gabrielle muttered.

"I know, love, I know," Xena muttered back.

It was another candle mark before Otere returned. By then Sasha was asleep and Reija lightly dozing. The scout hadn't gotten much sleep over the two days of debating and it was finally catching up with her and she lay with her head in Gabrielle's lap. Xena tried not to grin at the tenderness the bard was showing to the wayward Amazon. She knew Gabrielle couldn't help it, no matter how mad she wanted to be at the two teenagers.

Reija woke up at the chilled wind crashing through the hut when Otere opened and entered the dwelling, leaning against the door to shut it behind her.

"The Council has decided to hold off banishment until the Ice Month."

Gabrielle turned to Xena, "Three moons from now," the warrior answered.

"Until then?" Gabrielle turned back to Otere.

"Until then Solan will have an older escort, as will Reija. They will be allowed to see each other with other Amazons present. Since he is the son of an Amazon Queen, a marriage ritual will be performed in the Ice Month before they leave the village and any daughters they have will be accepted as Amazons," Otere stated.

Xena was still frowning. "The Ice Month is also known as the Moon of Death. There's no game, food is short, and the snow melts and then freezes into ice. Walking through that is like walking through a field of knives, Otere," she growled.

Gabrielle matched her frown and turned to the Northern Queen, her face questioning.

Otere clenched her jaw. "Yes, the odds aren't good for surviving but it's the best I could do."

"All right, enough for now," Gabrielle ordered. "Everyone's alive, no one's fighting and we've reached a compromise we can live with for now."

"Reija, go join your sisters in your hut," Otere ordered and the teenager jumped to her feet. She glanced over towards Solan, confusion on her face. "Don't think about it, just go for now," Otere advised.

"Goodnight, everyone. Queen Gabrielle, Xena, thank you for fighting for us," the girl said softly.

"Of course, you're about to become family," Gabrielle countered with a smile and opened her arms for the youngster and hugged the teen.

Xena smiled at her mate's warmth again. No one could stay mad at Gabrielle or resist her for long. It always amazed Xena that the bard didn't seem to even know she possessed that quality.

"What are the conditions on Solan's escort, does she now live with us?" Gabrielle questioned.

"No, just don't let him out of your sight or assign him an escort if one of you isn't going to be with him."

The escort left the hut with her Northern Queen, leaving the Greek family alone again.

"Get Sasha to bed and you follow, Solan," Xena ordered, putting her sword aside with a sigh.

She looked up to find Gabrielle standing near her. The bard went behind her warrior and began massaging Xena's shoulders. They were all tired after the stress of the two days.

"Mom," Xena looked up to see Solan standing nearby, his head low.

"Yes?"

"I'm sorry and thank you," he said, shuffling his feet.

"It's okay and you're welcome. Nobody asks to fall in love, it just hits you."

The young man moved off towards his sleeping furs.

"How bad is the weather in the Ice Month?" Gabrielle whispered, as the young man got ready for bed.

"There's a chance if we can get to a river that's thawing and canoe down to warmer weather. It's a slim chance though and I don't think the Amazons are going to let you and Sasha take that chance," Xena growled.

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked, working on the warrior's muscles.

"You are both Amazon royalty. I don't think they'd let you risk that."

"You think they'd try to hold us against our wills and send the rest of you out?" Gabrielle frowned. She knew Otere wouldn't do that but what about Mattita? The bard could imagine the older Amazon using it as a chance to force Gabrielle into renouncing her tie to the tribe.

"I don't know and I don't know what we'd do if they tried. Like you said, we can't fight Amazons," Xena muttered.

"Let's think about it tomorrow, I'm tired," Gabrielle suggested.

"Yes, keep your weapons close though," Xena advised.

Gabrielle shook her head in disbelief that they might be attacked by the Amazons during the night but kept her sais close at to hand.

The next full moon found Gabrielle with her intense cravings again and no fresh meat. It took three days of hunting for the small band of Amazon scouts to bring down a thin deer. The time it took for the hunt had left Gabrielle plagued by the cravings.

When Xena returned from the hunt she found Gabrielle curled in their sleeping furs, almost in tears from the blood need. The warrior quickly shut the door and dropped the fur coverings against the cold wind and crossed to Gabrielle's side with the wine skin filled with the dark red liquid the bard couldn't seem to live without. Without taking time to take off her coat and fur wrappings, she knelt by the bard and touched Gabrielle's shoulder.

Only years of warrior experience kept the surprise off Xena's face when Gabrielle opened her eyes and Xena saw the green eyes were mostly yellow now with the blood need.

Without a word the bard took the wine skin and turned away from her mate. Fighting back a lump in her throat, Xena turned and began climbing out of her coat and layers of fur. By the time she had finished stripping down to comfortable layers and returned to the fire, Gabrielle had finished off the wine skin's contents and was sitting up.

The bard wouldn't meet her eyes.

Xena sat down next to Gabrielle, resisting taking the woman into her arms immediately. "Where are the kids?" she asked simply.

"With Yakut and Karita. I didn't want them around me right now," Gabrielle whispered.

"Been bad?" Xena's face showed the compassion and pain she was feeling for her wife.

"Yes," Gabrielle admitted. "Thank you."

Xena reached her arm out and drew Gabrielle close to her and felt the bard beginning to relax.

"What happens when you can't find any game?" the bard whispered after a few minutes.

"I've talked with Yakut, they slaughter a couple of sheep next month, she'll make sure we get some of the blood."

"Oh gods, I can't believe this is happening!"

"I know, little one, but we'll get through it."

Xena wasn't surprised when the bard fell asleep in her arms a short time later. She had known that Gabrielle hadn't slept well in a week.

At the beginning of the month of the Ice Moon Xena was surprised to find Gabrielle, Yakut and Otere huddled in the Queen's hut for hours at a time and was beginning to get frustrated when none of them would tell the warrior anything after three days of being secluded away.

She was relieved when Gabrielle asked Xena to join the trio in the Queen's Hut after the evening meal.

As Xena approached the Queen's Hut and entered the door she was surprised to find that there weren't any guards anywhere in sight. She frowned as she took in the numerous scrolls spread across the table of the Queen's hut. Gabrielle got up from a chair and leaned up to kiss her mate. Xena welcomed the bard into her arms and frowned when she looked into Gabrielle's eyes.

"Okay, what's up? None of you have slept for three days," she demanded.

"We need to leave, Xena," Gabrielle said simply.

"The Moon isn't for another two weeks," Xena frowned.

"According to Northern Amazon law, any Amazon can be held against their will during the winter months to prevent them from leaving the village if their lives are in danger," Otere stated.

"What?"

"It's used to justify locking up those Amazons that occasionally go snow mad from being locked up all winter. We lock them in the prisoner hut and talk with them and work them out of their madness," Otere answered.

"You plan on holding Gabrielle and Sasha against their wills when you force Solan, Reija and I out of the Village?" Xena demanded with her eyes narrowing.

"No, not us, but the Council."

"Not me, Xena, just Sasha," Gabrielle explained further.

"Our daughter? They want to take Sasha from us?"

Yakut winced at the anger flashing through the clear blue eyes dancing over them, demanding answers. Otere couldn't face those eyes either and dropped her head.

"Yes, Mattita wants Sasha out of revenge for Reija leaving," Gabrielle said bitterly.

"We won't let them, they won't fight us," Xena stated in a flat voice.

"Yes, they will. According to Northern Amazon law, you can't challenge the Law Speaker and the Amazons would be forced to take Sasha from you, by force, if necessary," Otere answered.

"I take it since the three of you have been pouring over the scrolls for three days and nights, you aren't in favor of Mattita's plans and that you haven't found a legal way to fight her," Xena deduced and the three of them nodded unhappily.

"We have to get out of here, we don't know when she's going to make her move. She resents Otere being given the right of caste by Arja and resents me as an outsider," Gabrielle explained.

"And she hates me because I know her secret," Xena said grimly.

Three sets of eyebrows rose in question.

"The day of my attack, Mattita was there. When the Amazons chased me to the trees and the killing began, she ran," Xena explained.

Otere's eyes were wide with surprise and Yakut sat down heavily in her chair.

"She says that she was scouting away from the area that day," Otere muttered.

"Cyrene was counting on her to watch her lieutenant's back and Mattita ran, leaving the lieutenant open to my traps."

"Her Lieutenant?" Yakut asked softly.

"Yes, she was caught on one of the tree branches," Xena answered.

"Kaisu, her name was Kaisu," Yakut whispered and Otere quickly moved around the table and wrapped her arms around her friend and shaman.

Xena sank into a chair, realization hitting her. "Your mother, that was your mother?" she whispered.

"Yes, and Mattita betrayed her?" Yakut demanded, eyes flashing brightly with anger.

"Terrific," Gabrielle muttered, running a hand through her short hair. "Can this help us fight her?"

"I don't know," Otere said thoughtfully. "I don't think so. Xena is accepted and forgiven but Mattita's word would probably be taken over hers about anything happening on that day."

"But she's planning on using your support of us as the beginning of a coup, if we point out that she's not worthy of being a Queen then she can't try it," Gabrielle protested.

"She's got a lot of support, it would cause a civil war," Otere countered.

"So the solution is still for us to make a run for it," Gabrielle commented bitterly.

"Yes," Yakut agreed.

"What's the plan then?" Xena asked.

"You're the soldier," Gabrielle muttered, resting her head in her hands, elbows on the table.

"First thing, they'll know something's up, everyone knows you three have been in here non-stop for three days. We need to come up with something to distract them and divert their attention," Xena suggested.

"We'll tell them the truth, that we've been pouring over the scrolls trying to find an answer to keeping Reija from being banished into the winter snow," Otere suggested.

"Good, convince everyone of that, nothing about the plan to keep Sasha," Xena urged.

"Won't Mattita use this against you if we leave?" Gabrielle asked.

"She'll try but nothing's been officially decided about holding you or Sasha here yet," Otere grinned.

"Now, we plan on getting out of here." Xena bent over the map.

Xena had decided to make a run for it from the village using canoes along the river until they hit the coast and then double back onto land and make a run for the lands of the Germans.

The plan had been simple, wait until the next feast night, slip out and make a run for it in the night with several trusted Amazons helping them get out of the Village.

The conspirators had noticed an increase in tension around the village and several of Mattita's trusted Amazons hanging around the Greek family more.

The night of the Solstice celebration found all the Amazons but a handful in the main hall for the celebration of the longest night of the year. Only a few scouts were away from the village in scout huts along the perimeter of the Amazon territory. Since being out in the middle of winter in the Russian north was suicide, the scouts wouldn't be venturing outside their huts during the night and very little during the day either.

Xena was counting on that.

The warrior noticed Mattita watching her and Gabrielle closely and concentrated on the celebration, breaking into a grin when she spotted Gabrielle teaching Sasha and several of the children some of the dance moves of the Southern Amazons to the delight of most of the Amazons as well.

Gabrielle looked over at her mate and grinned, sending a flush over Xena's body. The warrior noticed Mattita's scowl and smiled to herself. Leaving the kids to fend for themselves with their new dance steps, Gabrielle approached Xena slowly, leaning up to kiss the warrior's lips as they sat down on one of the benches lining the walls, Xena drawing the bard into her arms.

It was obvious to everyone who happened to glance at the couple that they would probably be retiring to their sleeping furs early and not to sleep.

Yakut was standing next to Otere as they both also noticed the Greek couple embracing on one of the benches. Yakut grinned at Otere and shrugged, seemingly amused by the obvious devotion and passion of the two. Mattita didn't notice that all four were also taking notice of her scowl and observation of them.

"It's going well," Yakut commented softly to Otere. "Solan's in the guest hut, guarded by one of your guards during the feasting and those two have got me convinced they should leave and find a corner somewhere."

Otere grinned and nodded in agreement as they watched Gabrielle's hands run through Xena's hair as they kissed passionately and both of them caught their breath as the warrior's head moved down and her teeth lightly nipped Gabrielle's neck, causing the bard to toss her head back in arousal.

No one was surprised when Gabrielle stood up quickly and pulled Xena to her feet after her. Several grins and a couple of scowls followed the couple as they headed for the door.

"I'll follow in a few minutes, taking Sasha to the guest hut," Yakut confirmed.

"Right. My guard is already taking Reija to the guest hut. Our Amazons have already been slipping out during the night. The canoes should be packed and ready to go by the time you get to the hut. Xena and Gabrielle will meet you at the canoes."

"Just keep that bitch's attention when I leave with Sasha," Yakut muttered.

Otere nodded and moved off to the food table.

"Xena, what is it?" Gabrielle's voice drifted through the cold night air to the warrior along with the sounds of the river flowing around the canoes.

"Ice blocking the river, we'll see if we can clear a path," Xena called back softly, listening to the sound of the canoe following hers scrap against the ice filling most of the river as Gabrielle, Sasha and Reija slowed to a stop behind Solan and Xena.

"Solan, take the axe," Xena instructed, handing over the axe handle first to the boy's outstretched hand. "Lean out and see if you can whack through it."

The teenager began hacking away at the ice and then stopped suddenly at the sound of a voice coming out of the darkness.

"Gabrielle!"

"Mattita!" Reija hissed, leaning over into the canoe, hoping they would blend into the shadows of the ice chunks flowing in the river.

"Quiet, everyone!" Xena growled.

"Gabrielle! We know you're there," the harsh voice called.

"Xena?" the bard called softly.

"Move up here as close as you can, Solan, keep chopping!" Xena ordered.

"Gabrielle, just come back to the village with Sasha, nothing will happen to you!" Mattita called.

"Mum?" Sasha's voice caught the bard's attention from her position in the canoe in between Gabrielle and Reija.

"What, Sasha?" the bard whispered as Reija guided their canoe up just behind Xena and Solan's.

"She's lying," the child whispered from around her fur clothing.

"What about?"

"She wants to hurt you," the child whispered tearfully.

"How do you know that?" Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed in thought.

"I don't know, I just do."

"Okay, you let me know whenever you know something like that," the bard instructed and noted the child's nodding head. "Mattita, let us go. We're leaving the village like the council wanted."

"Your daughter is too valuable to risk to the snow and ice of the Ice Month," the voice called back, slightly further down the bank.

"You can't expect Xena to leave her mate and child behind? Are you insane?" Gabrielle called as her ears kept notice of Solan's chopping.

"Come back to the village, I'll suspend the banishment until the Spring thaw, Solan and Reija can leave in safety and you, Xena and Sasha can stay in the village." Mattita answered.

"She's moving down the river on the embankment with several warriors on both sides of the river," Xena called softly to the bard.

"I know, probably archers, Sasha says she's lying."

"How does she know that? Never mind, child of gods," the warrior muttered.

"You can't force us to stay in the village past the winter!" Gabrielle shouted back.

The bard felt both canoes move slightly as Xena's canoe moved forward a few feet through the chopped ice and Reija's canoe followed.

"Sasha is special and must stay!" Mattita yelled.

"Why? You don't want me as part of your tribe? Why Sasha?"

"She's the child of gods! I heard you talking to Yakut about her! Whatever her powers turn out to be, they can benefit the tribe!"

"Xena?" Gabrielle hissed into the darkness.

"Damnit! She'll kill us and take Sasha back," Xena answered.

"The ice?"

"Almost there, it sounds clear for a good stretch past this point, get ready."

"How could I trust your word?" Gabrielle demanded to the darkness. "How could I trust an Amazon that shows cowardice in a fight and leaves her lieutenant, Yakut's mother, to die?"

Angry silence greeted the bard's accusation.

"Now!" Xena hissed as her canoe began to move through the narrow passage Solan had created with the axe.

"Archers!" Mattita's voice commanded in the dark and fire arrows lit up the sky, revealing the canoes on the iced river.

"No!" Xena screamed, "Solan, down!"

Gabrielle turned and covered Sasha's body with her own as Reija watched Xena begin paddling frantically as arrows came flying out of the dark.

Gabrielle yelped as an arrow embedded itself into the canoe two inches in front of her nose.

"Amazons would kill a Queen and her children?" she demanded to the Amazons in the dark.

"Don't force this, Gabrielle!" Mattita called.

"She's insane!" Reija hissed.

More arrows began raining on them. Reija's eyes widened in fear as she saw Xena trying to lean forward to protect Solan. Both Reija and Gabrielle screamed as they watched the warrior snatch two arrows out of the air before they could land in the boy's back but the next two arrows landed in Xena's back.

The warrior fell forward in the canoe.

"Mom?" Solan called out.

"She's hurt, Solan, keep paddling, get out of there! Let the current take you!" Reija ordered.

"Xena!" Gabrielle called.

Reija paddled their canoe through the narrow passage when another round of arrows came out of the darkness.

Gabrielle yelped as an arrow hit her shoulder. She quickly caught the paddle before it hit the water.

"Damnit!" she cursed, her left arm useless.

"Just let the current take us," Reija ordered.

Gabrielle bit her lip to keep focused on guiding the canoe, thankful when the arrows stopped landing in the canoe and water around them as they began to put some distance between them and the Amazons.

"Solan?" she called out as the shouts of the Amazons died down.

"Mom won't answer me!" he shouted back.

"Keep going! We've got to put some miles between us and the Amazons!" Reija urged.

"She's right, try keeping the canoe pointed straight," Gabrielle yelled.

"How do I know that?" he complained.

"If it feels like you're turning in the water, try and paddle the other way," Reija instructed.

After a few minutes, Gabrielle was leaning heavily to one side and the paddle felt like a weight in her hand. The bard pulled it inside the canoe before she dropped it.

"I think I'm losing a lot of blood, Reija and we need to see about Xena," she said simply as blackness began to overtake her.

Gabrielle moaned and opened her eyes slowly.

"Mom?" she heard Solan's voice asking as his hand touched her face.

"Yes, what happened?" she whispered, looking around.

"You passed out, Reija and I made camp and carried you both up here," he answered.

Gabrielle noticed they were right by the river in a small clearing. Somehow they had found dry ground and Reija had two fires going and they had put the bard and Xena in between them. Xena was lying on the sleeping furs, face down, still unconscious.

"How is she?" Gabrielle asked and then moaned at the flash of pain in her shoulder. She raised the furs and looked at the bandage and tested the shoulder and nearly screamed at the pain.

"She won't wake up. I thought with the god healing thing she would be okay," he said in a rush, his emotions over-riding his words.

"Help me over there," she said simply.

Reija walked over from the other side of the fire and helped Solan gently raise the bard to a sitting position and let her move slowly around until she was next to Xena. They both waited while Gabrielle examined the wounds. The bard looked at Reija and saw that the Amazon knew how serious the wounds were.

"Solan, one of the arrows may have pierced her heart," the bard whispered.

"No, please!" the boy begged.

"We need to find shelter, she needs to recover."

"Mattita will keep on, we can't stay here!" Reija protested.

"She can't be moved much more!" Gabrielle countered, feeling lightheaded.

"There's a trapper cabin a couple of miles down the river, we can make for that and hope the Amazons won't follow," Reija suggested.

"Okay, at first light," Gabrielle muttered, only vaguely realizing darkness was claiming her again.

The bard opened her eyes as she felt herself gently swaying and found herself looking into extremely blue eyes and smiled softly.

"Sasha," she whispered, discovering her throat was dry.

"Mum," the child smiled, holding the bard's hand as the stretcher swayed along.

Gabrielle looked up and found Solan carrying one end and assumed that Reija was carrying the other.

"Xena?" she questioned.

"Already in the cabin. We moved her first," Solan answered.

The next few days were spent with Solan and Reija caring for the two wounded women and one small child. Gabrielle was up and moving about within two days. Xena remained unconscious for those two days and drifted in and out for two more after that.

Together the three adults managed to keep soup and water in the warrior to help maintain her strength and healing herbs in her wounds.

It was frustrating because there wasn't much they could do for the wounds, especially the one that had punctured the heart of the warrior. Gabrielle knew that it was only Xena's demi-god status that had saved her from instant death. The bard still wasn't sure the warrior would make it.

Gabrielle brushed some dark hair off the warrior's forehead and the bard bit her lip.

"I wish you had that dryad bone with you, my love," she whispered, yellow showing in her eyes.

When Xena was finally able to focus she found Sasha sitting next to her, gently holding the warrior's hand and wiping her mother's forehead with a cool cloth.

"Sasha," she whispered and was rewarded with a huge smile from her daughter.

"Mom!" the youngster cried out delightedly.

Solan came into focus as well from across the room as he made his way to her side. He knelt down, feeling her face and smiling when she kissed his fingertips.

The warrior spotted Reija by the fire, a frown held the Amazon's face.

"Where's Gabrielle?" Xena demanded, her voice harsh. She tried to sit up and collapsed back onto the sleeping fur, gasping for breath.

"We don't know," Solan said softly, holding Xena back down on the furs. "You were both wounded and she lost a lot of blood. The arrows that hit you, nicked your heart, Mom."

"What?"

"We figure it's because of whom your parents are that you're even alive," he said simply.

"Gabrielle?" she whispered as he helped her take a drink of water.

"Like I said, a lot of blood loss but she seemed to be mending. Then it was like she was sick, Mom. She began shaking all the time, couldn't eat, couldn't sleep and then she started cramping, bad stomach cramps."

"She can't get sick," Xena muttered.

"That's what we thought too," Solan agreed, the anguish showing on his face. "Then she wouldn't let any of us near her," the youth hesitated. "Mom, she said it was the blood craving only worse."

"Damnit! Loosing a lot of blood and no animal blood for two months. What happened next?" she muttered.

"Yesterday she wouldn't look at any of us," Reija answered as she walked over and knelt by Solan. "Her eyes were almost totally yellow, Xena."

"Then a little after dark we noticed she was gone. I swear none of us heard her slip out. Reija tried tracking her today but lost her tracks in the rocks. There's some rough rock hills to the east of here."

"She's trying to get away to keep from hurting any of us," the warrior muttered.

"She wouldn't hurt any of us," Solan protested.

"A man dying of thirst would kill his best friend for water," the warrior said flatly.

"What do we do? If she's dangerous I don't want Reija going after her and you can't," Solan demanded.

"I have to go after her, I'm the only one that has a chance to reach her."

"You can't even move, it'll take at least a week before you're out of that bed," Reija protested.

"I've got to try!" Xena insisted and attempted to sit up and fell back gasping again. "Don't you get it, she's gone off to die rather than hurt any of us!"

"Maybe I can help, Xena."

Reija turned with her dagger in her hand and moved in between Solan, Xena, Sasha and the voice coming out of the shadows of the cabin's far north wall.

A figured stepped out into the light and Solan felt Xena relax as he held her arm, keeping the warrior down on the fur bedding. Reija could tell it was a woman in a long dark cloak and deep hood, but could tell little else.

"Relax, young one, I'm not here to hurt you," the elderly voice said as the woman pulled back her hood.

"Hecate," Xena whispered.

"Who's Hecate?" Reija demanded, "and how did she get here?"

"She's one of our dark goddesses and she's my Grandmother," Solan answered.

"I thought Cyrene was Xena's mom," Reija asked.

"She is. It's complicated. Hecate and Cyrene are Xena's mothers and my grandmothers. Mom is the daughter of gods and humans," Solan tried to explain while Hecate stood listening with a smile on her face.

"How can you help, Hecate?" Xena asked her breath ragged.

The older looking woman walked past the defensive Amazon warrior and knelt beside Solan and Sasha next to their warrior mother. The Goddess placed one hand on the warrior's chest and waved the other over Xena's upper body.

Xena's body jerked violently and the warrior's eyes rolled back up in her head for a moment as Hecate's firm hand kept its pressure on the warrior's chest. After a moment Xena opened her eyes and appeared stunned.

Hecate gently removed Solan's hand and Xena sat up with a surprised look on her face.

"Mom's okay!" Sasha squealed delightedly.

"Mom?" Solan asked softly.

"No pain, no wounds," Xena answered, looking to Hecate for the answers.

"Find your mate, Xena." Hecate urged. "Without you she will die."

"How can I help her?" Xena asked in an anguished voice.

"Do you remember my advice to you when you went on your shaman journey?" Hecate asked gently.

"That love always wins over darkness," the warrior answered.

"And that of your mother about the bacchae?"

"Human blood is needed at times," Xena responded.

Solan and Reija sat down next to the furs, listening closely to the Goddess and the daughter of gods.

"And what does Gabrielle always need from you?"

Xena thought a moment and tears filled her eyes as she looked back up at Hecate.

"Love," she stated.

"Yes, go to her. Come with me, daughter, time to save your mate," Hecate ordered and offered her hand to the warrior.

Xena got to her feet easily, her body seemingly unaffected from nearly dying and laying in a coma for several days. She dressed quickly in her thick clothing and grabbed her weapons.

"I'll be back soon with Gabrielle," she told her children and Reija.

"And if you don't?" Reija asked, voicing the question Solan didn't want to ask.

"Then make for the nearest village and then for Greece in the spring. Don't get near Gabrielle if I can't reach her," the warrior advised flatly.

The warrior found herself standing near a small rock cave in a rocky and forlorn mountain ridge. She could smell the smoke of a fire and was encouraged by that sign, it meant the bard was struggling to survive and not giving herself up to the snow just yet.

"Hecate?" the warrior whispered and wasn't surprised when the goddess appeared next to her.

"Yes, daughter?"

"Why are you helping us? You know how I feel about the gods helping."

The goddess laughed softly. "You'll be surprised very soon, daughter. You're my daughter and I'm fond of you and wish to help. Others will help you along the way because it's necessary to balance things."

"What do you mean?" Xena asked.

"Just like Gabrielle's father intervened in her birth because Ares had messed with your destiny, other gods also make the same choices."

"You're speaking in riddles," Xena complained.

"Yes, I'm sorry. The Northern Gods stepped into your life and probably will again as well as some of the Greek ones."

"Why? What do we have to do with them?" Xena demanded.

"Sasha is destined to play a part in their future and that destiny was interfered with," Hecate explained. "Gabrielle wasn't meant to be separated from you when Sasha was born. That's why the Valkyrie was sent to aid you."

Xena felt a chill run up her spine and her eyes narrowed in thought.

"Someone interfered with Fate? Gabrielle wasn't meant to be a slave?" she asked through clenched teeth.

"Yes," Hecate confirmed.

"Someone set her up to be taken, raped, beaten and forced into fighting?"

"Yes, and to get her away from you," Hecate confirmed.

"Ares!"

"Yes, because of that being set in motion, she died on that cross and Apollo had to accept the bacchae side coming out in her to save her life, but deal with that later, focus on saving her life right now."

"Right," Xena agreed, turning her focus back to the cave. "She knows I'm here."

"She can hear your heart, the blood in your veins. Be careful, daughter.

"Right."

Xena approached the cave slowly, letting her eyes adjust to the dimness of the cave, lit only by a small fire.

"Gabrielle?" Xena called softly, "I know you can hear me."

Receiving no answer, the warrior entered further into the cave and spotted a huddled mass near the fire. Xena moved closer, keeping the fire between her and the figure. The warrior finally moved close enough to get a look at the furs and bit her lip to keep from crying out in pain at the sight of her beloved huddled under a fur cloak.

Gabrielle was curled into a fetal position with her arms wrapped around her drawn up legs and even though the bard's eyes were open, Xena wasn't sure if Gabrielle was seeing her. It almost stopped Xena's heart to see the once-green eyes now totally yellow and red rimmed and the warrior could see both lower and upper canines were pronounced fangs as the bard clenched her teeth in pain.

The bard's body shook and sweat was pouring off her as her muscles jerked. Xena had once seen a soldier who had been addicted to a powerful pain-killing herb after suffering a major injury. When it had become too much for his life, they had locked him in a cell until the drugs were out of his system. Gabrielle looked exactly like he had when he had been going through withdrawals.

"She's dying, daughter," a voice drifted into Xena's mind.

Xena studied her mate for a moment then her jaw tightened and eyes narrowed in decision.

Keeping her eyes on her mate, Xena began removing most of her fur and leather clothing, stripping down to her cotton tunic and trousers. The warrior sat down very slowly next to the bard and studied Gabrielle for a few moments.

"Gabrielle, can you hear me?" Xena asked softly, her voice cracking with emotion.

Xena pulled out her belt dagger and pulled her mate into her arms. The warrior was surprised that the bard didn't even struggle against the contact. Gabrielle's head fell back and she appeared almost comatose.

Xena managed to hold Gabrielle and put the dagger in her left hand. With a quick and efficient movement the warrior sliced her wrist open and held the wound up to her mate's lips.

The warrior was worried she was too late when the Bacchae Gabrielle didn't even seem to notice. Then the bard's eyes closed and her mouth wrapped around the wound. A moment later her hand reached out and held the wrist in place at her mouth.

Xena felt her body shudder as her blood began to flow freely into Gabrielle's mouth. As she became light headed, Xena could almost feel the strength being transferred to her mate as Gabrielle's body shifted and her grip on the warrior's arm became stronger.

Gabrielle shifted and pulled back from the wounded wrist and turned to meet Xena's lips with her own. The warrior could taste her own blood on the bard's lips, metallic and yet enticing. Gabrielle shifted and pushed the warrior over onto her back on the furs and followed, covering Xena's body with her own, her tongue demanding entrance past the warrior's lips.

Xena groaned as electric currents shot through her body as her tongue played back and felt Gabrielle's fangs. The Bacchae Gabrielle growled deep in her throat and pulled back from Xena's lips long enough to pull the warrior's tunic off and ducked her head to capture Xena's nipples in her lips and teeth.

Xena arched her back and then felt Gabrielle stiffen. Opening her eyes, Xena found herself looking into green/yellow/red eyes of her bard.

"Xena?" Gabrielle whispered.

"It's me, little one," Xena responded and pulled the bard into her arms, laying the young woman next to her. "It's okay."

Gabrielle frowned, lifting Xena's wounded arm up closer to see in the firelight.

"I drank from you, didn't I?"

"Yes, I offered it willing," Xena answered.

"That's supposed to make a difference?" Gabrielle demanded bitterly.

"Yes, damnit!" Xena snapped. She pulled the bard's face up to look at her. "You need blood and sometimes it has to be human. I'm also your first blood and your mate, it should be me and I want it to be me. With the human blood you need the sexual excitement that goes with it, who better than me?"

"Terrific, I can feed on you like a stock animal?" Gabrielle raised herself up on her elbow, her eyes blazing.

"No, my love," Xena's eyes filled with tears. "This is just another part of our connection. We're already blood bound, this is just another aspect of our love for each other."

"This isn't love!" Gabrielle protested, "It's feeding on you!"

"No, there's more there or the animal blood would be enough. You need more than just the blood, Gabrielle, and you know it," Xena pressed.

"No!" the bard sat up turning her head away to look into the fire. The warrior could see that her mate's eyes were still mostly yellow and the fangs hadn't receded much.

"Yes! We've talked about it enough; we were both so turned on when you bit me in Bacchus' lair that we couldn't stand it. The Bacchae crave that along with the blood. Take that from me, little one."

"So I take not only your blood but use your body as well?" Gabrielle demanded, her eyes flashing even more intensely.

Xena's eyes flashed as well, "Do you remember what Hecate said about the darkness?"

Gabrielle frowned and her eyebrows furrowed in thought. "Love winning out over darkness always."

"That's what you've got to face, Gabrielle. You've got to accept this part of yourself and accept my love for you. Accept my love. You would for me."

The bard continued to frown. "You mean make it an act of love instead of letting the bacchae darkness control it?"

"Yes, exactly!" Xena reached out and gently stroked the bard's jaw line.

Gabrielle reached out and held the warrior's wounded wrist to the light. With a small sigh she gently ran her tongue along the wound and the warrior was stunned to see it close, leaving no trace. The bard shrugged at Xena's expression.

"It's a form of survival, that's why you never saw bite marks on me before I turned last time," she explained. "Xena," the bard hesitated.

"Yes, my love?" Xena asked as she drew Gabrielle into her arms again, holding the smaller woman close.

"That wasn't enough," came a tortured whisper.

"I know, it's okay, I'm here for you."

"You can't take anymore!" the bard protested, pulling back slightly to look Xena in the eyes. "You were wounded and lost a lot of blood too!"

Xena grinned a lopsided grin. "I kinda got some help in that area."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed.

"Hecate showed up and healed me and led me here," Xena explained.

Gabrielle seemed lost in thought until the warrior pulled her face up and captured the bard's lips, her tongue fighting past the lips and fangs to duel with Gabrielle's tongue.

The bard moaned and then growled deep in her chest and pushed Xena back down onto the furs, following once again, covering the warrior with her body as her tongue fought with Xena, the kiss deep and passionate.

Gabrielle suddenly pulled back and her face looked pained. When she opened her eyes there was no trace of green any longer. Xena tried to convey the love she felt for the bard and the desire she was feeling right then.

"It's okay, Gabrielle, take it!" she hissed. "Take me!"

Bacchae Gabrielle growled again and thrust her hand down the front of Xena's woolen trousers and the warrior cried out as the bard's fingers entered her roughly and Gabrielle's teeth pulled at a nipple.

Xena, her body already responding to the subtle magic of the Bacchae feeding, arched her body, trying to meet more of the bard's fingers. The warrior's hands were gripping at the furs under her.

The bard raised her head again. "Xena?" she whispered.

"Yes, do it!" the warrior encouraged.

Gabrielle thrust roughly into her mate again, her thumb finding Xena's swollen clit and her teeth finding the warrior's neck all in the same moment.

Xena cried out with the intensity as her body began shaking. With the feeding minutes before, the warrior's body responded quickly to the bard's attention. As her blood flowed out of her neck Xena became even lighter headed, especially as waves began to build in her body.

The warrior couldn't tell which was sending her higher, the pull of the blood through her mate's fangs or the bard's knowing touch within her body and on her clit. Every time Gabrielle touched her was amazing to the warrior but this was even more intense. It felt like two electric eels were at either end of her body, sending currents back and forth, causing her muscles to jerk, her back to arch and her hips to strain against the bard's hand.

As Xena felt her body growing weaker and the waves building, she felt herself approaching that point that only Gabrielle could get her past. The point of total surrender, the point of allowing her body to collapse into those waves, no control left.

"Don't stop, baby, please!" Xena heard herself beg as her body rocked with Gabrielle's fingers entering and pulling back. The warrior wondered how much blood she had lost and realized she didn't care at that moment; she just wanted it to continue.

The warrior felt herself falling into grayness the waves overtook her and Xena felt a scream pulled from her body as wave after wave hit her.

"Xena?" Gabrielle said softly, gently rocking the warrior in her arms as tears streamed down the bard's face. "Please come back to me!"

"Hey," a voice brought the bard's green eyes open to stare into clear blue ones.

"Oh Gods, Xena, I'm sorry!" Gabrielle cried. "I couldn't stop!"

"I'm okay, little one," Xena smiled. "I probably would have killed you if you had stopped before you did."

Gabrielle felt confusion on top of the guilt. Her body was also absorbing the affects of the blood feeding, her body tingling, muscles twitching with excess energy and senses heightened.

"What?" she demanded.

"My love, I don't think I've ever felt anything like that!" Xena said softly, letting the bard hold her.

"Me either, it was…" Gabrielle felt herself struggling for the words. "Incredible."

"Can you describe it?" Xena asked, settling between the bard's legs as Gabrielle leaned against the wall of the cave. A change of their usual position, Xena reflected.

"I could feel your blood rushing through your body, your heart was pounding so loudly in my ears. The taste changes as you approach orgasm, I don't know how to describe the taste and how it changes, it just does," Gabrielle found herself blushing at the memory. "My own body responded to yours, like it always does."

"How do you feel now?" the warrior asked.

"I know I should be feeling more guilty than I am but I feel so calm for the first time in forever." Gabrielle frowned, assessing her feelings. "Xena, this feels different than when we were in Bacchus' cave. This feels… right?"

"Yes, we're blood mates, Gabrielle. This is just a different aspect of that special bonding. No one will use that against you again." Xena said sleepily.

"Rest, my warrior," Gabrielle said gently, pulling the furs up over them. "We'll go back to the cabin in the morning.

"Yeah," Xena muttered, "we've got to get to Axel's steading."

"Anywhere as long as we're together," Gabrielle whispered as she settled down next to the warrior, curled in Xena's arms.

"Together," the warrior muttered, "Always. I'm going to kill Ares."

"What?" Gabrielle asked but received no answer from her sleeping warrior. 'What in Tartarus does Ares have to do with this?' she wondered and then let sleep overtake her as well.


	15. 15 Wild Hunt

**Disclaimers:** I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules, Iolaus or any of the others appearing in the TV show. Please don't bother suing me for copyright infringement. No harm is intended and I don't have any money.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** this story is of people of the same gender involved in loving and sexual relationships as well as people in loving and sexual relationships of the opposite gender. No graphic sex this time, sorry. If these types of relationships are illegal where you are or just bug you, then leave. Come back after you get older, open your mind, move or change your laws.

**Violence:** Yes, there is violence in this one with a fight scene and one murder. It's not graphic but the content could be disturbing.

**Storyline:** Xena, Gabrielle and family have traveled to their adopted Germanic family in the North and get involved with a local mystery involving dark sorcery and ancient legends which just might claim Gabrielle's soul.

* * *

Eddval's wife, Alfhild, couldn't believe she was hearing a pounding at the door of the long hall. She saw several of the family members looking up in confusion at the door and then back at her and knew that she wasn't hearing things if others were hearing it too.

She figured that Eddval must have been returning from the animal hut with his arms full and banging at the door with his foot. Alfhild grinned and went quickly to the door, her hand resting on the spear kept by the door, just in case.

When the Norsewoman opened the door she could only see a figure in fur and leather holding a bundle in its arms, the face hidden deep in the shadows of a fur hood. Alfhild could also see a couple of other figures in the blinding snow near the one standing at the door.

"Alfhild, Mistress of this Steading, we seek shelter and welcome," a voice requested from under the hood, the voice speaking German with an accent placed the owner as a foreigner to the region.

"We know you, stranger?"

"It's Ylsa and family," the voice answered.

"Xena!" Alfhild threw open the door and dragged the fur covered person inside and others quickly got to their feet and helped pull the other figures inside out of the blinding storm.

The inhabitants of the Steading acted quickly and efficiently, stripping the wet fur clothing off of the figures, pulling them close to the fires while women dashed back and forth to warm towels and heat water. The figure in Xena's arms was revealed to be Gabrielle, barely coherent and nearly frozen. The only one not suffering from the cold seemed to be Sasha who had been held inside of Solan's fur clothing and shared his body heat.

Alfhild warmed some water to lukewarm and gently placed Xena's hands into the water and grimaced as the warrior hissed with the pain.

"What by Hella's Halls were you thinking?" Alfhild demanded, "traveling in this weather?"

"We didn't have a choice, Alfhild, how are the others?" the warrior asked as someone knelt at her feet and began cutting away the laces holding the fur around her boots.

Alfhild glanced over and saw Gabrielle shaking her head, toweling the wet hair dry and then reaching out with shaking hands for a mug of lukewarm soup. A quick look at the young male and female confirmed they were also beginning to snap out of the cold haze.

"Better than you, Ylsa," Alfhild growled and looked up when the door opened and closed quickly, her husband Eddval Skull Splitter entering the Long Hall. His sharp blue eyes took in the sight of the household bustling around the visitors and then grinned when he recognized Gabrielle and Xena.

"Brie, Ylsa! By Thor's beard, you must have the blessing of the gods to have made it through that snow!" he exclaimed in a loud voice at the Greeks, using their adopted Germanic names and dropping the bag of apples he had brought in and hurried over to the warrior.

Xena grinned a lopsided grin. "I've been told a couple of the gods like us," she agreed.

He frowned as he took in the sight of her hands in the warm water, thawing out. "How are they, wife?" he asked.

"They'll live and I think keep all their fingers and toes. Another mark and I wouldn't be sure."

"What were you thinking, Ylsa?" Eddval demanded and was surprised when Xena grinned at him.

"Your wife was just asking the same thing. We were with the Northern Amazons and planned on visiting you in the spring thaw. We had to leave early," Xena said simply.

"Someone from the North let you travel in this mess?" he demanded, his face taking on a look of rage that Xena hadn't seen before. She began to wonder how he got his nickname.

"They didn't give us a choice," Gabrielle answered in a tired voice.

"Eddval," Alfhild looked up at her husband, "arrange bedding for our family. Ylsa, are the young ones mates?"

Xena grinned as she saw Solan and Reija blushing.

"Yes, the Amazon shaman performed a marriage ceremony just before we left. This is Solan, my son and Reija, his wife."

Gabrielle grinned as she watched Solan straighten up with obvious pride. It was the first time that Reija had been called his wife. Xena joined in the grinning as Reija reached out and took Solan's hand in hers.

"Welcome to my home, Solan and Reija, Ylsa and Brie are family, therefore you are family. I assume the little one is Sasha? She has grown, Ylsa, and is beautiful."

The tall Viking knelt down and looked into the blue eyes of the child and grinned. "Do you remember me, little one?" he asked softly.

"Uncle Eddval," she answered and crawled up into his strong arms.

Gabrielle watched Xena begin to relax, knowing that her family was now safe. Xena and Gabrielle both knew that the Norsemen would die protecting their adopted Greek family members.

They hadn't seen any Amazons trailing them for a couple of days but that wasn't unexpected; they hadn't been able to see anything for three days in the blinding snow. The bard had no idea how Xena had been able to lead them to Eddval's Steading in the blinding snow, but she was grateful to be in out of the snow.

"After you sleep and eat you must tell us the tale of why you are in the snow, Brie," Alfhild encouraged, taking the mug of soup from the bard as Gabrielle's head began to drop forward.

Gabrielle was barely aware of hands helping her to her feet and over to the sleeping benches against the walls. Gentle hands and soothing voices helped her under the furs. The bard did yelp when she felt someone join her in the furs and it wasn't Xena.

"Do you remember me, Brie?" a voice asked, "I am Askel. Ylsa and you are too cold to share body heat; if you will permit me I will share my body heat with you. I vow on the blood of my father that you are safe in my arms tonight."

"Okay," she muttered sleepily and was surprised when the young man placed his arms around her and pulled her into his arms. In a few minutes her body stopped shivering and she was finally able to fall into a restful sleep.

"Gabrielle," a voice floated through the haze of Gabrielle's sleepiness and she opened her eyes slowly to see blue ones looking at her. She smiled a welcoming smile as she took in Xena squatting next to the bench where the bard was sleeping.

Then a puzzled look crossed the bard's face and Xena grinned, watching the bard try to gather her thoughts as Gabrielle realized that someone was holding her in bed but Xena was sitting next to her.

The bard yelped and sat up quickly, looking down at the handsome young Viking with his arm still thrown over her, sound asleep.

"It's okay, I woke up with company this morning too," Xena grinned at the bard's blushing face. "It was a good way to warm us up quickly."

"I remember, sort of. How are the kids?" Gabrielle asked as she stood up and pulled a woolen blanket off the bed and wrapped around her shoulders. She followed Xena to one of the fire pits.

"Still sleeping but good, better shape than we were in. Solan and Sasha were sharing body heat and Reija was behind everyone else, following a well blazed trail."

The activity of the Long Hall continued around them, people walking by with various duties and tasks, taking a moment to say good morning and to welcome the Greeks back to their family.

Gabrielle gratefully took a bowl of porridge and a hunk of bread from one of the women and another handed the warrior the same. The couple sat down next to the fire and slowly ate, letting their stomachs slowly get accustomed to the idea of being full again.

As they ate Gabrielle noticed Xena shifting her shoulders and rolling them, trying to work out very tired and sore muscles.

"I don't remember most of yesterday, how did we get here?" the bard asked and her quick eyes noticed the blush on Xena's face at the question.

"I… uh, I followed a wolf," the warrior whispered.

Xena's quick reflexes caught the bowl that Gabrielle dropped just before it hit the floor. Gabrielle shook her head and took the bowl back, her eyes still wide with astonishment.

"What?" she hissed quietly.

"Hecate told me that the Northern gods have been keeping an eye on us. It seems that they think Sasha has something to do with their future, Hecate wouldn't say what. That's why the Valkyrie was sent to help me when Sasha was born," Xena began explaining.

"And the wolf?"

"You know that wolves and ravens are Odin's, the Norse god, right?"

"Yes, I remember the last time we were here," Gabrielle nodded.

"Yeah, you probably remember more than I do with that bardic memory of yours," Xena grinned. "I've had dealings with Odin in the past and I didn't think we parted on such good company but I took a chance when I saw a wolf in front of us in the snow, waiting patiently. The wolf led us here."

"I wish I had been there when Sasha was born," the bard said wistfully and Xena felt an instant pain in her heart, Gabrielle frowned at the warrior's expression. "What is it?"

"You were supposed to be there, Gabrielle," Xena said painfully.

"What do you mean?"

"I wasn't sure I was going to tell you but we promised no secrets between us. Hecate said that the Valkyrie came to me because you weren't with me and you were meant to be. You were supposed to protect me and bond with Sasha from the beginning but you were taken from me," Xena reached out and took the bowl and cup from the bard's hands and placed them on the floor and held the bard's hands in her own.

"The Fates meant for me to be there?" Gabrielle asked softly her eyebrows furrowing in thought and question.

"Yes, that's what Hecate told me."

"The reason I wasn't there was because I was a slave, someone caused that? It wasn't random?" Gabrielle's eyes were beginning to shine with realization and with that came anger.

"No, you were set up to be captured," Xena felt her eyes filling with tears just thinking about what Gabrielle had gone through at the hands of the Romans; repeated rapes, beatings, lashings, branding, and being forced into gladiator games to fight for her life.

"Someone took me from you intentionally? Someone put me in that Arena?"

Xena winched at the strength in Gabrielle's hands as the bard clenched her fists. The warrior could see the anger settling in the bard's eyes as the knowledge hit her.

"Yes," Xena said simply.

"Ares!"

"Yes."

Gabrielle closed her eyes, her jaw clenched tightly.

Eddval walked up to the two women and stopped when he saw Gabrielle's face. He looked at Xena with an expression of worry.

"She's about to go into a berserker rage," Xena grimaced at Gabrielle's grip.

"Bring her to the door, I'll grab cloaks for you. Take her to the barn and let her beat up the post there, they're very large and she's very small," He advised.

Xena grinned as she encouraged the bard to her feet, Gabrielle still with her eyes closed. The warrior noted the quickened breathing and the trembling muscles.

"You don't know Gabrielle when she's angry," Xena grinned at Eddval.

The tall Viking looked down at the woman struggling to contain her rage and nodded with a grin. "I'm not sure I want to, Ylsa," he agreed.

When Gabrielle's eyes focused once more, she was breathing heavy, was lightly covered with sweat and her muscles felt like she had just been through a workout.

Looking around from her position of sitting on the dirt floor of a barn, she spotted Xena leaning against a large post, also breathing heavily, sword in hand.

Gabrielle looked down at the sais in her hand and began to blush from the realization she had lost control again.

"Xena?" she whispered.

"It's okay, Gabrielle," Xena sheathed her sword and knelt down next to the bard. "I hit you with something rough there."

"Ares set me up to be a slave," Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in anger again but she put the sais away in their boot sheathes.

"Yes," Xena said, sitting down on the floor. "Because of it you weren't there when Sasha was born and it set in motion you ending up on that cross and dying. Because the gods had to accept your Bacchae side to bring you back, Hecate helped me out in finding you and healing me."

"I don't know what I'll do if I ever see him again, Xena," Gabrielle stated flatly.

"I know, little one. I'm not sure I trust my control either. I haven't had a chance to work it off and I don't think this anger will go away," The warrior reached out and gently stroked Gabrielle's cheek. "What happened to you… I will personally castrate him!"

"Xena, do you have any idea why Artemis won't appear to me?" the bard asked in a soft voice.

"No, I don't. I know the gods can be selfish but I thought she would have come to you when the Amazons were killed," Xena commented, reaching over for Gabrielle's fur cloak from the hay bale behind them and putting it around the bard's shoulders.

"Do you think she's rejected me because of the Bacchae blood?"

"I hope not, little one. You're still the best champion the Amazons have seen and it's not your fault what Bacchus did to you."

"Gods, I'm tired of all of this!" Gabrielle complained. "Think we can get a break for a while?"

"At least another two months!" Xena laughed. "I don't think anything or anyone can make it through that snow out there."

"Good, we need some down time."

Xena grinned and got to her feet and pulled her mate up into her arms for a long kiss.

"I agree," Xena whispered.

After a moment they headed for the door.

"I remembered something, Xena, that I've been wanting to ask you."

"What's that?" The warrior asked, stopping at the door.

"Now that you know who your father is, are you going to tell Hercules when they get here in the spring?" Gabrielle asked and tried to resist smiling at the look on her mate's face. "I mean, Zeus is your father too and you and Hercules got awfully close."

Xena's face began to blush profusely. "You are so in trouble, Gabrielle!" she threatened.

Gabrielle laughed and moved several feet back into the barn.

"He's going to find out sometime!" she grinned. "It's not like you knew who your father was at the time. Happens all the time with the Greek gods."

"Gabrielle," Xena's voice was a low warning growl.

"And you both are so damned good looking," Gabrielle giggled and then made a dive for the hay bales as the warrior leaped for her, the bard laughing as she dodged a blushing warrior.

Xena let loose with a war cry and flipped forward into a somersault and landed in front of Gabrielle, cutting off the bard's intended escape route from behind the hay, and tackled her wife, both laughing as they fell into the hay.

"Xena!" the bard screamed as Xena's knowing hands sought out the bard's tickle spots. "Stop! I give! I give!"

"You promise never to tease me about this again?" the warrior growled.

"Yes, I promise!" Gabrielle gasped around her giggles, still trying to evade the warrior's hands.

"Okay," Xena stopped tickling her mate to lean down and kiss her. The bard instantly responded back into a passionate kiss.

Later that night Gabrielle sat in front of the main fire while the large extended family sat around, drinking mead or cider and listened to the bard tell the tale of their adventures with the Northern Amazons. Their battles with Alti in the spiritual and physical realm and then of Sasha and Solan being accepted as Gabrielle's adopted children and accepted into the tribe.

Xena noticed that the bard didn't expand on her Bacchae condition to the Norsemen and women, the bard just told them that Alti had put her under a spell and caused her to kill the Amazon Queen Arja. Gabrielle also described her initiation into the tribe but not in great detail and again Xena wasn't surprised. The warrior knew that shamanistic journeys could be very difficult to describe and very personal too.

When Gabrielle got to the part of Solan and Reija's romance the Northerners grinned, they delighted in love stories, especially doomed couples, the warrior knew from past experience and Gabrielle turned the explanation of what had happened into a bardic tale. Weaving a story around Solan and Reija falling in love and facing up to the Elder Council, willing to accept any consequence for that love. The bard told how the Greeks had been forced to leave under the cover of darkness for fear of the power hungry Law Speaker Mattita wanting to kidnap Sasha away from them and kill everyone else. She didn't tell them the total reason why Mattita had wanted Sasha that it was because Sasha was the daughter of gods.

Xena felt the room of people shift in their places. The thought of someone killing them for their children brought growls out of the men and women. Several warriors fingered their daggers and several mothers reached out to reassure themselves that their own children were at their feet as Gabrielle described leaving in the snow, fighting the ice river and trying to dodge arrows from the Amazon archers intent on taking Sasha from them.

Again the bard left some major details out of the story of their escape, Xena reflected but didn't blame her mate. She understood that Gabrielle didn't want to tell everyone how badly the warrior had been injured and the only reason she was alive was that a Goddess had shown up to heal her. She also understood that Gabrielle didn't want the Northerners to know that she had suffered from a massive bacchae attack because of the blood she had lost to her own wounds.

The bard had nearly died because of it. Only Xena being willing to offer her own blood had saved the bard and turned the darkness in Gabrielle into light by turning it into another connection of their love.

The warrior just hoped the bard was through fighting it and would just accept the cravings as part of her life now and not feel so damned guilty about it.

The bard ended her tale with the Greek family struggling along the rough and storm tossed coastal sea waters to reach the nearby coast and then fighting their way through the snow storm to the Steading of their adopted German family.

After her tale there were many toasts to the gods, the ancestors, the Norns and to the Greek family in honor of their survival and their courage. By the end of the rounds Xena's head was fuzzy and she gladly accepted Gabrielle's hand and let the bard lead her to the sleeping benches.

For the first time in months they slept well and through the night without nightmares or tension.

The family easily settled in for the remaining winter months with their adopted family. Xena helping with the blacksmith, Gabrielle and Reija filling in with the women with the usual chores, Solan helping with the cooking and Sasha learning the duties of the household as well.

With the slaughter of one a sheep or pig each month, Xena was able to secure some of the blood for Gabrielle. The warrior also gave her own blood and arousal for Gabrielle's Bacchae needs each month, the couple keeping that aspect of the bard's nature secret from their Germanic family.

The Spring thaw had just begun when Xena looked up one day at the sound of horses on the road and saw three riders approaching. She dropped the metal she was working into spearheads into the water bucket and readjusted her sword. Then the warrior broke into a grin as the riders got closer and she could make out Hercules, Iolaus and their adopted German son, Ketli.

"Ylsa!" Ketli cried and jumped off his horse and rushed forward to hug the warrior. Others began pouring out of the long houses and barn to greet the other Greeks, Alfhild bringing a drinking horn full of mead to offer as hospitality and thanks of their return.

Hercules grinned at the warm welcome and Iolaus found himself almost lifted off the ground when Eddval and Axel hugged him.

Gabrielle made her way through the crowd to quickly hug the two men and their growing son.

"Gabrielle! Xena! Glad you're here," Iolaus yelled over the noise of a happy crowd. "We thought we'd beat you here though."

"We've been here for a couple of months now," Xena grinned.

"What, through the snow?" Hercules demanded.

"Long story and one that Gabrielle will tell again tonight, I'm sure. Come on, let's get you settled and I'll give you the short version," the warrior offered, removing her leather apron and letting Thorryke, the blacksmith take over the spearhead making.

Walking inside the long hall Xena took the chance to introduce the Greek men and son to her new daughter-in-law, Reija. Hercules grinned and hugged the young Amazon and Iolaus grinned at her embarrassment over the attention.

"I don't believe Solan can be old enough," Hercules grinned.

"Me either," Xena agreed. "Want to know something else?"

Iolaus raised his eyebrows and Hercules narrowed his eyes in amusement.

"What?" he ventured.

"I'm going to be a grandmother," Xena grinned and Reija began blushing even more.

"No way! That means I'm old enough to be..." Hercules' voice trailed off and Iolaus began laughing at his mate's expression.

"You just became a mom!" Hercules protested, smiling at Solan and Reija's red faces.

"A few years ago, my friend. Sasha's now 5 seasons old and Reija is starting on a family right away," the warrior grinned.

"Wow! Congratulations you two!"

"Thanks," Solan grinned.

Gabrielle came up behind the men and hugged them both, stepping between them.

"Heard the news, did you?"

"Yes, grandma!" Iolaus grinned and then tried to squirm away as the bard began tickling him. "Hey! No fair! I've only one arm!"

"Then I'll tie one of mine behind my back, you scamp!" Gabrielle threatened, continuing her assault until they ended up laughing on one of the benches.

Their two taller mates watched with amused smiles while several of the males began wagering on the outcome. Unfortunately for the gambling happy Vikings the contest ended in a mutual giggle fit and a draw was declared.

Iolaus, also known as Ivar One-Handed among the Vikings, looked up at Xena and Hercules and began laughing again. Gabrielle looked up and began laughing again as well.

Xena looked at Hercules and shrugged. Together they moved towards the fires to join Solan and Reija while Gabrielle and Iolaus struggled up off the furs.

Hercules watched Xena's face as she watched the young couple and grinned. The warrior noticed his smile and blushed.

"What?" she demanded.

"You all look good, I'm glad to see you."

"Back at you, big guy," she grinned.

"Alfhild! Brie!" Eddval's voice carried into the long hall late one afternoon, finding both women helping with the cooking. Everyone looked up with frowns on their faces, the voice had an urgent tone and both women were at the door before anyone else had moved.

"Xena?" Gabrielle muttered as they took in the sight of the hunters returning through the light snow on horses, Xena curled up in Hercules' arms. Xena raised her head and looked at her mate with a small smile, trying to reassure the bard.

"I'm alright, just twisted my leg, no big deal," she said as they rushed up.

Hercules swung his leg over the horse and landed easily on the ground with the warrior in his arms. "Probably broken and that'll take awhile to mend," he frowned.

The demi-god's frown deepened when he noticed the look exchanged between Gabrielle and Xena.

"What?" he demanded.

The other hunters going about unsaddling their horses distracted the trio and Eddval walking up to his wife and the Greeks, his face enraged.

"Husband, what is wrong?" Alfhild asked.

"Someone stole the dogs!" he yelled, causing several hunters to turn quickly and then look away at their headman's anger.

"How could someone steal your hunting dogs, they only obey you and Vikker?" she asked.

"I don't know. We hit a fog bank near the river and they went quiet. Ylsa found them trapped under a net but quiet, not making any noise," he tried to explain.

"Then a log came swinging out of the trees, a trap. I tried to jump out of the way but it caught my leg. When I looked up the dogs were gone," Xena finished.

"How?" Gabrielle asked as they began walking towards the long hall.

Hercules waited for Gabrielle to open the door and carried Xena inside.

"I don't know. I had that same tingling feeling I get whenever Ares is around," Xena frowned.

"You don't think it was him, do you?"

"No, too far north and not his style, besides, why would he want hunting dogs?"

"I don't know. Has anything like this ever happened before, Eddval?" Gabrielle asked.

"No, never."

"Let's get Xena inside and set the leg," Hercules insisted.

Once inside the demi-god sat the warrior down in one of the chairs and began examining her leg and knee and then frowned at his friend.

"This leg was broken, I felt the bones," he stated flatly.

"Gabrielle," Xena looked up at her mate and Gabrielle merely nodded and kissed Xena quickly.

"I'm going to talk to Eddval and see about this mystery," the bard stated, moving away.

Hercules waited, sitting down in a chair across from Xena.

"Herc, when you get a broken arm, how fast does it heal?" she asked.

"Very quickly, but not like that, Xena. I know your mother is a goddess, is this part of your inheritance?" he asked.

"Part of it. Part of it is who my father is. Herc, I was born mortal because Cyrene chose to take the child Hecate was carrying and give birth to me. She is my mother but Hecate is also my mother. The reason for it was to keep my birth a secret from my true father."

"Not Ares!" he protested in a whisper.

"No, not Ares, thank the gods. My father may not even be aware of my existence and I'd like to keep it that way but because of what Gabrielle and I have been through, certain traits have come up and one of them is quick healing. A good thing since I was shot through the heart with an arrow escaping from the Amazons."

"Oh gods," the demi-god muttered and then looked up into his friend's eyes. "It's Zeus, isn't it?"

"How did you know?" she asked, also in a whisper.

"Who else would you be afraid to tell me about?" he grinned a rueful smile.

"Don't worry, I won't tell him and I don't think Hera is talking to me either."

"Herc, I didn't know until last spring."

"I know that," he said reassuringly. "No one needs to know who your father is. I take it Gabrielle knows?"

Xena shrugged, "Yeah, can't keep anything from her."

"Any surprises about her that you want to hit me with?" he grinned and then lost the smile when Xena didn't smile back.

"Go grab a horn of something, this could take awhile," she said.

After a candle-mark the large Greek sat back in his chair with a sigh. "Part Bacchae, child of Apollo and she died on that damned cross and my brother set her up to be taken as a slave. That means that Iolaus is crippled because of him, too!" he growled, his eyes flashing brightly.

"Yes," Xena answered simply, keeping occasional eye contact with Gabrielle.

"Ares had better hope to stay out of my sight for a very very long time!" he threatened.

"I don't think he'll find a welcome from any of us," Xena agreed.

"You two are handling the Bacchae thing, you said."

"Yes, now she doesn't feel so guilty about it, just part of her nature, thankfully. We don't tell many about it though."

"I understand. May I tell Iolaus?" he asked.

"Yes, I'm letting you know so that if I'm ever away or something, you can help her get through the cravings."

"I figured that, but one thing…" he hesitated and Xena raised an eyebrow in question. "I don't know about helping with the sexual stimulation thing," he grinned and was rewarded with a playful slap across his arm and a grin from Xena.

Hercules grinned and checked the warrior's leg again and wasn't surprised this time to find it merely sprained. He shook his head and walked over to Gabrielle and quickly hugged the startled Greek and then went outside to find his mate.

Gabrielle walked over to her mate and hugged her.

"How much did you tell him?" she asked as she sat down in the chair Hercules had been sitting in.

"Everything about Zeus and Hecate and us," Xena answered, leaning back and closing her eyes, wincing in pain as she moved the leg a bit.

"Just in case you're not around when the moon hits you want someone who knows what's going on with me," Gabrielle stated.

"Yes," Xena growled around the pain as she tested the movement of the leg.

"I know we talked about it, just feels weird someone else knowing that part of me."

Xena opened her eyes with a frown but Gabrielle smiled.

"Don't worry, it's fine," Gabrielle assured her warrior.

Two days later and Eddval was still cursing under his breath about his missing dogs. The news from other nearby steadings that their dogs were missing too didn't help his mood any.

Gabrielle approached Alfhild that afternoon.

"Alfhild, could you tell me if there are any myths dealing with hounds or dogs?" the bard asked as the older woman sat carding some of the early wool.

"Yes, there are. Let's see, there's the story of the Fenris Wolf of the gods; the gates of Hella's Halls being guarded by the fierce dog Garm; and the Wild Hunt," she responded.

"Okay, the Wild Hunt sounds like the only one that needs more than one dog or wolf in it, right?" Gabrielle said, sitting down and taking up some carding tools as well, the brushes straining the wool into fine material fit for spinning.

"Yes, you're thinking of the missing hounds?"

"Yes, maybe there's a connection, maybe not. Can't hurt to learn more of your history," the bard grinned. "Why would anyone steal hounds if they won't respond to anyone's commands but their masters'?" the bard mused.

"To make the steading more open to attack? Cut down the warning time?" Alfhild ventured.

"Hasn't Eddval and Axel anticipated that and worked something out?"

"Yes, we weren't attacked the first night like Eddval suspected we might." Alfhild frowned. "Why take dogs that you can't control?" she echoed.

"What was the Wild Hunt you mentioned?"

"It is an old legend, older than anyone can remember. Sometimes it happens at Yule, the longest night of the year, sometimes it happens in the Spring, just after the first thaw. A pack of white hounds, with red ears and eyes of fire, tear through the land spreading fear and terror. The Huntsman that follows is thought to be Odin or the dark goddess Holda. Our travel among the Kelti tells us that they also have the same legend."

"What happens on the Hunt?" Gabrielle asked.

"The Hunt lasts from dark until the twilight of sunrise. Anyone caught outside are caught up with the pack and must run with them, totally mad and animal, like a berserker. If they survive the night with the pack they are insane or die of exhaustion with the sunrise. The other thing that can happen is that the pack tears anyone they find outdoors on these nights to pieces."

Gabrielle felt her head pounding and everything went gray.

When the bard's eyes cleared she found herself on the floor and several women were kneeling beside her along with Alfhild, all looking very concerned. Gabrielle sat up slowly, breathing deeply and trying to clear her head.

"I'm alright. I'm sorry, just got lightheaded for a moment, I'm okay," she said repeatedly to questions of concern. Several hands helped her off the floor and back into her chair. It was several minutes before everyone else went back to his or her daily chores, leaving the bard with Alfhild again.

The older woman continued to look concerned.

"When I was with the Northern Amazons, I had a vision journey and I saw someone torn to death by a pack of hounds, it startled me when you described it," Gabrielle answered the unspoken question between them and Alfhild nodded.

"You or Xena?" the Viking woman asked and Gabrielle blushed.

"Both," she answered softly.

"Only your death or that of your mate would cause such a reaction, I think."

"Or the kids," Gabrielle smiled. Then she looked puzzled. "I thought Odin was the head god of the Vikings, why would he lead the Wild Hunt of madness?"

Alfhild shrugged, slowly returning to her carding of wool. "No one knows, maybe it's necessary for a god to let totally loose a couple of times a year? Maybe it's a time of madness that goes along with his wisdom. No one knows."

Gabrielle frowned, lost in thought, as she continued carding with Alfhild. Soon the conversation turned to other legends of the north and comparison with the myths of the Greek gods and goddesses.

Xena also decided to ask some questions of Eddval and Axel as they watched her working with the blacksmith.

"Who would benefit from you losing the steading?" she asked Eddval.

"That's easy, either my kinsmen to the west or the Jarl, the local Lord."

"Has he made moves against you?" the warrior asked as she worked the bellows.

"Yes, small skirmishes but we can't prove anything enough to complain at the All Thing," Axel answered.

"All Thing, the annual gathering of all the countryside when the laws are recited, complaints heard and judgments decided?" the warrior asked.

"Yes, you remember well!" Eddval grinned.

"I've been this way before," Xena shrugged.

"He wants to expand his land for his own animals but the families surrounding his land are firmly tied to that land and won't move." Eddval stated.

"Why steal hounds though?" the warrior mused. "They're good for early warning and sometimes in a fight but not that important."

"The way they disappeared, it wasn't natural!" Axel grumbled.

"Magic?" the warrior frowned, it wasn't something that they normally came across in Greece anymore, most of the old magic having been lost to the age of knowledge and learning. The warrior also knew that there were still some capable of doing things beyond explanation in other lands.

"I would think so," Axel muttered.

"But why?" Xena frowned. "Why use the energy to steal hounds that you can't control?"

"Blood?" Eddval asked softly.

"It would be easier to steal cattle or sheep, that would be blamed on simple raiding," the warrior contemplated.

"Must be something specific about the hounds," Axel ventured and they all nodded in agreement.

Not finding any more answers the two Vikings wandered towards the long hall and Xena continued her blacksmithing work, all lost in thought.

Later that night Hercules and Iolaus found the two Greek women comparing notes on what they had learned. Axel, Eddval and Alfhild joined them, passing drinking horns of mead around the small circle around one of the fire pits.

"Odin wouldn't need to steal dogs for the Wild Hunt, he already has his own," Alfhild protested the line of thought beginning among the group and Eddval nodded in agreement.

"There's never been mention of dogs going missing before a Hunt. Odin is a god and doesn't need to steal our dogs." Axel agreed.

"Besides, he normally doesn't pay much attention to what happens to us," Eddval commented.

"I agree with them, from what I know of Odin, he wouldn't even pay attention to these specific steadings." Xena mentioned.

"Is there any way for someone to create their own Wild Hunt?" Gabrielle asked.

"Impossible!" Eddval protested. "The Wild Hunt is magic, it is of the gods themselves. No one could have that power or dare use it!"

"What about that magic maker from the South that the Jarl has?" Alfhild asked.

"Woman, you speak gossip!" Eddval scolded. "Just because he keeps a vitki, a magic user, from the south doesn't make him evil!"

"Who is this Jarl and who is the southerner you're talking about?" Hercules asked.

"Jarl Herrodr, the Red," Eddval answered.

"Also known as Herrodr, Snake in the Mouth," Axel muttered.

"A southerner, a dark man, came to his Hall and offered his services of magic and foretelling. He is called Rajal." Eddval continued.

"If a Wild Hunt came ripping through here, what kind of damage could it do?" Xena asked with a frown.

"Not much, the hounds only attack humans if they are caught outside. It is said the only protection is to throw yourself down in the middle of a crossroads away from the hounds. They will run over you but not harm you." Alfhild answered.

"What if it was different, what could a large pack of dogs do if they attacked?"

The Vikings frowned. "We could board ourselves inside, even the animals, like we do in full winter. I don't see how they could do much injury," Eddval concluded.

"Did the Jarl lose any dogs? Do you know?" Xena asked.

"No, he didn't and he didn't want to hear about any of the steadings losing their dogs either when my cousin went to him for help," Axel said and spat on the floor.

"What are you thinking, Xena?" Iolaus asked.

"When analyzing attacks, the first question is who would benefit and why. The only one who seems to be untouched and might have the means is the Jarl. The why is to wipe out our friends and steal their land. The how is a puzzle."

"Maybe his place is too big to lose any dogs?" Iolaus suggested.

"If every town but one in an area is raided, what would you think?" Xena asked.

"I would know where to find the raiders," Hercules grinned.

"Exactly. But why the hounds and how does he intend to use them?"

Gabrielle was looking around and Hercules caught Xena doing the same.

"Trying to figure out weaknesses?" he grinned. Both women nodded.

"The walls are secure and thick, the doors sturdy. No windows. I don't see how dogs could get in." Xena complained.

Gabrielle frowned. "Alfhild, you said the hounds of the Wild Hunt were magical. Could you describe the Hunt?"

"On the night of a storm, riding through the clouds, with the lightning flashing, come the hounds and they are followed by the Huntsman. He wears deer antlers on his head and carries a long spear, which causes everything to turn cold that he points at. The dogs are all white with red ears and flashing eyes."

"Xena, don't a lot of things travel by air up here, like the Valkyries and now dogs and Huntsmen?"

Immediately everyone looked up at the thatch roofing that was common in the region.

"The roof!" Eddval exclaimed, causing several people nearby to look up in alarm and then go back to whatever they had been doing.

"The one weakness of the buildings, of all the buildings in the area," Xena commented and leaned over to ruffle Gabrielle's hair in appreciation.

"Okay, how do we guard against flying dogs?" Axel complained.

"Make sure they never take off?" Iolaus suggested and everyone grinned.

"First strike," Hercules agreed.

"He has too many men," Eddval frowned.

"Okay, we think his sorcerer is using the dogs for magic, take away the dogs and he can't work the magic," Gabrielle stated.

"Yes, does the sorcerer do his work in the steading or elsewhere?" Xena asked the Vikings.

"I don't know, I didn't pay much attention to the little weasel," Eddval complained.

"Rajal has his own building that is strong and locked at all times inside the steading," Alfhild stated and the two Viking men looked startled. The Viking woman shrugged. "Women talk to each other. At the last gathering at Yule I talked with Herrodr's wife and she was complaining about the smell and noises from the building."

"Always go to the women for information, nothing escapes them," Eddval advised.

Alfhild grinned.

"Then we get in there, let the dogs loose and spoil his plans," Iolaus stated simply.

"Might not be easy, the Jarl's steading is well guarded by berserker warriors," Axel commented with a frown, deep in thought.

"We can't declare a blood feud based on what his pet might be doing," Eddval agreed.

"Why don't a few of us sneak in and let the dogs loose or kill them?" Gabrielle suggested.

"Very risky, his building is guarded by magic," Alfhild advised.

"Draw a diagram of the Steading and let's work this out," Hercules suggested.

The small band began working late into the night.

Solan stopped as he started by Gabrielle in the common yard and smiled.

"Gabby Mom," he said and she grinned.

"How did you know?" she asked, cutting carrots for the evening meal in the warm afternoon sun.

"That soap you and Mom are fond of. How'd the planning go last night?" he asked as he squatted down next her stool.

"Dead end. The Jarl is powerful and his steading well guarded and we can't be sure of his plans so we can't accuse him of anything," she explained.

"What about someone going in and scouting around?"

"That was my thought but everyone is known around here and intermarried. The scouts would need a good excuse to get into the Steading without being suspected."

"You and mom aren't known to the Jarl or his men," he pointed out.

"I suggested that but Eddval is afraid that the Jarl will have heard of us including descriptions from the last time we were here."

"Reija isn't known to any of them," he said thoughtfully.

"Solan, we couldn't ask her to go in there!" Gabrielle protested.

"She is a warrior and our family," he commented, running his hand through his hair.

"There is no way that Xena or I will let either of you risk our grandchild!" Gabrielle said sternly.

"Okay, just a thought," he said as he rose to his feet and headed towards the long hall.

Gabrielle continued to frown.

The next day Xena frowned at the sound of horses in the distance and set her metalworking aside and looked down the road, shielding her eyes against the sun.

"Ylsa?" the blacksmith asked.

"Horses, lots of them," she responded, at the same time spotting a lone rider riding fast towards the steading. "Here comes the sentry."

The young man leaped off his horse before the animal even stopped and ran up to Eddval, who was just coming out of the barn at the noise. Axel was approaching from the field with the other Viking men, tools in hand.

"Eddval! Riders from Jarl Herrodr are coming! They are armed and riding war horses, they are riding down the road and not flanking off," the teen reported almost breathlessly.

"Good job. Take a place behind me with your spear," Eddval ordered.

Xena's sharp eyes took in several of the men breaking off from the main group as everyone scurried around quickly. The warrior readjusted her sword and chakram and noticed the blacksmith grabbing a large war hammer.

The warrior saw several of the Viking men positioned around the Steading with bows and several more with short throwing spears. The rest were standing by Eddval, all armed.

The large group of riders stopped just short of the outer building and two riders moved forward. They were tall and very big, even bigger than Hercules, Xena thought. One had blond hair and the other had red hair and a beard. Judging by the gold decorating the leather covering the chain mail shirt, Xena figured the red haired one to be Jarl Herrodr and the other to be his top soldier.

"Greetings Eddval Skull Splitter!" The red haired one called, bringing his horse to a stop near the headsman Eddval.

"Greetings, Herrodr the Red. What brings you armed through the countryside?"

"The steading to the east has been attacked by raiders from the North, a large group attempting to oust your neighbor. I need as many men and yourself to join me, as fitting your pledge."

"Of course, we will meet you on the road in a candle mark," Eddval agreed.

The Jarl nodded and both riders turned and went back to their large band. Within moments the group was thundering down the road.

"What pledge, Eddval?" Xena asked as everyone began scattering around the steading.

"I am pledged to help my neighbors and Jarl in time of need, including against any of their enemies. You are welcome to ride with us or not, Ylsa."

Xena frowned, "It could be a diversion to get you away from the steading," she said thoughtfully.

"Yes, but I have no choice," Eddval frowned and moved towards the long hall.

"Xena!" the warrior looked up to see Gabrielle approaching from the long hall. The bard quickly moved up to her mate. "I heard! Are we going with them?"

"I am, you're staying here." Xena held up a hand to stop the predictable protests. "I want you to stay here and keep an eye on Solan and Reija, I want to go and study Herrodr and his men. This is a good opportunity."

"Alright, but as long as you promise to be careful!" Gabrielle insisted.

"You bet." Xena grinned and hugged the bard close. "I love you too."

The next day Gabrielle frowned as she went through her morning chores, feeling like something was out of place besides her mate being off to battle without her. It finally hit the bard and she turned to Alfhild.

"Where's Solan and Reija?" she asked.

"They went off for a picnic by the river. I told them they could have the day," Alfhild grinned.

"That's good," the bard turned quickly on her heels and swept Sasha up in her arms. "Got you!" she grinned at the stalking child as the dark haired imp laughed. "Let's go help with the cooking, shall we?"

By late afternoon Gabrielle was frowning again but was trying not to worry. She knew from experience how time could fly when spending time with your new mate.

A candle mark before sunset the bard admitted she was worried, even the animals were heading in out of the fields for shelter against the nights that were still cold.

"Alfhild?" Gabrielle began as she approached the Viking woman by the cook fire.

"I know, the men and women working the fields told me Solan and Reija haven't come back," the Headwoman frowned.

"I've got to look for them!" Gabrielle stated.

"No, you know the weather is for freezing tonight!" Alfhild snapped. "Reija is a trained warrior, she knows how to find shelter and build a fire. We will look at first light."

Gabriele clenched her jaw but Alfhild held her glare so the bard dropped her eyes, knowing the older woman was right. It was still too cold to be wandering around in the dark in the North.

Most of the night Gabrielle paced in front of the fires with Alfhild sitting with her.

"They didn't go on a picnic," the bard muttered.

"Where would they go?" Alfhild questioned.

"Herrodr's steading, posing as travelers to scout around the sorcerer's hall."

"They wouldn't!" Alfhild protested, brushing away a stray strand of gray hair from her face.

"Yes they would!" Gabrielle grimaced. "With most of the warriors away it would be a perfect time to try it and none of Herrodr's people know Solan or Reija."

"You're not going to let them!" Alfhild protested.

"No, I'm not. It's too dangerous dealing with unknown magic."

At dawn Alfhild and Gabrielle made a quick search of the meadow by the river but neither was surprised to find no trace of the teenagers. The two women quickly turned their horses towards the north, towards Herrodr's steading and the route the two youngsters mostly likely would have taken, especially with Solan being blind and on foot.

After pushing hard the women found where the two had left the road for the night, seeking shelter in a small grove of trees. They saw signs where the couple had camped and then left in the morning. Gabrielle and Alfhild urged their horses on even faster.

Alfhild and Gabrielle jerked their horses to a stop suddenly, both women's eyes widened at the sight before them on the road.

In the middle of the road was a semi circle of warriors, all dressed in bear fur and long swords, half surrounding the young couple. What stopped the women was the sight of the bard's adopted son and daughter-in-law. The two were suspended in midair by tentacles of what appeared to be smoke, the tendrils leading to the hands of a small man off the side of the road.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as she got a good glance at the small man, dark, small and foreign. Obviously the sorcerer of Herrodr and he obviously had powers.

Solan and Reija looked like they were in incredible pain and unable to move.

"You deal with the soldiers, I'll take the sorcerer!" Gabrielle ordered, grabbing her sais into her hands as Alfhild readied her spear, several more throwing spears in a holder next to her leg. "Get the kids!"

Gabrielle let out a war cry and urged her horse forward and launched her sais all in the same moment. The warrior bard's face broke into a grin as the sais buried themselves into the tree behind the sorcerer, taking his sleeves with them and pinning him to the tree, breaking the connection to Solan and Reija.

The youngsters fell heavily to the ground just as a spear passed over them and impaled one of the soldiers. Another spear quickly followed and went through the shoulder of another soldier. Reija grabbed up one of the swords as the remainder of the warriors slashed at her and Solan and parried two swords at once.

"Solan, stay down!" she shouted, blocking a blow from a sword.

The young Amazon was surprised and grateful when Alfhild charged her horse through the remaining four soldiers while she fought the fifth. Alfhild glanced over and saw Gabrielle leaping off her horse and heading for the sorcerer with her dagger drawn and turned her attention back to the soldiers.

"Brie! Get the kids and let's get out of here!" Alfhild called.

The bard turned, seeming to consider the choices of action and turned back for her horse as Alfhild charged her horse through the soldiers again, blocking off spear thrusts with a shield and sword.

"Gabrielle! Behind you!" Reija shouted as she blocked another sword thrust from the huge Viking she was fighting.

The bard turned quickly and grabbed her sais as they almost impaled her at chest level. The sorcerer glared and swore in a language that the bard didn't recognize and raised his hands, beginning to chant. Gabrielle swore in Greek and rushed for the horse, keeping an eye on the magician's hands behind her.

Alfhild ran the warrior that was fighting with Reija through with her sword as she came up behind him on her horse and put the horse between the teenagers and the scattered warriors who were attempting to regroup.

"Solan, get up and hold out your hand, I'm going to pull you up on the horse!" Alfhild yelled and the teen quickly got to his feet and held out his hand. In a moment he was mounted behind her. "Go for Brie's horse!" Alfhild ordered the Amazon as the Viking slashed at a warrior getting too close with a spear. "Solan, hang on!"

Reija sprinted for the bard's horse as Gabrielle caught the reins up in her hand.

"Quickly, get on!" Gabrielle ordered the younger Amazon and then mounted behind the young girl, turning the horse back towards Eddval's steading.

"Let's go!" Alfhild yelled, turning her horse down the road as well.

"Hold these!" Gabrielle ordered Reija, handing the Amazon her sais as she turned slightly on the horse to keep the sorcerer in sight and see if the warriors had horses. The bard saw the magician raise one hand to the sky and the other in their direction and then saw darkness.

"Eddval!" Xena called out to the Viking leader after the fourth day. He turned and held his horse up as she moved up beside him. "This is a waste of time," she complained softly, leaning over to keep from shouting at him in the wind along the coast.

"I agree!" he hissed back, "but I'm pledged to ride with Herrodr."

"We're chasing ghosts! We're staying just far enough back from the raiders to keep from catching them and Herrodr is behind it."

"You and Hercules go back through the friendly steadings and check on things, I have to stay with Herrodr." He suggested.

"Right!" the warrior turned her horse and made towards the back of the traveling pack of warriors to reach Hercules, wishing she had Argo with her and that her beloved mare was alright back in Greece.

It was only minutes before the Greeks moved off into the tree line and waited until the main body of the warriors was far enough way and then began a hurried trip back towards Eddval's steading.

"What's the hurry besides the fact we've been led away from the steadings for a reason?" Hercules grinned as they rode.

"Something's wrong, I can't explain it but I've got to get back to Gabrielle!" she yelled back.

"Then let's go!" he agreed, urging his horse to move faster.

At each steading they went through the Greeks found disturbing news, in one community there were two missing pregnant women, in another one pregnant woman and in a third a total of four missing pregnant women. All gone under strange circumstances, each steading reporting that they had disappeared into a fog.

"Like the dogs." Hercules commented as they left the last steading before Eddval's.

"Yes, the sorcerer! Reija!" Xena said flatly through gritted teeth.

It was two days before they had made it to Eddval's steading, Xena cursing every mark they put behind them, neither warrior saying much as they rode their horses as hard as they dared without hurting the animals. At the last steading they had been given fresh horses and had made good time but something kept nagging at the warrior that they were already too late.

The first thing Gabrielle noticed when she became aware of her thoughts and surroundings was the smell. She quickly turned over and gagged, trying to keep from losing whatever her last meal had been. The bard slowly raised herself to her knees, taking in the fact that she was on a stone floor covered with hay and it was cold. Slowly turning her head Gabrielle could make out that she was surrounded on three sides by iron bars that were embedded into the floor and went to the roof, high above her head and the fourth side was stonewall with no window.

Whimpers and whines with a little movement in the semi-darkness of the hall confirmed the bard's suspicion about the smell. The kidnapped dogs were being held in the hall. As her eyes adjusted to the darkness Gabrielle could see that each dog was chained to a ring in the floor or wall and they couldn't reach each other. A little hay was dropped along the floor to absorb what little waste they had produced. The bard didn't think it was much despite the smell, each dog looked close to death and the bard figured they hadn't been fed since they had been taken. There were various breeds of dogs but all seemed to be losing their fur to be replaced with white fur underneath.

"No!" she whispered as her eyes adjusted and she could make out several figures across the room from her chained to the wall. Women, mostly young and all were pregnant. Some were awake and others still unconscious or asleep.

"Hey!" Gabrielle called out and several raised their heads to look at the bard but their eyes were unseeing and they didn't respond. "Can you talk?" she asked in Germanic. The heads merely dropped again without response.

It was impossible to gauge the passage of time in the windowless room except for the fire burning down. The warrior bard judged the time to have passed at a candle mark when the large and thick wooden door opened and a small figure entered and barred the door behind him.

"Hey! You son of a Cyclops!" Gabrielle shouted, standing against the bars and rattling them.

The figure that approached was the same that she had seen on the road only he was dressed in fine silks this time, despite the colder temperature of the northern climate. The man was short, as short as Gabrielle and Iolaus only thinner than the Greek warrior and not as well defined as the bard. His thin and pointed face, with a goatee and mustache reminded Gabrielle of the eunuch that had been at the gladiatorial school she had been sold to. Her first kill in the arena.

"I am Rajal," he said in Latin. "You are not Viking?"

"No, I'm Greek," the bard answered.

"Good, a civilized language. I am tired of this barbaric language and lack of culture."

"Nice touches you've done with this place, I'm impressed with the smells," she growled and was pleased to see a flash of anger in his dark eyes.

"You would be wise not to anger me," he warned. "You really should have killed me when my hands were pinned."

"I'm not into killing defenseless people," Gabrielle snapped.

"But I am not defenseless," he grinned and touched his hands to hers.

The warrior bard found herself several feet from the bars holding her hands, which were stinging like she had touched an electric eel. She glared at the Arab but kept quiet.

"What do you need the women for?" she finally demanded.

"To complete the spell for the dog hunt I need blood. The best blood for the spell is of the unborn."

Gabrielle felt her stomach threatening to turn over again at the thought.

"And me? I'm not pregnant."

"You have a unique energy, much darkness to it. I'm going to bring that out in you and let you loose with the hounds when they run. That should be punishment enough for keeping me from taking that young girl on the road," he stated.

"I don't know what you're talking about," Gabrielle protested, feeling a chill spread over her body.

Rajal grinned a vicious grin and pointed a finger at the bard. Gabrielle yelped as she felt her fangs grow longer in her mouth. She tried to fight them back into her jaw but they refused. After a moment she gave up and growled at the sorcerer and bared the fangs at him.

"Yes, before the week is over, your hunger will drive you to madness and the point of death. Then, given the blood of the unborn along with the hounds, you'll become like them. Strong beyond weapons and with the ability to fly through the air. You will help them rip your friends and family to shreds," he promised.

Clenching her hands into fists and raising to her knees, Gabrielle screamed around her fangs at the image of Xena torn to pieces by the hounds, just like her vision journey had shown her. The bard let the darkness claim her overwhelmed mind.

The bard didn't know how much time had passed except that the meals given to the women seem to indicate at least two days. During that time the bard had been given nothing to eat and very little water to drink. Gabrielle sat in the corner of her cell trying to concentrate, to keep the hunger from overwhelming her but it was becoming difficult.

The women were still mindless, held somehow in a spell that put their minds to sleep. Guards came in and gave them food and then would lead them out one by one, assumedly to attend to bodily functions. For Gabrielle, no attention was given except a cup of water twice a day.

The dogs weren't treated any better than the bard. They had already gone mad with hunger, some chewing their own feet to shreds, others choking themselves to death on their chains in an attempt to get away or at the other dogs. Some just gave up and lay down on the cold stone and stared at nothing.

Gabrielle concentrated on Xena, keeping her thoughts on her mate seemed to help.

"Ylsa! Thank Thor's beard you're here!" Alfhild cried as she rushed out of the long hall as the riders skidded to a stop.

"Reija?" Xena demanded.

"She's fine, so is Solan. It's Brie!"

"What?" Xena demanded, her eyes flashing as Hercules jumped off his horse beside her.

"The sorcerer tried to take your son and wife but Brie and I interfered and Brie was knocked from her horse and taken as we were escaping. I'm sorry, I couldn't save the young ones and go back for her at the same time. When we returned there was no trace."

"It's alright, Alfhild, we'll get her back. How long has she been gone?"

"Six days," the Viking answered.

Iolaus came out of the barn and rushed over to the two other Greeks and hugged Hercules. He looked haggard and both knew he hadn't slept in days.

"The full moon was five days ago," Xena muttered in Greek.

"We left when she was going to go through the cravings?" Hercules questioned, also in Greek.

"They slaughtered a calf the day before, she had blood. Now I don't know if she got it," Xena explained and then switched back to Germanic. "Sorry, Alfhild, just bitching back and forth. We need fresh horses."

"You can't ride against the Jarl!" Alfhild protested.

"His magician has my wife and probably several pregnant village girls, we're going!" Xena stated firmly, moving past the woman, leaving Hercules to explain to Iolaus and Alfhild the comment about the pregnant villagers.

"Mom, I want to come!" Solan stated, entering the barn with Reija leading him.

"No, I can't take time to make sure you're safe and rescue Gabrielle."

"Mom, he should go with you," a tiny voice said and the warrior was surprised to see Sasha step out from behind Reija's skirt.

"Sasha? What do you mean, little one?" Xena asked, kneeling down next to the child, it was plain the Xena that the child had been crying and silently cursed herself for not having reassured the child before going for the horses.

"I don't know. Something told me he should go with you," The child said simply.

Xena frowned and Reija shrugged. "I don't know, I don't want him to go but they both say he should. She is a special child," The Amazon said.

Iolaus, Alfhild, Xena, Solan and Hercules were on the road within half a candle mark.

"Can you hear me, Greek?" a voice broke through the haze of Gabrielle's thoughts and she opened her eyes.

Rajal was standing in front of her. Somehow she managed to become semi-aware of her surroundings and realized that she was standing upright, chained to the wall with her arms spread. The chains were holding her up since the bard no longer had the strength to even feel her legs.

The bard could feel her fangs and the hunger felt like a fire gripping every muscle and nerve in her body. Everything hurt, more than any day in the Arena, more than when she had been crucified. Even more than when Xena had found her in the cave in the snow. She screamed around her fangs.

The sorcerer grinned and held a wooden mug to her lips. Gabrielle moaned and readily drank the dark red liquid in the mug and whined when the Arab took the mug away.

"No, not too much. I want you aware of what is happening, Greek, but not well fed. Very shortly you will sink your fangs into one of those women and take the blood from her and her baby," he sneered.

Gabrielle felt the blood rushing through her system, giving a little relief from the pain, from the gnawing at her body and soul and then his words sunk into the bard's mind and she frowned.

"No, never!" she growled.

The Arab laughed at her and sat the cup down on a wooden table.

"It is time, Greek. The dogs are almost all dead and now the spell begins tonight."

"Xena," Gabrielle muttered.

The Arab frowned. "You say that a lot, is that one of your goddesses?"

The bard managed to smile a small grin. "She is mine," she whispered.

Gabrielle managed to raise her head and focus enough to watch the Arab move the bodies of the dogs into several rings around the center of the room where there was a stone block and the table. On the table was a curved sword that was popular with the Arabic tribes, a curved dagger, a large bowl, the mug of blood Gabrielle had drank from, and some other things she couldn't quite focus on.

When the bard raised her head again the Arab had drawn chalk circles around each dog's body and then poured salt over the chalk, muttering in his foreign language the entire time. Rajal went to the table and took up the dagger and quickly moved from dog to dog. Any dog that wasn't already dead had its throat cut quickly and efficiently; it's blood flowing across the stone floor.

The smell of the blood sent the bard into a frenzy with a sudden burst of energy and strength. The Arab looked up and grinned as the bard thrashed against the chains and then tried to reach her own wrists, now bloody from fighting the chains. Her eyes were totally yellow and rimmed with red and her fangs long enough to be deadly. She looked at him and screamed in anger.

Rajal moved back to the outer circle and drew several symbols around the circle in chalk, continuing to chant, ignoring the bard's screams and growls of anger and frustration. Then the sorcerer moved to the table and replaced the knife on the table. Pulling a key out of his pocket Rajal walked over to one of the women and pulled the Viking to her feet. The woman didn't resist or even register the Arab's presence as he unlocked her shackles and led her to the stone altar.

The woman's eyes were blank as the Arab tied her hands over her head by a rope hanging from the rafters. The Arab's face showed the same lack of emotion as he went to the table and picked up the sword and stood in front of the woman.

The impact of the scene got through to the bard and Gabrielle screamed as the Arab raised the sword over his head and brought down with all his strength, slicing the woman from the shoulder to her hip. Gabrielle screamed again, gnashing her teeth against her lip and fought against the chains.

Her mind was refusing to accept the fact that the small man was placing the large bowl under the woman's now limp body to collect the blood. Then the smell of the fresh blood hit the bard and conscious thought fled in the wake of the overwhelming hunger.

Xena pulled her horse up to a stop just above the Jarl's steading and quickly dismounted. Hercules and Iolaus watched with curious expressions as she bent to the road and grabbed some of the road dust and mud. She went to Solan and smeared some of the dust and mud on his clothes and face and then on her own.

"Come, Herc," she said. "We need to look like we just came from the main force so they'll let us in the gate."

The large Greek grinned and jumped down off the horse to follow her lead. A few rips and they were ready to approach the gates.

"The game plan?" Iolaus asked as they rode towards the gates.

"Get inside and kick ass," Xena said simply.

"The hall is made totally of stone and the roof is wooden, not thatch like the others," Alfhild informed them.

"Good, we make for that," Hercules muttered.

"The Jarl will be coming in soon to take over the pack with his berserkers. I want in there and out before they get here," Xena stated.

"How soon do you think?" Iolaus asked, gauging the passage of time and the sun.

"When it's good and dark, when the temp drops and everyone is inside for the attack," the warrior guessed.

They talked their way past the guards fairly easily, telling the warriors that they had come from Herrodr's forces with an urgent message about the Hunt for the head warrior left behind and to get aid for the boy. The guards looked at their rough condition and Solan's bandaged eyes and let them through.

Rajal led one of the women close to the bard but not within reach of Gabrielle's fangs. He grinned at the sight of the small Greek woman who was now in a total Bacchae frenzy. The pregnant woman's eyes were unfocused and mindless as the others.

The Arab sorcerer slowly moved the woman forward and Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in suspicion and she moved back against the wall. Rajal continued to push the woman forward until she was almost pressed against the bard. The Arab then carefully unlocked Gabrielle's right wrist, being sure to stay out of her reach.

With a growl the bard grabbed the woman by the neck and pulled the Norsewoman to her as Gabrielle's head arched forward towards the woman's neck.

Rajal grinned and stepped back to watch.

Once inside the gate the Greeks and Viking looked around quickly and saw the stone hall three buildings over, guarded by four large Viking warriors. Looking around the warriors saw that no one was paying much attention to them and no one was on alert, everyone going about their evening duties.

Xena pulled her sword as her eyes narrowed.

"Iolaus, take care of Solan and keep either close to the horse or close to us," she ordered.

"Right," The Greek agreed, taking the reins of Solan's horse from Xena.

Hercules pulled a large war hammer from his saddle and glanced around again.

"Those guards aren't going to let us in," he said calmly.

"Then we'll have to convince them," Xena grinned.

"Wait, I have an idea," Hercules said suddenly and dismounted and went to Solan's horse. "Solan, come on down from there. I'm going to carry you to the sorcerer's hall, pretend to be hurt and unconscious."

"Okay," the teen agreed readily and dismounted.

"Good," Xena agreed. "That'll get us close enough to take them out and inside before anyone can raise an alarm."

In moments the guards frowned at the sight of several warriors heading their way, one carrying someone in his arms. A closer look revealed two of the warriors to be female, a surprise to the guards since Herrodr didn't care for women warriors.

Alfhild stepped forward as they approached the guards.

"This boy is injured and must be seen by the Jarl's magic worker, Herrodr the Red sent us," she said simply.

The guards frowned and looked at each other, shifting on their feet.

"We were told that no one should enter tonight," one of them said uneasily.

"Aren't you Eddval Skull Splitter's wife?" one questioned, his hand moving toward his sword.

"Now!" Xena shouted.

Hercules turned and let Solan down and Iolaus quickly pulled the youth back as Hercules turned, swinging his war hammer in the same motion, taking out the guard in the front.

Xena's sword quickly blocked one of the guard's sword as he swung at her and she spun under the blow and brought her sword up in an arc, slicing through his leather armor from hit to shoulder.

Alfhild's spear took out another guard before he could even draw his sword and the fourth fell to one of Hercules's fists.

"Intruders!" a voice shouted and Xena turned to see several warriors launching spears.

Sounding out her war cry, the warrior flipped forward through the air to land by Solan and Iolaus and knock them to the ground as several spears flew overhead.

The Arab frowned at the strange sound outside the door and looked that way for a moment. When he looked back he was stunned to see the bard hesitating at the woman's neck, her fangs not yet breaking the skin.

"Xena," the bard whispered.

Gabrielle's face looked pained and she closed her eyes for a moment and when she opened them she drew back and released the woman from her grip at the Viking's neck. She pulled the woman next to her against the wall and glared at the sorcerer.

"My father is the god of light, I won't give into the darkness anymore!" she growled.

"You can't resist!" he screamed.

The bard grinned around her fangs. "None of you can claim me anymore!"

The sorcerer turned with a curse and stood in front of the altar with his arms raised high and began chanting.

In moments, the common of Herrodr's steading was a madhouse as warriors kept rushing the small band of Greeks and Viking woman, only to fall to sword, chakram, war hammer or spear. Iolaus had pushed Solan back against the doorway and was protecting the young man with his sword while Hercules kept a group of warriors held back with swings of his hammer.

Xena heard a yell and growled when she saw Alfhild go down to a sword strike along her leg. The Greek yelled a war cry and somersaulted through the air to land standing over the Viking woman, blocking a fatal sword strike and impaling the enemy warrior through the chest with her sword. She lashed out with her other hand and cut the throat of another attacking warrior with the chakram. She blocked another series of sword strikes, protecting Alfhild as the woman began crawling towards the doorway where Solan and Iolaus were.

"We're not going to make it!" Alfhild yelled.

"Don't give up! Never give up!" Xena shouted back and then hit the ground when she was unable to block a fist and two swords at the same time. She brought her sword and chakram up just in time to block the two swords again but not the boot that connected with her ribs. Two more warriors rushed up to join the three attacking the Greek.

"Damn," she muttered.

Xena was surprised when two of the warriors looked stunned and then fell to the ground, the life leaving their eyes. Two more went down and the third turned to see who was attacking them and Xena ran him through with her sword. She flipped to her feet and found herself face to face with a familiar face.

"Greetings, Greek!" the Valkyrie Grimhild Thornfinndottir grinned. The Valkyrie quickly turned and blocked another series of sword strikes from two attacking warriors. She grinned over her shoulder. "Go, your mate needs you!"

Xena turned to head for the stone hall.

"Ylsa Xena!" Grimhild called and Xena looked back. "All Father holds no grudges and says he's pleased with your progress."

Xena gritted her teeth and merely nodded as the Valkyrie went back to fighting.

The Greek warrior quickly helped clear out the small band Hercules had been fighting off and the demi-god turned to the door and put his foot against it. Two more times and it crashed inwards.

Iolaus grabbed Solan and pulled him inside and Hercules picked up Alfhild and followed. Xena held off the attacking warriors and managed to get inside before Hercules lifted the heavy door back into place.

The small band turned to face whatever was inside the stone hall.

"Xena!" The warrior's eyes swept the room, taking in Gabrielle chained on one side and several women on the other; the rings of dogs; the dead woman hanging by a rope; the sorcerer with his back to them at the stone altar; and the smell of fresh blood, urine and decay.

The warrior was about to launch her chakram when the sorcerer whirled and a blinding light filled the room with a force that knocked everyone but Solan flat.

Gabrielle shook her head and saw Rajal pick up the bowl of blood and walk over to one of the hounds.

"Xena, Hercules, if he pours blood over them we lose!" she screamed.

She could see the warriors shaking their heads, trying to clear their eyes. Xena was feeling around on the stone floor for the chakram.

The bard screamed in frustration as the Arab began pouring the blood over four of the hounds. Rajal grinned at her and kept chanting as he moved towards the fifth hound in the outer circle. Gabrielle's yellow eyes went wide at the sight of the hounds that had been initiated with the blood begin to move and open their eyes.

"Solan, your bow! The speaking!" Gabrielle yelled in Finnish, knowing that Rajal probably hadn't learned the languages further north that the Amazons used.

The blind teenager cocked his head and drew his bow up and notched an arrow. Iolaus grabbed Alfhild and held his hand over her mouth to silence her moaning and Hercules and Xena held still.

Rajal's chanting stopped and he looked at the bard with a stunned expression on his face as he dropped the bowl of blood and felt at his neck for the arrow sticking through it. The Arab sorcerer fell face first onto the stones with a sickening sound.

"He's down!" Gabrielle yelled.

The four dogs got to their feet and took in the moving warriors and growled.

"Xena, your right hand to your right!" she yelled and the warrior grabbed up her chakram. "My voice, your chakram, quick!" Gabrielle yelled.

Xena took a deep breath and launched the chakram, both mates trusting each other totally. Gabrielle ducked at the last moment as the chakram cut through her chain. The bard dropped the woman she had been shielding down the wall and fell forward, her legs refusing to hold her up.

Xena shook her head and blinked several times and grabbed up her sword.

"Hercules, can you see yet?" she called.

"No, everything's gray!"

"It's fuzzy but getting better," she muttered.

The bard got to her knees and gritted her teeth together, her fangs biting into her lower lip as she watched the dogs testing their weight and new muscles, their lips curling back in a snarl.

Seeing them about to spring forward, Gabrielle threw herself across the space and into the middle of them, tipping the table over with her. The dogs turned growling and snapping as she fought to reach the sword.

"Gabrielle!" Xena screamed trying to make out the fuzzy figures, hearing the snapping of the dogs jaws, yelps, screams, growls, yells, and whimpers. Concentrating on the noise the warrior rushed forward and dived into the middle of the moving mass.

When his eyes finally cleared Hercules looked around and felt Iolaus moving up behind him.

"No!" the smaller Greek whispered as they both took in the sight of the Arab sorcerer lying on the cold stone with an arrow through his throat and then the mess of several dogs, Gabrielle and Xena also lying on the floor, all covered in blood and not moving.

"What's happening? Somebody tell me!" Solan shouted.

"Easy, son," Hercules said softly. "We're going to find out, stay there."

The two Greeks rushed forward, stepping around the corpses of dogs and the Arab and pulled two dogs off Xena and another off Gabrielle, none of the dogs were alive. Iolaus quickly bent to check Gabrielle's breathing and pulse as Hercules did the same.

"She's alive!" Iolaus said gratefully.

"Same here! Solan, they're alive. Keep your ear at that door and let us know if anyone's about to charge it," Hercules called to the teen.

"Right!"

Iolaus almost yelped in surprise when Gabrielle opened her eyes and they were yellow and red rimmed. She quickly closed her eyes again as her body began to shake. The Greek pulled the bard into his arms, off of the cold stone.

"Xena?" Hercules called softly and was pleased when two blue eyes opened to look at him. Xena smiled a small smile.

"Hey big guy," she whispered.

"Are you okay?" he asked, lifting her up into his arms as well.

"I think so. I landed on my head when that last dog jumped me. Gabrielle?"

"Alive but Bacchae," he said grimly.

Xena started to move and winced.

"I think one of those bastards outside broke some ribs," she whispered.

"How can we help Gabrielle, she's going into shock?" he asked, his face showing his worry.

"None of the blood here, its tainted, sacrificed blood. It's got to be me."

"You're too weak!" he protested. "I don't know how many bites you've got."

Xena glanced over at her mate and wasn't surprised to see Gabrielle trembling, her eyes rolled back in her head.

"I don't have a choice, Herc," she whispered.

Solan started to shout something and barely moved aside in time as the door crashed in once more. Hercules quickly let Xena back down onto the floor and stood up, war hammer in hand.

The Greeks looked up and saw the Valkyrie Grimhild and Eddval walking in the hall with torches. Axel and other Vikings from Eddval's steading began pouring in. Axel went to Alfhild and began calling for stretchers as Grimhild and Eddval walked over to the small group of Greeks.

"Jarl Herrodr has been taken prisoner to answer charges of kidnapping, murder, black sorcery, treason and whatever else Eddval can think of," Grimhild grinned down at the warrior. "You all did well."

"Gabrielle!" Xena muttered, sitting up on her elbows and wincing at the broken ribs that were trying to knit themselves back together.

"She'll be fine, she conquered the darkness totally. Give her what she needs from you, warrior. You've both beaten her vision," The Valkyrie answered.

"No," Hercules said softly and Xena and Valkyrie looked at him with puzzled expressions.

"When my eyesight cleared I saw the two of them covered in blood and not moving. We thought they were dead, torn by the hounds. Just like Gabrielle saw," he explained.

"Then the Norns have been met," Grimhild nodded. "Bring them to Herrodr's hall," the Valkyrie ordered and several Vikings moved forward to help carry the women and follow the tall Viking warrior woman.

Within a candle mark the women had been cleaned up from the blood and their wounds treated and Xena was amused to find herself and Gabrielle in the Jarl's own bed in a separate room from the rest of the main long hall. Gabrielle was unconscious and trembling but not shaking as badly.

The warrior took the bard into her arms and began talking to her mate softly.

"Come on, baby, come back to me. Come on, Gabrielle, come on," she kept repeating until she saw the bard's eyes struggling to open.

Xena smiled slightly and held her wrist up close to Gabrielle's lips.

"Come on, Gabrielle, take it," she ordered softly.

Gabrielle opened her eyes slightly and raised a trembling hand to grasp the wrist. She closed her eyes and ran her tongue over the inside of the wrist, sending a shiver of energy through Xena's body. The warrior's breath quickened as the bard lightly nipped the wrist, scraping her teeth over the nerves so close to the surface and Xena felt her own body begin to tremble.

She was surprised when Gabrielle's eyes snapped open and the bard attempted to sit up.

"No, I won't!"

"Gabrielle!" Xena said sharply, holding the bard in her arms. "Its okay, it's me!"

"Xena?" the bard asked softly, falling back into Xena's arms.

"Yes, you beat it, Gabrielle. You beat the darkness totally." Xena whispered, a tear escaping from her eye. "Take what you need."

"You saved me again," Gabrielle grinned and then her face grew serious as Xena lifted her wrist again.

"Let me continue to save you," Xena whispered, kissing the bard's forehead and cried out softly as she felt fangs sink into her wrist and felt her hips jerk in response to the stimulation. "Is your bite always going to be connected to me like this?" she wondered aloud.

Hercules grinned when he checked on them later and found both women asleep in each other's arms.

When Gabrielle opened her eyes and focused she was surprised to see Xena sitting in a chair beside the bed, her feet propped up on the bed and a cloak thrown over her.

"What in Tartarus are you doing over there?" Gabrielle muttered.

Xena opened her eyes and blinked in surprise and then blushed.

"I was restless and didn't want to keep you awake tossing and turning," she admitted.

"By the gods!" the bard complained as she struggled to sit up. "I feel like I've fought two Cyclops barehanded!"

Xena grinned. "Nope, just one insane sorcerer, four draugr magical dogs, and your own hunger."

"And you, my love?"

"A few Viking berserkers and a couple of dogs, nothing much," the warrior shrugged.

"Uh huh, I suppose I'll have to find out from the others how close we came again to dying?" Gabrielle smiled.

"No, we came close, I'll admit it. Your vision came true. We were lying on cold stones, surrounded by dogs, covered in blood, bitten repeatedly and not moving. Hercules and Iolaus thought we were dead, just like you did in your vision."

Gabrielle looked at her arms and the fading wounds and frowned at her mate.

"How long have I been out?" she asked.

"Two days."

"What?" the bard asked in a whisper of disbelief.

"The sorcerer starved you and your hunger, it took a couple of days to recover," Xena said simply, moving over to the bed and sitting next to the bard, letting Gabrielle rest her head on her chest, the warrior wrapping her arm around the bard's shoulder.

"You fed me," Gabrielle stated.

"Yes, to get you through the worst of it and then cattle blood the last couple of days. What do you remember?"

"Which part? It gets a little confused between fighting that little bastard and waking up here."

"Do you remember being Bacchae and yet fighting back? When we broke in you were full Bacchae and blood starved yet you didn't touch the woman next to you and you told us how to fight back when we were blinded," Xena stated.

"Yes, I refused to give in. I called on Apollo's lightness and resisted. Is Solan okay? I saw him with you."

"Yes, he's fine and a hero. With your direction he took out the sorcerer," Xena grinned.

"Like his mom, you cut my chain, I remember," Gabrielle said softly.

"Team work," the warrior shrugged her own part of the rescue off. "I love you, Gabrielle."

"I love you so much, Xena. What's happened and where are we?"

"We're in Jarl Herrodr's bed and the women are fine. Once the sorcerer was dead they had their right minds back when they woke up and have no memory of being captured at all."

"One was killed," Gabrielle remembered.

"Yes, she was from the steading of Axel's cousin."

Both women were quiet for a few moments.

"An All Thing was held earlier today. Seems that we stopped a major event from happening. Herrodr planned on trying to steal Odin's powers. He was going to slaughter four steadings and turn the slain Vikings into draugrs, a mindless and soul-less body that obeys its magician master."

"That's why he wanted the dogs for his own Wild Hunt," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Yes, that got the attention of the gods but they hate interfering in the affairs of humans so they sent my Valkyrie to help out when things got a little tight. Eddval, his men and the men from the other steadings took Herrodr prisoner when Grimhild, the Valkyrie, publicly accused the Jarl of his crimes. When they got here they found the women the sorcerer had taken for sacrifice, the dogs and us. He was found guilty of a lot of crimes," Xena hesitated and Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed.

"Xena?"

"When he was found guilty there was a lightning flash and Odin appeared. This isn't a normal occurrence up here, Gabrielle. Most of these Vikings had never seen one of their Valkyries before, let alone their major god. He didn't say a word, just pointed his spear at Herrodr and they both disappeared."

"Wow! Judgment by a god?"

"Yeah. Eddval was selected as Jarl for the area and we're heroes. Hercules and Iolaus have been treated like gods the last couple of days," Xena grinned.

"Well, considering how our adventures usually end, we're not too banged up this time," Gabrielle grinned and Xena hugged her mate close.

Three days later the Greeks were leaving the Jarl's steading to return to Eddval's steading and back to Sasha and Reija when they stopped suddenly just outside the gate, all of them stunned into silence except Solan.

"What is it?" he asked, sensing the sudden change in mood.

"The one time you would be glad not to have eyes," Alfhild commented, shifting on her horse around her injured leg.

"Herrodr is hanging from a tree," Xena said simply.

"It's called the Red Eagle," Alfhild stated.

"Mom?" Solan questioned.

"Tell him," Xena said flatly.

"The criminal is tied to tree branches, arms spread wide. If the execution is to be quick then he is strangled with a noose, a rope. If it is to be punishment then slices are made down his back and his lungs pulled out from behind. They look like wings. More cuts are usually made to the body to make it even more painful." Alfhild explained.

"Oh gods," the teen muttered.

"He challenged a god," Alfhild shrugged and moved her horse forward.

The Greeks urged their horses forward to follow.

"Xena?"

"Yes, Gabrielle?"

"Time to go home?" the bard questioned softly.

"What about the Amazon woman and child?" Xena asked and Gabrielle frowned. "Do we risk returning to the Northern Amazons to escort them to their new tribe?"

"No, I don't want Sasha near Mattita until we know for certain that she no longer has any power," Gabrielle muttered. "I've talked with Sterope, the baker, and she wants to remain with Axel's family if going to the Amazons would put us in danger."

Gabrielle's face looked pained as she looked over into Xena's eyes. "I want to go home."

"Yes," Xena agreed simply.


	16. 16 Bard Scrolls

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** less than a typical TV episode.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Xena, Gabrielle, family and friends are traveling back from Northern Germania to Greece after a winter with the Northern Amazons and Vikings.

**It has been four years since Julius Caesar was assassinated and it is still unclear who is the real power in Rome. With Brutus and Cassius dead, with no small help from Xena and myself, Gabrielle, it has fallen to Octavian and Antony, just as Xena had predicted. **

* * *

The bard looked up from her scroll as Xena stepped into her light. The warrior knelt down and grinned at her mate.

"How's it going?" the warrior asked.

"Ah, there's so much to write about when we were with Eddval. That insane Jarl Herrodr with that little Arab maniac sorcerer. Then there's everything that happened with the Northern Amazons," the bard complained.

Xena grinned.

"Let's see," she mused. "You mean traveling to the Northern Amazons to make amends for my past crimes and having them adopt Sasha as an Amazon; finding out Alti was still powerful; taking her on in the spiritual realm and the physical; nearly losing you in that battle? About your initiation into the tribe and losing Arja, the Queen? Things like that?"

Gabrielle smirked at her mate.

"Yeah, something like that. Don't forget you nearly died from all those wounds you took in that battle before you killed Alti. Then discovering your son had fallen in love with his Amazon escort and getting tossed out of the village in the middle of winter. What else? Oh yeah, one power hungry Law Speaker Amazon trying to kidnap Sasha because she's the daughter of a god and demi-god," Gabrielle counter listed.

"I am NOT a demi-god!" Xena muttered and Gabrielle grinned, her nose and eyes crinkling in amusement.

"Of course not, just because you're the daughter of two gods and Cyrene, all at the same time, not a demi-god at all. It's not complicated, no, not at all!" the bard teased.

"I just hope we don't come up against sorcery again, that was too weird for me," Xena complained.

"I didn't exactly have a good time either," Gabrielle frowned and then smiled when Xena's hand gently stroked her cheek.

"I'm sorry, I know it wasn't," the warrior said softly.

"In a way it worked out well," Gabrielle stated and wasn't surprised when Xena's eyebrows went up in question. "I finally conquered that damn blood darkness"

Xena smiled and sat down next to the bard, leaning against the tree. "Yep, and you were amazing! I'll never forget the sight of you in full bacchae craving, all those dead dogs, pregnant women chained to the walls, meant to be sacrificed and that little bastard sorcerer. I wasn't sure we could beat him for a moment there," the warrior admitted.

"Yeah, like you said then, team work. With Solan's amazing aim with a bow, you're aim with a chakram and help from your Valkyrie, we made it."

"You're forgetting your part in it, my love," Xena gently scolded. "You gave Solan the target, you gave me the target and you kept the dogs from attacking all of us when we were blind by jumping in the middle of them."

Gabrielle delighted the warrior by blushing. Xena laughed lightly and wrapped her arm around the bard's shoulders.

"I love you, Xena," Gabrielle said softly, laying her head on Xena's chest.

"I love you, Gabrielle," the warrior responded simply.

*Personal Journal

I feel very fortunate at times like this. Our small group has camped for the night and everything is set up. Solan is cooking dinner, a deer that Xena brought down earlier today. Ketli is playing with Sasha in the trees, he's almost as much at home in the trees as an Amazon and he keeps a very close eye on the precocious child.

I get to take this time to watch my friends and family. Hercules and Xena are discussing something and Iolaus is napping. I notice Xena's eyes always darting back and forth between Hercules and Sasha, always watching out for our daughter.

"Our daughter", sometimes that still feels strange to me. Not because Ares is her father, just the ache I have when I think about her birth and not being there. I can't even begin to describe the anger I'm feeling now that we know Ares had me captured and sold into slavery to stop me from being there. Even when I was fighting in the Arena I didn't feel this level of anger. It scares me, even more than the Bacchae side of myself.

When do we get a break? I'm almost 30 winters old. Twice the age past beginning marriage and children myself. Watching Solan and his new wife Reija reminds me of that. I don't understand myself, that's exactly the life I didn't want when I left home to follow Xena, now I'm wanting it and wondering if it's too late. We have a home in Amphipolis, both of us have good jobs and a family. When do we get to enjoy them?

I'm worried now that we know Ares was behind my being taken as a slave and what a nightmare that was for me that Xena won't rest until she's gotten back at him somehow. Even Hercules is boiling over with anger at the abuse I suffered and the fact that Iolaus was crippled because of those damned plans of his brother's.

I still have nightmares of that time. I don't talk to Xena about them much because I know she feels so guilty about not being there and protecting me or at least rescuing me. All those hours of training, learning to kill. Learning to do something I never thought I would be able to do. I remember every face very clearly. Their eyes haunt me. Xena was right, when you kill – it changes everything. You can see the light in someone's eyes going out as they die. I know that I didn't have a choice but it doesn't help when the nightmares come. I know that each of those men and women would have killed me without a thought, that's what they were trying to do, all that prevented that was that I was better that day. I never told Xena about the women I was forced to kill in the Arena. Somehow, I just can't.

That one is hard to define. I've told her everything about Nikki, about having to become lovers to protect my body from the men of the gladiator school and for comfort; I've told her about the cravings when the bacchae side takes over; I've let her see what Dancer the gladiator can be like but I've never admitted to killing other female gladiators. I wonder why? Is it because I'm an Amazon and have sworn to protect women? Do I feel that I've somehow broken that vow? Is that why Artemis won't come to me? She came to us when she needed help saving the Amazons but she hasn't appeared to me since just after the Ides of March.

Oh good! Now Xena and Hercules are arm wrestling of all things! Reija is helping Solan with dinner and the kids are now exploring under some rocks.

Ketli Axe Hand, what names these Northerners come up with, tries to be such an adult now that he's almost a teenager but around Sasha he can revert to being a child that he never really had a chance to be.

Since revealing to us that she's somewhat telepathic, Sasha's potential god-skills haven't shown themselves, which is fine for Xena and me. The less different that she is from other kids the better. Both Xena and I remember what it felt like growing up feeling different and how difficult that could be. How painful the teasing from other kids can be.

It's been close to seven years since I followed Xena and I swear she doesn't look that much older than when I first saw her. A few differences here and there but nothing major. She's still so beautiful and deadly; she takes my breath away even after all these years.

We left Eddval Skull Splitter's steading four days ago and we are making good time on the horses in this spring weather. After leaving the Northern Amazon village in the middle of the Solstice Month, I thought we'd never get warm again. Fighting a river of ice, blinding snow, nearly being killed by arrows, that was more than I want to repeat. Only Xena got us through at the end.

I'm still enraged at Mattita, the Law Speaker of the Northern Amazons. Wanting to kill all of us and take Sasha because the child "might" have powers of the gods. I would be very tempted to cross that line in my soul about starting a fight with the intention of killing someone! I've only fought in self-defense but I almost believe I could kill her intentionally. I only hope that when I get a message from the tribe we find out that Otere and Yakut have managed to oust Mattita for her murderous plans.

It will be good to be back in Greece. I want to see Lila and Mother very badly. *

Xena smiled as she watched Gabrielle writing in one of the bard's scrolls. Her mate was deep in thought and sometimes it seemed that it wasn't pleasant, Xena could tell from Gabrielle's expressions.

The warrior caught Hercules looking at her as they sat under a tree, watching Sasha and Ketli playing.

"What?" she demanded.

"You're beautiful when you watch Gabrielle," he commented and grinned when she began blushing. "I don't know why it took you two so long to figure it out, everyone else knew."

"As if you can talk, big guy! How long did it take you to finally admit your feelings for Iolaus?" she countered with a smile.

"True enough. I guess sometimes we can't see what's right in front of us."

"I'll agree to that." Xena stretched her long body, her eyes darting around the camp, always alert. "I'll be glad to be home for awhile."

"Yeah, Iolaus and I have been on the move even more than you two. I want to get Ketli some education, Iolaus is great with most everything except numbers."

"Me too, I think the entire village of Amphipolis was raising Sasha," the warrior grinned. "She has a gift, everyone loves her immediately."

"I could think of worst gifts," Hercules grinned.

"Yup!"

"Do you ever think about Zeus being your father?" the demi-god asked.

"Not a lot. You know how I feel about the gods. You grew up knowing that he was your father, good or bad. I never knew that until recently. I'm hoping we never have to deal with that," Xena shrugged.

"Not likely, you know. Secrets have a way of coming out, even among the Olympians," Hercules commented.

"I know, but only as a last resort. I've seen how thrilled Hera is with your existence, my friend." Xena grinned and the demi-god grinned with her.

"She seems to be calming down a little."

"I hope so, Herc, she's caused you enough trouble in your life."

"Dinner!" Solan suddenly called out, startling Iolaus out of his nap and causing Gabrielle to drop her quill. Both glared at the youth and, as if he could sense it, Solan grinned.

Xena cleared her throat to let the young girl know the warrior was there. The older woman wasn't surprised when Reija turned quickly and then just as quickly hid her face.

The warrior approached the young woman slowly; sitting down on the rock next to the river they were traveling along. The girl was trying to dry her eyes and conceal that she had been crying.

"You okay?" Xena asked simply.

"Yes, I don't know why I'm crying," Reija complained, finally giving up trying to hide her swollen and red eyes.

"Could be just your body going crazy. It happens when you're pregnant," Xena smiled.

"Really?"

"Yep, should have seen me when I was pregnant with Solan, I wasn't letting anyone know I was pregnant and I had all those raging emotions. My troops probably thought I had been cursed by the Furies," the warrior grinned. "Or maybe you're missing home?"

Xena hadn't expected the young woman to break down so suddenly and launch herself into the warrior's arms for comfort. The warrior quickly recovered and gently held the young teenager as Reija sobbed.

After a few minutes the sobs had been reduced to mere sniffles and Reija pulled back slightly.

"I'm sorry, I know I'm supposed to be strong."

"Don't apologize. You've never been outside of Amazon territory, have you?" Xena asked kindly.

"No, not at all," Reija confirmed.

"Now you're traveling all the way across the country from one end to the sea then to another sea. You're leaving home, your friends, your family, your tribe, your way of life, I'm not surprised you're a little down." Xena pointed out.

"My mother, Mattita, and I hadn't spoken in months before we left the village but it still hurts that she tried to kill me."

"I know. Adjusting to life outside the village won't be easy, Reija, but you'll find that you have a large family now."

"Thank you," Reija said simply, hugging the warrior again.

*Personal Journal

It's been seven days since we left Eddval's steading in the north and have stopped for a couple of days at a village along the river. We came upon a spring festival and we found a warm welcome among the Germanic tribes that make up the small village. I find my skills at tale weaving most welcome at night around the bonfires of their celebrations. I think these Vikings like story telling even more than my Greeks. They value their bards, whom they call Skalds, very highly here, relying on them for education, news, and entertainment. Skalds can even hold honored positions among royal courts up here, the nobles keeping skalds close to them so that their histories might be recorded. These Vikings have a passion to be remembered as heroes and such. I suppose that's one of the reasons I began traveling with Xena, I wanted to record her deeds for the world, especially when I realized that she was trying to change from the dark Warlord she had been into something else. I wanted the world to realize that.

The Vikings have a saying up here - Cattle die and kinsmen die, thyself soon will die; but fame will never fade for he that wins it.

They also say: from his weapons away no one should ever stir one step while in the field, for no one knows when you might have a sudden need of your sword.

One thing about these Goths, they love to fight, gamble, pursue love and challenge life.

In many ways my fellow Greeks would consider the Germans barbaric. Their clothing is much more simple, most cannot read a single word, most wouldn't know a simple number problem and yet, I find I admire them greatly. They have a complex religious system and they aren't as barbaric as Caesar made them out to be. They still rely on magic and superstition more than we of the South do but they also face a harsher life than we do.

They also treat women and children differently than the Southerners. Women are allowed to keep the property they enter into a marriage with in case there is a divorce. Something that is unheard of in our "civilized" society. Divorce is allowed if a wife is mistreated and she retains custody of any children. Children are not considered property unless they are children of slaves.

One thing that both societies have in common: slaves. It seems that neither society can exist right now without slaves, although Eddval's Steading did fine without slaves. Maybe he can influence the other families under his rule now that he has been made Jarl of the region.

Women are also allowed to have opinions, for the most part. Some are even allowed to be warriors. I understand that the Celts are even more even handed with their women and that they have more rights in society than our own Greek and Roman women have. Amazing, those we would consider barbaric are more advanced in dealing with its citizens.

Although I do find I would miss having my scrolls around me up here. Even ink would be a problem, let alone parchment. They view my writing ability as a rarity up here and sometimes with awe, as if I have a magical skill.

I guess in a way that is true on some levels for the Norse. Their basic writing system is called runes and it developed out of sacred symbols. Symbols that each have a power, a magic of their own, even their own sounds. Most everyone knows the basics of the runes and how to work them but those who are adept at the magical symbols are viewed with honor and respect and are viewed like we view our priests.

Xena looked over at the bard as she wrote in her scrolls and smiled. Gabrielle was almost unaware of the small crowd she was attracting by her writing. The warrior reflected that they didn't see much writing up here, let alone someone who wrote just to write down their thoughts, unaware that she was echoing the bard's very thoughts.

The warrior looked around, aware that she was fairly at ease, which was unusual in a large crowd. Normally, she was alert for everything and anything. Up here you had to be on your toes to avoid fights and minor arguments and stay out of the way of local politics. It felt nice not to be watching for assassins, Callisto, or Romans.

The warrior caught Gabrielle's eyes and smiled and got an answering smile that always warmed the warrior's heart. Then Sasha tearing through the area with several village children hot on her heels, laughing in a game of tag distracted Xena. A glance around showed Solan leaning against one of the logs with Reija between his legs, leaning back into his chest and the warrior shook her head. When did he grow up? He was only 15, no 16 summers. A man in all societies now, she knew, but she didn't feel old enough to have a son who was about to become a father.

She spotted Hercules and Iolaus involved in a drinking contest with some of the villagers with a lot of wagering going on. The warrior knew better than to bet on this contest, Iolaus could surprise most everyone by out-drinking men twice his size and Hercules' drinking capacity was legendary. She also knew the same could be said of the Vikings. Xena figured she might take even odds on a couple of the villagers and the Greeks.

Xena turned back to the man she was talking to, Saebjorn, a local rune worker and religious leader. She wasn't surprised when Gabrielle joined their table, her sharp ears picking up the conversation on runes.

"Wait a minute!" Gabrielle held up her hand and stopped Saebjorn again. "From the beginning please," she asked.

"When you have a need for the power of a rune, the worker goes out and finds a tree at dawn and asks permission to take a branch," Saebjorn began.

"Permission from who?" the bard asked.

"From the tree and the spirits of the land, the Disir. The branch is cut and then the rune worker cuts the staves, long bits of wood, and carves the runes on the staves. Then he or she must stain them," Saebjorn grinned.

"Stain them? With what?"

"Gabrielle," Xena growled slightly.

"What?" the curious bard asked.

"No, it is not a hidden secret as it once was," Saebjorn smiled. "The runes can be stained, imbued with energy, by many methods. It depends on what the working is that determines how they should be stained. Most times it is with the blood of the rune worker, that's why working rune magic is usually very personal or very wide spread."

"What do you mean?"

"Either you are working for yourself or for the entire community, not usually for any number in between," the magician tried to explain.

"I see, instead of helping someone with a love spell," the bard ventured.

"I would show the person how to work the love spell themselves and warn them against working spells in the first place," Saebjorn grinned.

"Why discourage them?" Gabrielle asked with a matching smile.

"Because spells never turn out how you want them," the Viking laughed.

"We have a saying, be careful what you ask for, you might get it," she joined in his laughter and Xena grinned with them.

Most of the time the warrior didn't pay a lot of attention to Gabrielle's conversations with other bards, knowing they were usually exchanging stories, which she would hear later. This time she was interested in the use of the runes and in Gabrielle's understanding of the northern cultures.

"Or I work a rune working for the community, good harvest, good cattle, stuff like that," Saebjorn continued.

"Can rune magic be used for evil?" the bard questioned.

"Yes," Saebjorn frowned in thought for a moment. "Magic is neither evil nor good, it simply is. It is how the energy is used that makes it evil or good. Like your Hades, our Goddess of the Underworld, Hella, isn't considered evil, she just is. She reigns over the Underworld where those who aren't worthy of Asgard end up and those who work against others end up in the River of Knives, not even reaching Hella's Halls."

"River of Knives?"

"I was told that it was probably a river so cold and filled with ice that it would feel like knives stabbing you. Hella's Halls aren't somewhere I want to end up," Xena commented. "Snakes fill the walls, poison drips from the doorways, other fun stuff like that."

Saebjorn grinned. "Yes, and Odin's Hall, Valhol, is made of shields and there is feasting and drinking all night and fighting all day. Each god and goddess have their own halls and their own followers join them after they die. Odin gets half of the honored slain and Freya the other half."

"The goddess of love and forests," Gabrielle remembered.

"Yes," Saebjorn confirmed.

"Back to the staining," she reminded him.

"Right, most times it's blood which connects the worker to the working. Other times it can be spit, a minor working. Sometimes it's… it's more personal."

Both women were surprised when the Viking began blushing. Xena suddenly understood but noticed that Gabrielle didn't.

"For a love spell or fertility, right?" Xena questioned, hoping the bard would figure it out without Saebjorn having to go into details.

"What?" Gabrielle then began blushing and Xena knew the bard finally got it. "Oh yeah, okay. Uh, how, uh, how then do you use the runes?"

"You understand ritual, ja?" he questioned.

"Yes," Gabrielle and Xena both answered.

"Chanting, prayers, and such. Sometimes the wood is burned to release the energy, sometimes buried. Most times the chanting is accompanied by the galdr stance and sound, the body position of the rune and its special sound."

Xena looked over and saw that several villagers had dropped out of the drinking contest, literally. Several were unconscious, curled up in their cloaks next to the fire. Iolaus was swaying heavily on his log with his eyes closed and the warrior didn't think that the small Greek would last much longer. That left Hercules and three Viking villagers left, still going strong.

Gabrielle and Saebjorn were deep in conversation about metre verse poetry and sound and the magical use of it when the bard looked over at Xena and frowned. The warrior was almost pale and staring at something past the fire.

Gabrielle quickly followed Xena's gaze and saw a figure watching them from across the large bonfire. The bard could make out that the figure was probably male from the general outline but not much else. A male figure in a large, floppy brimmed hat, dark cloak and leaning on a spear. She couldn't see his face clearly and couldn't determine age or much about him. Something tugged at the bard's memory but she couldn't quite grab it. She turned to Xena.

"What is it?" she questioned as Saebjorn got up from the small table to fill his drinking horn again.

"I need to stretch my legs for a moment, be right back," Xena mumbled as she stood up, never taking her eyes off of the figure.

Xena started by Gabrielle and was surprised when the bard reached out a hand and stopped her.

"I got it! My vision!" Gabrielle hissed quietly. "He's the one in my vision!"

"I don't doubt it, I knew who he was. Wait here," Xena ordered.

"But…"

"No, wait here!" Xena snapped and pulled away from her mate and walked around the fire to the figure.

Xena approached the cloaked figure cautiously with her eyes quickly scanning the countryside, her eyes trying to pierce the darkness.

"Hail," she hesitated. "What do I call you?"

"Vakr is good for now," the tall figure answered easily.

"Vigilant, you know that's what they call me now," she countered.

"Yes, Ylsa," he answered and gestured to a log near the fire, inviting her to sit.

The warrior hesitated with her hand on her chakram, just inside her coat.

"I swear on the head of my son that I mean you no harm and I am not seeking a fight with you," the stranger vowed.

Xena nodded and sat down across the log, facing the stranger.

"What do you want, Vakr?" she asked.

"I owe you personal thanks for helping with that mess with Jarl Herrodr, you and your friend but I thought I'd approach you alone first. You can tell your friend thank you for me."

"And everything before?" she asked quietly.

"I don't know you, warrior. You are not the same woman who was here years before and I am not the same either."

"Odin, one thing I've learned over the years, gods don't change much!" she whispered fiercely.

"Xena, what changed you?" the Norse god countered.

The warrior's face softened and she looked deep into Odin's blue eye, suddenly realizing that he had a patch over his right eye. He watched her facial expressions and nodded, indicating Gabrielle.

"She happened to you, didn't she?" he asked.

"Yes, she is the reason," the warrior admitted.

"I've changed as well, Xena. Frigga and I are close again, I sacrificed my eye for the gift of prophecy and wisdom, and I've watched the changes in you whenever you're in the North."

Xena nodded, accepting the possibility that the god before her wasn't the same god she knew years before. She had to admit that she wasn't the same woman she had been then either.

"Hecate said that Sasha is predicted to have a future in the North and it's important to you, can you tell me anything about that?"

Odin shook his head sadly. "No, the Norns won't reveal what, just that she is important to us. I'm sorry, I know how frustrating that is."

"Thank you for your help in sending Grimhild, both times," Xena said.

"My pleasure," the god grinned. "Things have changed and will continue to change."

The Norse god stood and offered his hand. Xena hesitated a moment and took his arm in a warrior's grasp and then accepted his hug.

"You have turned into quite a woman, Xena," he said simply and pulled his hat lower over his face.

"You're turning into a decent god, Odin," she matched his grin and watched as he walked into the shadows.

Xena turned and spotted Gabrielle watching her intently and walked back to the table where the bard waited.

"Where's Saebjorn?" Xena asked.

"Headed for his hall. Who was that?"

"Odin," Xena answered simply.

"Odin? As in Odin, All Father God of all the Norse gods?" Gabrielle demanded in a fierce voice.

"Yup, the very same," Xena couldn't help but grin.

"What did he want with you?"

"To thank us both for stopping that idiot Herrodr from forming his own Wild Hunt," Xena explained, sitting next to her mate.

"That's it?"

"No, he said he can't tell me about Sasha's future with the Norse people, just that she has one and it's important. I hate prophecy," the warrior complained.

"Of course you do, my love," the bard grinned.

They both looked over and watched the last two contestants of the drinking contest. One villager and Hercules, both finishing off another drinking horn at the same moment and both falling over dead drunk at the same moment. The spectators howled and stomped their feet, trying to wake up one or the other but finally had to give up and declare a draw.

Xena and Gabrielle both laughed loudly.

"He'll pay for that tomorrow!" Gabrielle predicted.

"No doubt! That mead packs quite a punch!" Xena grinned in agreement.

The bard leaned back into Xena's arms and moaned in pleasure as the warrior leaned down and kissed Gabrielle's neck.

"Let's head for our sleeping furs, little one," the warrior whispered huskily.

"Yes, my love," the bard agreed readily.

Gabrielle smiled and turned into Xena's embrace, when they reached their sleeping furs inside the local stable. Xena had set their furs up in the farthest corner of the building in an old stall which offered them a little privacy. Gabrielle's sharp ears could hear snores and breathing from others sleeping in the barn and smiled.

"What, little one?" Xena whispered.

"You tell me that you used to be quiet when making love, think you can be quiet again?" the bard teased and grinned when Xena began blushing.

"Okay, you!" Xena threatened as her lips began nuzzling Gabrielle's neck, "I admit that you can have me begging or screaming but I'm not the one usually shaking the rafters!" she whispered and was rewarded with her own teasing by Gabrielle smacking her on the arm and breaking out of the embrace.

The bard danced into the stalls and faced her mate in the faint light of the moonlight. Gabrielle smiled and pulled her coat off and let it drop at her feet and Xena felt her heartbeat increase at the look of playfulness in the bard's green eyes. The bard pulled her tunic over her head and Xena's breath caught in her chest at the sight of her half naked mate.

Xena entered the stall and went to her knees easily and let her lips and tongue begin to dance over the bard's ample breasts and nipples, her arms encircling her mate and pulling Gabrielle close to her.

The bard's whimper of arousal brought a flush to the warrior's entire body and she pulled Gabrielle down to her knees and the two lovers began dueling with their tongues and hands as clothing was pulled off or pushed aside.

"Gods, Xena, I love you so much!" Gabrielle whispered as Xena laid the bard onto the sleeping furs.

"I love you more than life itself, Gabrielle," the warrior whispered back and bent down to capture her bard's lips and show her soul mate how much she loved her.

"Xena?"

The warrior pulled back slightly and was a little surprised when she saw Gabrielle's eyes were mostly yellow instead of her usual green and Xena could see the beginning of fangs on her bard.

"Yes, little one," Xena said easily.

The warrior was surprised at the speed and strength of her bard as Gabrielle flipped the warrior over onto the furs and the bard began kissing her roughly. Xena moaned and felt her body responding instantly. Xena started to pull the bard closer and felt herself growling as Gabrielle grabbed her wrists in one hand and held her arms over her head as the bard began nuzzling the warrior's neck. Gabrielle growled back and Xena's back arched as the bard's fingers began caressing her center, parting her sexual lips and playfully arousing the warrior even higher.

As the bard's fingers, tongue and lips began to drive her crazy, Xena felt her body beginning to tremble and tried to break the bard's hold on her wrists and moaned with frustration as Gabrielle's grip held. The bard pulled back slightly and looked into her mate's blue eyes.

"Yes!" Xena hissed and felt her whole body rise off of the furs as Gabrielle's fangs pierced her neck and the bard's fingers claimed her lower body.

There were several grumbles later from other occupants of the barn when cries broke the silence at the far end of the barn but no one complained much.

*Personal Journal

Xena says we're still in the flat part of northern Germania, which isn't saying much. We'll be hitting the large range of mountains soon enough. I'm just glad that we're traveling in the summer and not in the fall or spring when everything would be mud in the lowlands and snow in the mountains.

Of course, the rain for the last two days hasn't helped this theory.

We're following a large river and finding plenty of villages to find shelter in. They are much more open to strangers here, having the custom that anyone can find shelter from a storm or at any time during the winter. Of course, getting stuck in a strangers' home for five months during the snow season can cause quite a strain on hospitality, I have no doubt!

The countryside is so beautiful. The riverside is thick with trees, sometimes it's even hard to get through on horseback and the leaves are all different colors. The weather, besides the four days of rain, has been good with the chill being bearable even at night.

The only trouble we've had was from a small group of bandits that tried to rob us yesterday. *

Xena was leading the small band of travelers when she surprised them all by stopping and holding her hand up in a signal for them to stop. Gabrielle's hands went to her sais, Hercules to his war hammer, Iolaus for his sword, Solan for a dagger, Ketli for a small war axe, and Reija for her sword.

Xena's hand flashed towards her side and brought her chakram up at the same moment she yelled.

"Down!"

Everyone moved like a well-trained military unit. Gabrielle dived out of her saddle, grabbing Sasha from her horse and rolling to the ground, shielding the child in her arms and taking the heavy hit from the dirt road herself. Solan felt his wife's hand on his arm and rolled towards it, trusting her as they hit the ground together between the horses. Ketli jumped off his horse and ran to help Gabrielle shield Sasha. Hercules and Iolaus both hit the ground on their feet and were able to see Xena deflect several arrows with her chakram as they flew towards her chest.

Xena flipped over backwards off her horse with a war cry and landed her feet in a defensive position.

Solan and Reija gained their feet and Gabrielle stayed in a crouched position with Sasha behind her as her eyes scanned the trees.

"Move and you die!" a voice threatened in lower Germanic.

None of the Greeks and Amazons said anything as several figures moved out of the trees, each armed with bow and arrow and sword.

"Hand over your furs, your money and any jewelry," the leader ordered.

Xena glanced over her shoulder, assessing everyone's position and getting answering nods from the Greeks and Amazon. She saw Gabrielle reverse the sais in her hands into a throwing position and saw Reija whispering to Solan, his head cocked and listening for voices and noises.

The warrior turned to the bandit.

"Only one warning, leave now," she grinned.

"Maybe you didn't hear so well, foreigner. Hand everything over," he demanded again.

"Go join Hella!" Xena cursed as she let loose her chakram, cutting his bow in two.

Two bandits fell over clutching their chests; suddenly wondering about the strange weapons embedded in their chests and the small blond who had thrown them. It was their last thoughts.

Two other bandits rushed the group with swords drawn and were quickly taken out by Reija, Hercules and Iolaus. The leader, the only one left standing, suddenly turned very pale and decided to make a hasty retreat back into the trees.

Hercules and Iolaus stripped the unconscious bandits of their weapons, retrieved Gabrielle's sais for her and helped Sasha back up onto her horse. Everything was done within minutes.

"You know, that wasn't even a challenge," Xena complained.

"Yup," Hercules agreed with a grin.

Gabrielle and Iolaus shook their heads in amusement at their mates.

*Personal Journal

Now we head into the mountains. Mountains that seem darker and almost sinister as compared to my native Greek mountains. Even the Romans hate trying to hold these mountains. The people are fiercely independent and hard working and keep mostly to themselves. Fortunately we aren't heading into the deep mountains.

It's strange; I've actually found a place that Xena hasn't been in her travels. Somehow, even during her Warlord days she missed the deep Carpathian Mountains. She says that she saw no reason to concentrate her forces in the deep mountains when she could control the surrounding land below. Her army howling like the wind across the land they call the Steppes or down through the valley between Greece and northern Germania.

We've decided to camp early and start into the mountains in the morning. The trip from this point on gets harder and travel will go a little slower. I think we're all anxious to get home except Ketli, seems like he was born for the road. He never complains about being tired and takes in everything around him with an eagerness that is sometimes tiring. He reminds me of myself when I was a child, only he's getting to travel the world while I grew up only dreaming of it. Which was better, I wonder sometimes. I grew up with a loving family in a stable village and life that didn't understand me. Ketli grew up raised by the large family of Axel since Ketli was an orphan and then adopted by Hercules and Iolaus, the boy having bonded so deeply with them. Now he travels the world but I hear him tossing in his blankets sometimes with nightmares. Hercules says he hears the boy muttering and crying for his mother in his sleep. Hercules and Iolaus are wonderful fathers but the boy still misses his original family.

My nightmares are starting again about being taken as a slave. The rapes and the horror of the Arena are beginning to haunt my dreams again. We're not going through the same area where I was taken and Iolaus crippled but the closer we get to Roman territory the worse it gets. I know that Xena has noticed but she hasn't said anything other than comforting me at night, like I do her when the memories get too much. She's probably figured out what is bothering me anyway.

I know I should talk to her about it, if nothing else to keep her from worrying too much but it's so hard. I've never counted how many kills I had in the Arena but I could. I remember every face, almost every detail. I thought, I had hoped, that they would blur together after awhile like memories do sometimes but it seems I'm cursed by the Fates to see each fight clearly, even those long fights on that day we were taken in front of Caesar and I was crucified. It troubles me that I can kill so easily. I killed those two bandits without a second thought. What have I become? *

Hercules smiled as he handed Xena a mug of tea and sat down next to her in front of the fire. He glanced over at their sleeping mates, neither he or the warrior were surprised when Iolaus and Gabrielle both headed early for their sleeping furs. Neither the bard nor Greek warrior had been sleeping well.

"You okay?" he asked softly.

Xena glanced up at Solan and Reija huddled on the other side of the fire, wrapped in each other's arms and furs, watching the fire and basking the in the warmth of each other. Sasha was asleep between Xena's legs, her head resting on Xena's thigh, and Ketli was sharpening his hand axe near Solan and Reija.

"Yeah, just a little worried. Ever since we ran into that Roman garrison two days ago both Gabrielle and Iolaus' nightmares have been worse," she said simply.

"I know. It happens every time. I don't know what to do about it except try and comfort them."

"That's about all we can do. I don't think the Roman Empire is going to disappear anytime soon so we're going to keep running into soldiers," the warrior frowned.

"You were the Warlord, where do you see this thing with Octavian and Antony going?"

"Now that Antony is with Cleopatra all the time and they've already had a child? I heard the latest news from the Roman soldiers the other day," Xena pulled out her whetstone and began sharpening her sword.

Hercules knew it was the warrior's way of keeping her hands busy and giving her a focus when she was thinking, especially unpleasant thoughts.

"You're friends with Cleopatra, aren't you?" he asked.

"Yes, we helped her out with a problem a while back."

"Antony and Octavian are going to fight, aren't they?" the demi-god frowned.

"Yes, neither of them will be willing to settle for dividing the Empire. Octavian won't trust Antony and Antony will kill Octavian the first chance he gets," the former Conqueror of Nations commented.

"Why? Antony should be happy in Egypt and having that half of the world."

"He won't be satisfied with that. He's Roman, no matter how much he loves Cleopatra, he'll always be Roman and want Rome for himself. He's ruthless and bloodthirsty, even more than I was. Antony killed anyone related to anyone that might have been involved in the assassination of Caesar. He's quick to use that sword of his and he's tried to kill Octavian before."

"Really? I'm not surprised. When?"

"The Battle of Philippi. Octavian and his troops were set to take the worst of the battle and Antony had assassins infiltrated in Octavian's ranks. They were to kill Octavian during the battle and Antony would seize the victory and claim the Empire."

"That's when you helped them defeat Brutus and Cassius," Hercules reflected.

"Yes, I also kept Octavian off the battlefield. Seems he has a delicate stomach at times and was too sick to fight," the warrior grinned and Hercules shook his head with a grin, admiring the tactical mind of his friend.

"Antony planned on killing you and Gabrielle, didn't he?"

"Yes, the men he sent with both of us were supposed to kill us but they decided to be somewhere else when we left," Xena grinned.

"Do you think Cleopatra will call on you for help?"

"I hope not. I like Cleo and thinks she's one hell of a leader but I can't help her against Octavian."

"Is it because Antony slaughtered the Amazons or because you support Octavian?"

"I don't have any love for Rome, even after Caesar's death. No, we owe Antony for killing our family and friends," Xena's eyes narrowed in anger and Hercules remembered that face very well and was glad that it was no longer directed at him after all these years.

"I miss them too," he said softly, remembering finding Ephiny's body on the cross where Brutus had her crucified, the body of Solari, Ephiny's mate left for the carrion feeders. They never found the body of Xenon, Ephiny's Centaur son.

Xena's head snapped up at the sound of a small whimper. She started to get up and glanced down at the sleeping child in between her legs.

Hercules placed a hand on her arm. "I'll go to her, you take it easy."

Xena watched with a pained face as Hercules gently shook the bard slightly until the nightmare was broken and then drew her crying mate into his arms until Gabrielle fell back asleep.

Xena caught Reija's glance and the Amazon shrugged, also at a lost as to how to help the two Greeks ease their nightmares.

* Personal Entry

Oh Gods, I haven't been so scared in my life. Solan woke us up in the middle of the night calling for Xena and me. We found Reija in such pain, it scared us all. Severe stomach cramps, so bad that she couldn't straighten her legs out and kept throwing up.

Xena was able to use pressure points to relieve some of the pain while Hercules and Iolaus warmed water up for some herbs to help calm the muscles down. Solan, I didn't know how to help him, we both felt so helpless. He held Reija's head in his lap and let her squeeze his hands as the pain ripped through her. I tried cooling her down with a cool cloth but felt so frustrated.

Then Xena said the words that each of us already knew but refused to face. Reija was trying to lose the baby; her body was trying to reject the life growing in her. I know it's common with women, especially young girls in their first pregnancy, but that doesn't make it easier to live with. Even knowing that future children are possible after losing one doesn't help.

Solan was trying to be brave for both of them but he's such a caring young man. I knew he was devastated and Reija just cried in his arms. How can she face losing this child? Reija's given up everything she's ever known to be with Solan and this child was going to be her connection with her new life.

I found myself silently praying. I know Xena's not one for praying and asking help from the gods under almost any circumstances but I'm not that strong or stubborn. I called on Apollo, God of healing and medicine, and my father, for help.

We worked through the night, all of us. Ketli kept an eye on a dozing Sasha by the fire. Iolaus and Hercules took turns keeping water hot for compresses on Reija's womb and cool water for cloths on her forehead. Xena kept alternating pressure point massage and the herbal teas. I kept the compresses and cool cloths alternating and Solan kept holding her.

Finally at dawn Sasha's head popped up and she got up from Ketli's arms and approached our tired little circle. Hercules and Iolaus were almost asleep by the fire and Reija's pains had subsided. Sasha knelt down next to Reija and carefully placed her hand on Reija's womb for a moment and then smiled at us.

I know I must have looked confused because I know Xena did.

"The baby is okay," Sasha told us.

"You sure, Sasha?" Xena asked her.

"Yes," the child nodded.

Somehow she just knows things.

We spent the day resting. Reija's pains finally settled down to a dull ache, and most everyone slept the morning away. We've decided to camp here for a few days and let Reija's body rest. Hercules and Xena want to find a nearby village and get a small wagon for the travel the rest of the way. Reija is protesting, trying to be the strong Amazon she was raised to be, but everyone is outvoting her. The best thing for her and the baby is to take it easy from now on until we're sure she can carry the child the rest of the term.

I give thanks to Apollo and to Xena's skills and the love of family and friends.

"Is she going to be okay?" Gabrielle asked her warrior as they settled the young Amazon mother-to-be into the wagon that Hercules and Iolaus had purchased from a nearby village two days later.

Xena grinned as Reija rolled her eyes in frustration. It had been a difficult argument to get the Amazon to agree to ride in the wagon and take it easy, finally they had insisted on the life of her child and Reija had instantly given in, once she accepted it was best for the baby.

"I think so as long as we don't have to tie her down," she joked and laughed as Reija threw hay at the couple.

Iolaus, driving the wagon, looked back and grinned and clicked to the horses, setting the wagon into motion with Solan sitting beside him.

The rest of the family mounted their horses and began following behind.

"The rest of the journey isn't too hard until we reach the Greek mountains. We'll be out of these mountains and into the valley lands below shortly," Xena commented.

"Back into Roman territory," Gabrielle muttered, her jaw clenching.

"Want to talk about it?" the warrior asked simply.

"You already know about the nightmares," Gabrielle complained.

"No, Sasha says I don't know everything."

"What?" Gabrielle demanded quietly, glancing over at the child riding in front of Ketli.

"She says that there's something about your nightmares you haven't told me and it's slowly draining your strength," Xena explained, glancing out of the corner of her eye to her mate.

The warrior wasn't surprised to see the bard's clenched fists and jaw.

"She tell you what it was?"

"She didn't know, just that it was hurting you, my love."

"Xena…" Gabrielle hesitated; her eyebrows furrowed and face in a frown. "I need some time, I'll catch up."

Before Xena could respond the bard turned her horse and trotted off back the way they had come. Hercules and Iolaus turned with questioning faces and Reija with raised eyebrows. Ketli looked away and Xena had the feeling he had overheard their conversation.

The warrior shrugged off the questioning looks and moved her horse to the front of the wagon on point.

After half a candlemark Xena turned her horse with a curse and began trotting back the way they had come. Iolaus looked over at Hercules and the demi-god just shrugged.

"Will someone tell me what's going on?" Solan finally demanded.

Reija, Hercules and Iolaus all looked at each other, silently debating who was going to try and explain what they didn't understand yet.

Gabrielle wasn't surprised to hear a single horse approaching the small clearing where she had stopped. The bard held her sais in a defensive position until she saw for certain that it was her warrior, her Xena, approaching and then turned back to attacking the tree she was focused on.

The bard watched Xena get off her horse out of the corner of her eye as she buried the sais into the tree and spun on one heel into a kick that snapped a dead branch off the old and dead tree.

As Xena approached Gabrielle felt the anger energy disappear, leaving her suddenly tired. She sank to the ground and leaned her back against the tree. Xena squatted down in front of her bard, blue eyes seeking out green ones, filled with concern and love.

Gabrielle felt tears filling her eyes. "I know why Artemis won't come to me and maybe even Apollo," she whispered, dropping her eyes.

"What is it, little one?"

"I broke my vows as an Amazon and Queen," Gabrielle broke down as Xena held out her arms. The bard scampered into her mate's arms as tears ran down her face.

"What do you mean, Gabrielle?" Xena asked, shifting so her back was against the tree.

"I've killed women, sometimes they were young."

"You have no choice in the spirit realm. Alti had their spirits and they would have killed you and the other Amazons," Xena protested.

"No, not then. I know I didn't have a choice, even when I killed Cyane in the Spirit Realm and maybe not even when I killed Arja. This was different," the bard protested.

Xena frowned, trying to remember when the bard had come into battle with other females and couldn't think of any when they were together. Then Xena realized what the bard was probably talking about. The time when Gabrielle was away from her and didn't have choices in her life, especially over life and death.

"In the Arena?" Xena ventured and felt Gabrielle nod through her tears. "You didn't have a choice, Gabrielle!"

"I didn't protect females in need, I killed them!"

"They would have killed you easily if you hadn't fought back," Xena tried reasoning with her mate.

"I shouldn't have ever killed, Xena!" Gabrielle protested, sitting up, her face angry again. "That's not what I wanted! I should have died rather than take life!"

"No!" Xena grabbed Gabrielle's wrists, forcing the bard to look her in the eyes. "I would have died without you and probably Sasha too! You can't blame yourself for surviving!" the warrior insisted.

"I wasn't meant to be a warrior! I don't believe that was my path!" Gabrielle insisted.

"It might not have been, we don't know that. We know that Ares altered your destiny and he is going to pay for that! We don't know if you never would have killed." Xena could see and feel the pain radiating from her mate. "We know that traveling with me you would have faced that sooner or later. You know that saving people sometimes requires being a warrior and sometimes that means death."

"I might have had a choice in the matter," Gabrielle complained.

"That's the point!" Xena argued. "You didn't have a choice, it was either die or survive by killing. You had less choice than even a soldier in war, Gabrielle. No one can hold that against you."

"Artemis seems too! Wouldn't she have come to me when the Amazons died? What happens when we die?"

"What do you mean, little one?" Xena asked, letting go of her bard's wrists.

"I betrayed my vows, I'm not going to end up in the Elysian Fields with you!"

Once again the bard collapsed into tears in the warrior's arms. Xena felt tears flowing down her face as well as she held her beloved close.

"Gabrielle, I don't believe that! We'll find out what's going on with Artemis when we get to Greece. I don't believe that anything this side or the other can keep us apart. The Gods themselves blessed our joining. We will be together!"

"I don't want to be anywhere without you, even paradise," Gabrielle muttered.

"Nothing and no one is going to keep us apart. We'll figure out what is going on with Ares and Artemis, little one, I promise."

Personal Entry

The land now is farmland and rich. The people are friendly but not as welcoming as the Goths and Germans. This area is traveled more and they are more accustomed to strangers coming and going and even troops passing through their small villages and towns.

We ran into another patrol today. A few minor questions and they always send us on our way once they know we are Greek and freeborn. Gods, I still get the shakes every time I see a Roman soldier and Iolaus went very pale as well. How in Hades do I get over this?

One advantage of having those scars across my shoulder from my Amazon tribal marking: the slave brand is no longer visible, the scars destroying the brand.

I must admit that I'm sleeping a little better since I talked with Xena and told her about my having killed women in the Arena. She tries to reassure me that that can't be the reason Artemis won't come to me but I don't know. Xena also thinks the gods are selfish, spoiled brats most of the time. Did Artemis come to me for help only because she needed Xena and me and then abandon me because of my broken vows?

The mountains were so beautiful but harsh. I'm glad to be in the valley for a while. Next it will be our mountains and then home. I'm tired and want to see my family and I know Xena is missing Amphipolis. Who ever would have thought that Xena would want to settle down?

Home will be good for a while. Solan and Reija to make their home and prepare for the baby; see Mom and Lila and see if she has any more kids herself; help Cyrene in the inn and tell stories, I do have some new ones to add now.

Even the bacchae thing has gotten easier, although Xena glares at me good-naturedly when Hercules and Iolaus tease her about her "love bites" after a full moon. I know I blush bright red but can't help it! Who ever thought that something that could be considered a curse could become something that is such an incredible sexual turn on for us? By eating rare meat the week before the moon and animal blood, I'm able to control the bacchae craving most of the time and only had to turn to Xena for more than just the blood every other month.

A life to build with my love, my Xena. *

Gabrielle pulled her horse close to the wagon and looked down at Reija playing in the back with Sasha. The young Amazon woman looked up and attempted a smile.

"Don't worry, Xena's mom is going to love you!" Gabrielle grinned, trying to reassure the young bride.

"Solan says that she didn't know about him until he was almost a teenager, now he's coming back a married man with a child of his own on the way, she might resent me!" Reija said softly.

Gabrielle looked over at the young man riding on a horse, Xena holding his reins.

"She'll love you, Reija," Gabrielle repeated. "Cyrene's had to adapt to a lot of changes over the years. She had given up and turned her back on Xena when Xena became a Warlord, then she trusted and accepted that Xena was trying to change," Gabrielle grinned. "She even accepted this tag-a-long annoying young kid who kept following her daughter and making a nuisance of herself."

"You? You weren't born an Amazon?" Reija asked.

"No, I was born a simple village girl in Greece, on the coast. Xena saved me and the other girls of the village from some slavers and I started following her and kept pestering her until we became friends and I actually started helping her with things."

"How did you become an Amazon?"

"We asked permission to cross Amazon land and the Amazons were attacked. I tried to shield an Amazon Princess with my body after she was hurt and she passed her caste onto me and I became Queen after her sister. Wasn't easy to be accepted though. I wasn't a warrior of any type and didn't want to be," Gabrielle explained as they rode along.

"But you're a warrior now," Reija protested.

"No, I don't think I'll ever get used to that. I was forced to learn to defend myself traveling with Xena and becoming an Amazon. I was very good with a staff and I was determined not to kill."

"But?"

"I was forced to learn to fight or die at the hands of the Romans," Gabrielle lost her smile. "Solan didn't tell you any of this?"

"He said I should ask you about your past, that some of it might hurt you," Reija answered.

Gabrielle nodded, appreciating the young man's sensitive nature. "It does. I was taken as a slave by the Romans and sold into a gladiator school, I had to learn to fight or die. I survived."

"Oh Goddess Metsola," Reija muttered, even in the North they knew about the gladiator games and the cruelty of the Romans towards their slaves, criminals and gladiators, especially the women.

"I was able to gain my freedom and rejoined Xena, that's why I know how to fight but don't know if I'll ever get over it," Gabrielle explained.

"Do you think the villagers will accept me?" Reija asked in a small voice.

Gabrielle smiled, glad to be back to the original subject. "Yes, they all love Solan and Sasha and have taken to both of them. They'll be delighted to see him happy and with a wife. Xena's already plans on building a small cottage for both of you and the baby when we get back. I heard her and Hercules talking about plans last night over dinner."

Reija began blushing even more and Gabrielle laughed softly. This was something the girl was going to have to become accustomed to, kindness from parental figures, something Reija hadn't gotten from her own mother.

Cyrene was thrilled to see the small band arriving in Amphipolis. She spotted Joxer running to meet them from the blacksmith shop and glanced up as Torris stepped out of the inn behind her.

Cyrene took in the sight of the group carefully, sighing with relief that Xena, Gabrielle, and Solan looked well and Sasha was even bigger. Hercules and Iolaus were as handsome as ever and seemed unharmed and their adopted son looked taller.

Cyrene was very curious about the wagon Iolaus was driving with Solan in the seat, grinning from ear to ear.

Torris grinned and hugged his mom a quick hug and moved inside to prepare dinner.

The older woman smiled, now maybe things could settle down, she thought, saying a quick prayer of thanks to Hecate, Zeus and Hera in seeing her daughter and family home safe.


	17. 17 A God's Twilight

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** a little more than a typical TV episode.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Gabrielle returns to the Amazon forest demanding to see Artemis and finds Aphrodite and a very angry Ares. Xena and Hercules must try and rescue a captive Artemis and dying Gabrielle from the inner depths of Tartarus and spoil Ares' plans once more.

* * *

Gabrielle moved through the forest with ease but as always with caution. She had avoided three Roman patrols of soldiers within the last three hours after entering what was once the Amazon forest of her tribe.

As she looked at the last set of soldiers tromping down the trail below she smiled grimly. Men never seemed to look up, especially soldiers, the Amazon Queen reflected. It was one of the main strengths of the Amazons when they had controlled this forest, when they had been alive.

Gabrielle gritted her teeth and fought back tears that threatened to cloud her eyes. She needed to stay alert for more patrols and not lose concentration because of her emotions. The bard planned to grieve once more for her lost family but later, for now she needed to keep out of the hands of the soldiers.

Roman soldiers were one thing Gabrielle knew about. Over a year spent as a Roman slave and gladiator had taught the young Greek what it could mean to fall into the hands of unethical soldiers, especially Roman soldiers.

The warrior bard was deep in what was once Amazon territory and waited for twilight before moving out of the trees and down to the clearing near the waterfall. It had been a sacred site for centuries and it hurt Gabrielle to see signs that the Romans had discovered it and frequently used as a resting place by patrols.

Gabrielle spent the next candle-mark clearing away the brush from a huge boulder next to the river and building a small fire. She sat down and made a pot of tea while waiting patiently for the moon.

Tonight was the crescent moon, held by the Amazons to be sacred to Artemis, patron Goddess of the woods and Amazons. The bard waited until the moon had risen above the tree line and approached the boulder with a torch and placed it in the ancient iron holder embedded in the rock.

Some magnificent forces had chipped the boulder in eons past and part of the rock had been snapped away, leaving a ledge like surface and a clean wall. Centuries before Amazons had carefully and lovingly carved the image of Artemis into the flat surface wall of the rock above the ledge. Artemis with her bow and a hunting hound at her feet, her bow forming the shape of a crescent moon. The ledge had become an altar to the Goddess.

Gabrielle retrieved a pouch and the two rabbits she had killed earlier in the forest and went back to the fire. The bard quickly pulled out a bowl and placed incense in it with a charcoal from the fire. Next came a goblet in which she poured fresh spring water. Then she placed the rabbit on the altar in the center and raised her eyes to the moon.

"Artemis!" the bard called softly. "I offer sacrifice to you, oh sacred Goddess! I offer fresh water from the sacred forest, incense of pine and herbs from your forest, rabbit from that same forest. Come to me, Artemis! I beg you to appear to me!"

Gabrielle waited patiently and fed more incense to the coal.

"Artemis, I am your Chosen. You picked me to be your Champion on earth and among the Amazons, even though I wasn't born an Amazon and I wasn't a warrior," the bard continued. "I did my best to protect your Amazons, my family. All the tribes of the South, even sacrificing myself on a Roman cross to win their freedom and a new home."

Gabrielle looked down at the bracers covering her wrist and covering the scars from the nails that had been driven through her flesh. She could feel tears beginning to build in her eyes and angrily brushed them away.

"Artemis, I wasn't able to protect them from the Romans. Is that what you blame me for? Is that why you won't come to me, your Chosen?" Gabrielle's eyes snapped back to the moon above. "Or is it my tainted blood? Is it because I've been touched by Bacchus and carry his damned blood craving?" This time she couldn't stop a tear from escaping her eyes.

"I've fought that Artemis, and I've won, mostly. The craving doesn't control me and I've never harmed anyone because of it. Please, sweet Goddess, I want to see you! I grieve for my Amazons," the bard's tears began to flow of their own accord. "I miss Ephiny, Solari, Eponi, all of them so much! Do you blame me for their deaths?"

Gabrielle pleaded to the moon and waited patiently for several minutes and then the bard's shoulders slumped in dejection as her head dropped forward and she let the tears fall freely.

"Gabrielle!"

The bard was on her feet with sais in her hand before the voice had stopped sounding in her ears. Gabrielle blinked several times at the figure standing in the clearing; it was not who she expected.

"Aphrodite?" the bard questioned.

The Goddess of Love wasn't surrounded by her usual sparkle show of bright dust-like light and brightness and she looked troubled.

"I don't have much time, listen closely," Aphrodite crossed the clearing quickly to the bard, her eyes darting around constantly. "Artemis hasn't forsaken you, she can't come to you and you've got to rescue her!"

"What?" Gabrielle stammered. "Slow down! What's going on?"

"Ares has Artemis prisoner in Tartarus, none of the gods can interfere with whatever he has planned. I'm not even supposed to be here," the goddess said hurriedly.

"Why did he take Artemis and why can't any of you do anything about it? What about Zeus?" Gabrielle demanded.

The Goddess of Love screamed and fell forward and Gabrielle rushed forward the few remaining feet between them and caught the goddess as she fell. The bard's head snapped up and she saw Ares standing in the clearing, energy balls surrounding each hand and one was drawn back to throw one of them. Gabrielle realized he must have hit Aphrodite with one.

Gabrielle turned Aphrodite over and the Goddess of Love arched her back in pain, opened her eyes and glared at Ares.

"Damn you and your plots!" Aphrodite hissed.

"Dad told you to stay out of things!" he growled back and threw the energy ball.

The bard barely had enough time to roll with Aphrodite out of the way, taking herself to the ground along with the goddess as Ares released the other energy ball, keeping Gabrielle off balance.

"Stop it!" Gabrielle screamed. "This is between you and me! Leave her out of it!"

Ares didn't respond verbally. Gabrielle was still trying to get up off the ground and Aphrodite had gotten to her knees when the God of War reached them.

The bard was shocked beyond belief and movement when he kicked Aphrodite in the ribs, lifting the goddess up. Then he dropped her and the goddess landed heavily and Aphrodite groaned in pain, holding her ribs.

Gabrielle scrambled to her hands and knees as another kick connected with the Goddess's face and sent her head snapping backwards against the ground.

"Stop it!" the bard screamed as she tackled the god, taking both of them to the ground.

Gabrielle managed several good shots to his ribs before he recovered enough to throw a couple of good blows of his own to her jaw, the last one knocking the bard off of him. Gabrielle growled and brought her foot up into his stomach and grabbed his leather vest as Ares dived for her and flipped him over onto his back.

Gabrielle quickly twisted around and scurried for her sais as Ares cursed under his breath, getting to his hands and knees. The bard grabbed up one of her fallen sais and turned to face Ares again and felt her heart skip a beat when she saw the energy balls surrounding his hands as he knelt on the ground.

After dying on the Roman cross Gabrielle had been brought back to life by her father, the Sun and Healing God Apollo, one of the advantages the god had given her was that she could hurt any god with any weapon or fist. Almost demi-god status like Hercules. What she didn't have was the energy bolts or energy ball thing.

She also knew that she couldn't beat Ares, God of War, in a fight. The first time she had nearly killed him and she had also nearly been killed but she had managed to hurt him badly because of surprise. He hadn't been aware of her equal status with him. Now he was and ready for it.

"I was hoping to get you out of the way without Xena knowing I was behind it," he snarled and released one of the balls which caught Gabrielle in the ribs and sent her flying backwards to land heavily on the ground several feet beyond where she had been. "Now I don't care anymore, either way she'll be mine. If she won't come back to me as my Chosen Warrior then she can come back to me when the lust for revenge grabs her!"

"Never!" Gabrielle muttered, wiping away blood from her mouth and braced herself for another energy bolt.

Aphrodite threw herself at her fellow god, knocking him over and sending the energy ball flying into the trees, startling a family of squirrels into fleeing their sanctuary and two ravens to take to the sky. Everyone began protesting by cawing and chattering at the human and gods.

Ares cursed again as Aphrodite racked her fingernails across his face and then he backhanded her, sending her to the ground once again. Gabrielle got to her knees and threw her sai as Ares turned to face her and felt some satisfaction when it embedded itself in the War God's shoulder.

The bard rushed to grab the other sai as Ares cursed and pulled the other one out of his body and glared at her. Gabrielle grabbed up her other sai and rolled out of the way of Ares throwing the other one at her. As he rushed her, the bard kept the one in her hand this time and parried his sword strike at her head.

"What does Artemis have to do with this?" she demanded.

"I'm going to use her to force Zeus to undo what the Fates have done to me!" he snapped and backhanded the bard, getting around her defenses and he quickly followed up with a sword strike that knocked the sai out of her hand.

Gabrielle barely saw the boot that caught her in the chest and knocked her to the ground. When her eyes cleared a moment later Ares was standing over her with his sword at her throat.

"What are you waiting for? You've been wanting to do this since we met!" she hissed.

"No, not yet," he muttered. "I'm going to make Xena suffer with your disappearance!"

"Not again, you bastard!" Gabrielle snapped, taking advantage of his momentary distraction to kick him between the legs and knock the sword away from her neck. The sword left a thin cut along her neck and left palm but the God of War was left clutching his groin after dropping his sword.

Gabrielle never saw the energy bolt leaving his hand as she reached for his sword.

"Xena!"

The warrior looked up from the blacksmith forge and frowned. She was out from behind the work area in a flash and began pushing her way through the small crowd that was beginning to form around the figure standing at the town well.

When she got through to the owner of the voice, Xena was shaken to see Cupid standing next to the well with Aphrodite in his arms. The God of Love was dusty, tear streaked and had smears of blood on his arms and chest.

Aphrodite's condition shocked Xena and the rest of the villagers, most of whom had never seen Gods before and certainly didn't expect to see them in this condition. The Goddess of Love's usual pink outfit was dirty and torn and the top, what little of it there was, was blood streaked. Her hair was also filled with dust and matted and Xena couldn't get a good look at the goddess's face.

The warrior moved forward quickly as Cupid knelt at the well, lowering his mother to the ground gently. Xena tried not to gasp at the sight of Aphrodite's face. The most beautiful face in all of existence was ravaged. Dite's right eye was swollen closed with a cut along the eyebrow and Xena thought might need a few stitches, her right cheek was obviously broken with another cut on it. The goddess's nose had been bloodied but a quick examination told the experienced warrior that Dite had probably escaped a broken nose but her lips were cut, bruised and bloody and it looked like she might loose a tooth. A massive welt was forming along the goddess' jaw-line as well.

Xena's quick hands found the rising welt along the goddess's ribs and Aphrodite moaned as Xena touched the area. Cupid groaned in response to his mother's pain, his eyes searching Xena's face for answers.

"She's got a couple of broken ribs, a dislocated jaw, a broken cheekbone and a cut along the eye that would need stitching if she wasn't a goddess," Xena answered.

"We can't go to the other gods or goddesses, Xena," Cupid answered, gently stroking his mother's hair.

"Bring her inside, gently," the warrior instructed. She watched with a worried expression and winced at her moan of pain as the god lifted his mother into his strong arms.

Xena turned to the crowd. "Okay, I know you haven't seen this before but give us some room. I'm taking them to my mother's inn. Silvus, could you please get the healer?"

The man nodded and moved off quickly towards the far end of town.

Xena led the god and goddess to her mother's inn.

A candle-mark later Xena led a weary Cupid down the stairs to the tables while the healer finished stitching Dite's broken cheek.

Cyrene, Xena's mom and tavern owner, didn't say a word about having the Greek God of Love sitting at one of her tables, his wings discretely tucked in behind him in the booth, although the muscular chest and arms were hard to ignore and he was extremely handsome. Cyrene shook her head with a shake of her head and sat down two mugs of port, understanding why the god had no problem in the love department nor the sex one either.

"What happened, Cupid?" Xena finally asked.

"I need your help and you need mine, Xena," he said cryptically.

"What in Tartarus is going on!" she demanded again.

"Tartarus is exactly what is going on!" he growled, his eyes taking on a faraway and angry look. "Let me start somewhere near the recent beginning of this mess. Ares got Zeus drunk and in a good mood. Ares got Zeus to promise that no Olympians could interfere with a plan of revenge he had against Gabrielle."

He held up his hand to hold off the warrior's anxious questions when Gabrielle's name came up. "Just let me explain, the time it takes to explain isn't going to make any difference, okay?"

Xena's eyes narrowed but she nodded slowly.

"The Fates got angry at Ares messing with Gabrielle's fate and punished him. He won't say how but it must be major because he is one pissed off god. He captured Artemis and is holding her in Tartarus."

"Tartarus?" Xena questioned.

"Yes, none of us have any powers in Tartarus nor the Elysian Fields except Hades and his minions. Since none of us can interfere and Artemis can't escape, she's stuck there," he explained.

"Okay, how does that explain Aphrodite's condition and why you can't go to the other gods or goddesses to heal her."

"Mom interfered," he answered simply.

"With his plan against Gabrielle? What's happened to Gabrielle?"

"Mom and I have always had a soft spot for the two of you and she went to warn Gabrielle as to what Ares was up to and to say that Artemis hadn't abandoned her. Ares showed up and attacked them. He beat up Mom and took Gabrielle," the god said unhappily.

"Where is Gabrielle," Xena growled.

"In Tartarus with Artemis, being held by Ares."

"She's not dead! I'd know if she was dead!" Xena snapped and Cyrene looked up from her position behind the bar with a concerned look. Xena lowered her voice.

"No, she's not dead. Ares has bragged about that much. He intends to kill Artemis unless Zeus reverses whatever the Fates did to him," Cupid explained.

"And Gabrielle?" Xena asked in a growl.

"He wants her dead or out of your life forever or both."

"Okay, I go in get her out and then we'll settle with him!" Xena stated firmly.

"It's not that simple," Cupid argued. "I've already tried."

He shrugged and blushed slightly at the warrior's raised eyebrows.

"Hey, I may be the God of Love but I'm not a helpless wimp!" he protested. "Mom and Artemis are... uh, they're very close and Mom is very fond of Artemis."

Xena's years of training as a war leader kept the surprised look off of her face but it wasn't easy. This was one development between the gods that she was not aware of and hadn't suspected. Could be interesting in the future. Was that why the Goddess of Love had a "soft spot" for her and Gabrielle, as Cupid put it?

"Mom tried to use her talents to get Ares to release Artemis but that seemed to make him madder. She tried distracting him while I went to Tartarus to try and get Artemis out. She's being held in a specially built cell with no door. The bars on three sides go into the mountain five feet deep and the back wall is the earth. The bars were made by Haepestus."

"No normal tool or weapon can break or cut them," Xena muttered.

"Right, and we don't have any powers in Tartarus, only Hades and his minions. He's the only one that can get in and out of that cell. Not even Ares can get in or out," Cupid complained.

"Why is Hades helping him? I thought the deal was no interference from any of you," Xena demanded.

"We don't know. Ares has something over him," Cupid shrugged.

"My chakram will cut through the bars," Xena assured him.

"Why would your chakram be any different than my sword?" he asked.

"I don't know but it is. I've gone up against weapons forged by Haepestus and my chakram was able to slice them in half. I'm betting that it'll cut those bars."

"Then the trick is getting you in there and out without Ares and Hades stopping you, not easy for a mortal," Cupid commented.

"I have many skills."

"Ares, damn you! Have you lost your mind?"

Gabrielle opened her eyes and groaned in pain as she took in a deep breath and quickly closed her eyes.

"Shhh, don't move, Gabrielle," the voice instructed.

The bard opened her eyes slowly this time and was careful not to move or breathe too deeply.

"Artemis?" she whispered, realizing that she was lying in the Goddess' arms. Gabrielle glanced around and frowned. "A cell? Where are we?"

"Tartarus, deep below the Underworld," the Goddess answered.

"What's going on?" the bard whispered.

"I think my brother has gone mad. He's threatening to kill me unless Zeus makes the Fates reverse something they did to Ares. You he just wants dead."

"Terrific, what else is new?" Gabrielle complained and then groaned again as Artemis carefully lowered the bard to the hay covered cell floor.

A moment later Artemis held a wooden cup of water to the bard's lips and Gabrielle drank gratefully.

"How bad am I?" she asked.

"A few good bruises and several broken ribs, that's why you can't move," Artemis informed the young woman. "If you move you could rip open the wounds to your lungs and collapse both of them and die."

"They'll heal quickly," Gabrielle muttered.

"No, not down here they won't," Artemis responded. "None of the gods have any powers in Tartarus nor the Elysian Fields except Hades and his guards. Your god given healing powers won't work down here. Those broken ribs could easily kill you."

"Can you bind them and keep them in place?"

"Of course, I was waiting for you to wake up."

"Gods, this is gonna hurt," Gabrielle complained.

"Yes," the Goddess agreed.

"Cupid?"

The God of Love looked up from his folded arms at the warrior, his face and eyes reflecting his weariness. He sat up from Aphrodite's bedside and quickly checked his mother and sighed with relief as the goddess slept on.

"She's doing better," the healer said softly as the young god stood and stretched. He nodded and followed Xena out of the room and down the stairs to the common room of the inn.

"Thank you, Xena," he said simply as Torris, Xena's brother, set a goblet in front of the god and one in front of his sister.

"For what, Cupid?"

"Helping my mom."

"Sure," she shrugged.

"How long was I asleep?"

"A couple of candlemarks," the warrior replied.

"And you've planned what while I was with mom?"

"I know of two entrances to Hades, one through a bottomless lake and the other is guarded by Cerebus, Hades' hound. I'm going to go through the hound."

"Because you've used the lake before and Hades will be expecting you there," Cupid reasoned and Xena nodded.

"You have to move fast, you know. If Gabrielle eats anything while in Tartarus she's doomed to stay there," Cupid reminded the warrior.

"I remember the story of Persephone, so will Gabrielle, it's one of her favorites."

"That gives you three maybe four days before hunger drives her crazy," Cupid frowned. "Tell me something, Xena, why weren't you with Gabrielle? You now have the ability to hurt gods, Ares probably couldn't have taken both of you on."

Xena's face looked pained and the warrior blushed.

"Gabrielle wanted to make the trip alone. She knows how I feel about reaching out to the gods," she muttered.

"You didn't approve of her reaching out for Artemis?"

"I did approve but Gabrielle knows I'm not much for making sacrifices and chanting to the gods and she wanted to face her fears of Artemis having reject her."

"With all the Romans around in that area?" Cupid demanded and Xena's eyes narrowed.

"That was one of the fears she wanted to face," Xena growled.

"Never mind, when do you leave?"

"Immediately, that's why I woke you. Is there anything you can tell me about where they're being held or anything that might help get me in?"

Cupid sat with a thoughtful look on his face for a few moments and then shook his head. "No, just that they are in the deepest level of Tartarus and you'll have to get through Cerebus, Hades and then Hades' guards to reach them and back out again."

"I don't have a choice, if she's not coming back then neither am I!" Xena growled.

"And your daughter? Who will keep Ares from getting her?" Cupid demanded.

"Hercules and Iolaus are her godparents and I've already sent Joxer to find them. I know they're visiting Iolaus' family three villages over," Xena stated simply. "How does Ares plan on killing Artemis?"

"He found the Dagger of Helios," Cupid whispered.

"Oh gods, what in the name of the gods did the Fates do to him? He's gone insane!" Xena exclaimed.

"I don't know. No one does and the Fates won't say. Whatever it is he thinks it's worth taking on all of the Olympians when this is over," Cupid frowned.

"He's going to answer to me first," Xena growled.

"Here, Gabrielle, drink some water," Artemis said softly, helping lift the bard up slightly to drink but the bard shook her head.

"If I eat or drink anything I'll be stuck here, like Persephone," she protested.

"I have Hades word that the water won't condemn you to Tartarus, only the food will. Besides you drank earlier."

"You trust him after he's helped Ares in all of this?"

"We have to, without water you'll be dead in two days."

"What is going on?" the bard asked between sips of the water, praying to Apollo that she wasn't condemning herself to eternity in Tartarus.

"The Fates punished Ares for meddling in your fate one too many times and now he wants to use me as a hostage to force them to take back their punishment," Artemis explained.

"What did they do to him?"

"They took away his manhood," Artemis grinned and Gabrielle grabbed her ribs and bit her lip.

"Oh gods, don't make me laugh, damnit!" she growled. "Ares? The God of War?"

"Yes, he can't get it up," Artemis grinned even wider.

"You said the Fates got tired of him interfering with me and Xena, I know about setting me up to be captured and sold into slavery by the Romans, is there more?" Gabrielle asked.

"Besides crashing your wedding, tricking Xena back into his bed, and the incident of trying to kidnap Sasha when you nearly killed him?"

"Yeah, besides those."

"Yes, a lot more," Artemis answered.

"Hello, Dancer."

Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat and moved her head enough to see into the main area outside the cell and felt herself go pale.

"Caesar," she whispered and felt Artemis stiffen beside her.

"Glad you remember me!" the conqueror said cheerfully. The would-be Emperor was dressed in Roman General finery of gold armor and purple cloak. A richly designed and jewel encrusted sword hung at his side and a matching Roman dagger hung from his belt. The handsome Roman held a bunch of grapes in one hand and with the other he began tossing grapes in the air and catching them easily in his mouth.

Gabrielle felt her body responding to the visual sight of food.

"Shouldn't you be off somewhere being tortured?" Artemis demanded.

"Nah, I thought it'd be more fun to see my old friend Dancer," he grinned, chewing on a grape. He held out the bunch towards the bars. "Would you like some, gladiator? Champion of Rome and the Arena?"

Gabrielle clenched her jaw as her eyes blazed at the Roman.

Caesar, seeing the rage in the Greek's eyes, threw back his head and laughed heartily. "I must say it is good to see you, Queen of the Amazons," he grinned. "I never thought I'd beat you here. That attack in the Senate was a surprise and then, just imagine my shock when I got here and discovered that you had actually survived the crucifixion!"

"Glad I surprised you," Gabrielle snapped.

"Go find some Goths to torment or something," Artemis growled, sitting down on the floor of the cell and laying Gabrielle's head in her lap.

"But I like Gabrielle so much better!" he taunted, continuing to munch on the grapes. "Just think of the fun we'll have when these bars come down and you're here forever!"

"Not likely!" the bard muttered.

"Hey, you'll have to share, Caesar!"

Gabrielle's eyes widened at the sight of Brutus stepping out of the darkness. Unlike Caesar, Brutus looked like he had in the last moments of his life. Gabrielle could see where the sword had entered upwards from falling on his sword and the Roman General was still covered with battle grime of dust and blood. The bard could also see where he had been spitting up blood in his final moments.

"Artemis," the bard whispered.

"I'm right here, Gabrielle, and they can't get in," the goddess said softly, her eyes blazing at the Romans.

The bard coughed and Artemis wiped at the bard's lips with a frown. Seeing Gabrielle's questioning look the goddess held up her finger and showed the bard blood.

"Guess I'm still bleeding into the lungs," Gabrielle commented softly.

"Yes," Artemis agreed with a frown.

"Hey, Artemis," Brutus called through the bars. "Come out here and you won't be a 'virgin' goddess anymore!"

Both Romans laughed until Gabrielle thought they might throw up.

"Why don't you two go fight each other or something," she growled.

"No point of it now," Caesar shrugged. "We're no longer fighting for Rome so there's no reason to fight."

"Well, he did stab you in the back, literally," Gabrielle reminded the would-be Emperor.

Caesar shrugged and grinned at the bard and Goddess. "That I can understand and applaud!"

Another coughing fit seized the bard and with it racking pain and then darkness.

"Xena!"

The warrior rose up from behind the rocks and looked down at the clearing below. She sighed with relief and pulled herself up further.

"Hercules!" she called and waved to catch his attention when he looked for the source of the shout. He grinned and quickly scrambled up the rocks to her.

As he rounded the last boulder blocking his view he frowned and moved quickly to his friend's side. Xena was leaning against a large boulder and looked worse for wear with her armor dusty and dented and a large cloth wrapped around her thigh with blood soaking through.

The demi-god knelt beside the warrior and handed her his water flask. Xena drank gratefully as the son of Zeus pulled the bandage aside and grimaced at the sight of the wound.

"What happened to your rapid healing abilities?" he asked.

"That is my rapid healing," she responded with a grimace of her own.

"If you weren't the daughter of gods you would have lost that leg already," he commented, rummaging through his travel pack until he came upon a small leather pouch. With practiced ease Hercules began cleaning the wound and dressing it properly.

"And I'd be dead," Xena agreed.

"What happened?"

"Goddamn hound of Hades. He bit my sword in two, tried to munch on my chakram and took a couple of good chunks out of me," Xena answered, revealing several bite wounds on her arms and one on her other calf. "Dog has three heads and all of them are in a bad mood."

"I don't know of anyone that's gotten past him, in or out," Hercules commented. "Why didn't you treat the wounds?"

"I dropped my pack down there and anytime I get near the ground the mutt comes roaring out of that cave after me. With my leg like this I couldn't move from up here," she responded.

"Well, let's get you on your feet and get past that overgrown monster down there. Joxer told me what is going on."

"We don't have very long, she's been down there a full day and night now. If she gives into hunger and eats anything down there then she'll be trapped forever!" Xena growled as the demi-god tightened the bandage on her leg.

"I know. We've got to get in, get past Hades and his guards, break open the cell, get Gabrielle and Artemis back out through Hades and his guards and probably face Ares when we get back on the surface, that about it?" he grinned.

Xena grinned back at him. "Yup, that's about it."

"Sounds like a typical day with our half-brother involved," he complained and helped the warrior to her feet. Together they leaned over the boulders and looked down at the entrance to one of the entrances to the Underworld where Cerebus waited.

"Any suggestions?" she asked.

"Well, drugs and poison won't work against him. You can't distract him away from the entrance and he can bite through steel easily. He's not afraid of fire or loud noises like some dogs and the three heads think and act independently. I can't think of anything. If we drop rocks on him then we'll block the cave and it won't kill him," Hercules said thoughtfully.

"My thoughts as well," Xena replied.

"I could handle one, maybe two heads. I can't grab three at once for you to slip by," the demi-god frowned.

"What about lassoing one of the heads and pulling him up, that might give me enough time to get by him before one of the other heads bites through the rope?" Xena suggested.

"Might work, maybe even long enough for me to follow, you're going to need help in there. Hang on, let me find a branch or something for you to lean on until you can put weight on that leg," Hercules suggested.

"Okay, it'll take a while to heal," Xena agreed.

"And you'll lose that quick healing thing of yours when you enter Tartarus," the demi-god said as he pulled a fallen tree branch out from two rocks where it had wedged when it fell from a lightning struck tree.

"What do you mean?"

"All god powers are lost in the Underworld except for Hades and his guards. That's why Ares chose it to hold Artemis," he informed Xena as he began stripping old twigs off the branch.

"Aphrodite thought Gabrielle might have been hurt when Ares attacked them," Xena frowned.

"Then her god healing gifts won't work either and she won't heal until she's out of there."

"Damn!"

When Gabrielle opened her eyes again Artemis was wiping the blood from the bard's lips and offering Gabrielle water.

Laughter and raucous suggestions caught Gabrielle's attention finally and she looked past the Goddess of the Amazons and saw several figures outside the cell.

"What is this? Every single person I've ever pissed off?" she complained, looking over at the grinning faces. Some sent chills down her spine.

Rajal, the Arab sorcerer who had been had planned on turning her into a full bacchae and sacrificing several pregnant women in his dark spells.

Brutus, Casear, un-named bandits and gladiator opponents.

"Menstratus?" she said softly, looking into the manic eyes of her brother-in-law. The same relative that had almost killed Xena for some twisted idea of revenge against Perdicus' marriage to Gabrielle and his death at the hands of Callisto.

"Yeah, I finally get you down here, bitch," he growled.

"I still don't understand why you want me dead, you're the one who helped Xena kill Callisto's family and Callisto is the one that killed your brother Perdicus."

"Because of you he was unarmed and weak," Menstratus countered. "I can't wait to get my hands around your throat!"

The bard's stomach rumbled as she took in a new addition to the cell she was sharing with Artemis. A long table piled high with food of all kinds.

"Can you get rid of that stuff since I can't eat it?" she asked as Artemis sat down with her back against the wall, next to the bard.

"Can't, every time I throw it out it just reappears," Artemis said simply, glaring at the men and women on the other side of the bars.

"Terrific, guess that's why people want to stay out of this place," the bard muttered, ignoring the yells and taunts from her enemies.

"That's one of the reasons," Artemis agreed, moving to put Gabrielle's head in her lap.

"You didn't reject me?" Gabrielle asked softly, suddenly looking very young.

Artemis smiled a sad and gentle smile at her Chosen.

"No, my young one, I never rejected you," the goddess said softly. "Not even with your Bacchae blood. I never had a problem with that and I've admired your struggle against the darkness. You are still my champion."

The goddess gently wiped a tear from Gabrielle's face and then more of the blood that the bard coughed up.

"Why did Ares kidnap you?" Gabrielle asked, trying to ignore the food and the men and women taunting them.

"I was going to challenge him over his involvement with the slaughter of our Amazons and demand Zeus do something about him," Artemis explained, watching Gabrielle's enemies closely in case any of them decided to try a knife or sword throw through the bars.

"He was involved with that?" Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed.

"And more."

"How did he capture you and get you here?" Gabrielle whimpered with another coughing fit and swore horrible things she wanted to happen to Ares.

Artemis waited for the coughing to subside before answering.

"I was distracted at the time and he zapped me with two of those damned energy bolts before I could think clearly," the goddess answered and Gabrielle's eyes narrowed.

"What aren't you telling me?"

The bard's eyes widened when she realized that Artemis was blushing.

"I was preoccupied and didn't sense or hear him quick enough. Hades is helping him for some unknown reason and I woke up here."

"You were distracted? With whom?" Gabrielle asked and realized she had found the answer when Artemis began blushing even more.

"Does that matter?" the Goddess countered and Gabrielle smiled and shook her head 'no.'

"I still don't really get it," Gabrielle complained. "The Fates punished him for interfering too much in my life, so he takes you out and is going to ransom you to Zeus in exchange for undoing what the Fates did to him?"

"That's about it, twisted isn't it?"

"So, he figures he'll just get rid of me along the way and hopefully twist Xena enough into a battle frenzy," Gabrielle muttered.

"Yes and I don't think he has any intention of letting me go even if Zeus agrees to undoing the Fates did, he wants us both out of the way," Artemis commented. "How's the hunger?"

"Not bad, swallowing this blood is making me sick and not hungry. I didn't think blood would make me sick," the bard said thoughtfully.

"Your own blood won't sustain your blood hunger and you're getting too much of it. Even full bacchae can only drink so much before they gorge themselves into a stupor," Artemis tried smiling for her Chosen.

"It doesn't bother you that your Chosen is part bacchae now?" Gabrielle asked, her voice young with obvious nervousness.

"No, I understood the circumstances and the price we all had to accept when Apollo brought you back from that crucifixion," the goddess responded.

Gabrielle brought her wrists up and looked at the bracers covering the scars from where the nails had been driven through her flesh and muscle into wood of the cross.

"Something I wondered," she said softly. "After the crucifixion, when you zapped us back to Amphipolis, why didn't you heal the wounds and take away the fluid on my lungs?"

"The same reason Hecate or Apollo didn't heal Solan's eyes. Even though you weren't meant to be on that cross that doesn't mean the gods like to automatically fix things. The future is never totally set, Gabrielle," Artemis said. "Xena and Hercules are right mostly, humans do set their own fates for the most part. It's like looking at a map, if you take one road then you face this set of road choices. If you take the other road then you will face a totally new set of choices that you wouldn't have on the other road."

"I think I understand that. By allowing Solan to suffer with his injury and recover, he had to learn how to do things differently and so learned new strengths," the bard commented.

"Yes, by not healing you it made you face the reality of how much you sacrificed for your Amazons and how close you came to dying. The strength of that sacrifice helped you face the darkness of the bacchae in you and helped give you strength to overcome it."

The bard looked away from Artemis and glared at the taunting men and women outside of the cell as the taunting got louder.

"Will you shut up!" the bard snapped at the figures outside the cell.

"Shhhh, ignore them," Artemis said softly as Gabrielle closed her eyes again.

"What happens if I die here," Gabrielle asked, wiping away a trickle of blood from her mouth.

"You'll be trapped here forever. The best I could hope for is that Hades would take you to the Elysian Fields," Artemis said simply. "I have no control over that, only Hades decides who goes where after they die. He's usually fair."

"How long have I got?"

"Time is impossible to track down here but I'd say a day," Artemis said truthfully.

"If you get out of here, tell Xena I love her and not to follow me," the bard said softly and closed her eyes again, not noticing the tears running down the goddess' face.

The two Greeks cautiously approached the cave entrance yards apart from each other. With an ear-shattering howl the Guardian of Hades appeared, all three heads howling and growling. Cerebus stood in the center of the entranceway, all three heads watching the two approach.

"Will you be able to flip over him with that leg?" Hercules asked, a huge tree limb in his hands as a club.

Xena leaned heavily on the branch she was using as a crutch. "I have to. It's either that or I fall on my knife and get into Tartarus that way."

"Well, since I'm not going to let you kill yourself, I guess you'll have to make it," Hercules grinned.

"Draw him out and I'll lasso him," Xena grinned back, readying her rope.

The warrior suddenly stopped and straightened up and spun, almost falling over with her injured leg.

"Hercules!" she yelled just as Ares appeared and attempted to backhand Xena. The warrior was able to duck under his swing and punch him in the chest with the flat of her hand, sending him stumbling backwards several feet.

The God of War drew his sword as Hercules moved in with his club and Xena drew her chakram.

"Get out of here, Ares," Xena hissed. "Remember, I can hurt you and right now I really want to!"

"I'm hurt, Xena," the God of War growled back. "Is that anyway to talk to the father of your child?"

"You'll never be a father to Sasha!" the warrior growled. "The only thing you're good for is dog bait!"

Both Hercules and Xena rushed the God of War, Xena parrying Ares' sword strike with her chakram and Hercules tackling him around the waist, both falling to the ground. Ares retaliated with a blow to the demi-god's head with the pommel of his sword and he parried a chakram slash from Xena and forced her back.

Before he could gain his feet, however, Hercules retrieved the rope Xena dropped as he grabbed his half-brother again and pulled Ares back to the ground. Xena kicked the sword out of Ares' hand as Hercules and the God of War wrestled. Hercules threw the rope to Xena and the warrior quickly tied it around the War God's feet and yanked, throwing Ares off balance in the wrestling match.

Hercules jumped to his feet and grabbed the rope and began spinning it until Ares was suspended on the end of the rope, flying through the air by his feet.

Xena moved closer to Cerebus and began taunting the monster dog while Ares shouted curses and threats that neither Greek had ever heard of. Cerebus moved further out into the open as Xena got closer, each head growling and snapping.

"Now!" she shouted and stabbed at the far left head of the dog with her crutch-like tree branch as Hercules hurled the screaming God of War into the other two heads. Xena, shouting her battle cry, flipped over the dog's heads as they chewed on the tree branch and the God of War.

Hercules smashed the one head of Cerebus that had dropped the tree branch and managed to slip inside the entrance to Tartarus as the screams of Ares filled the chamber. The demi-god quickly grabbed Xena and threw her over his shoulder and began moving quickly down the passage.

"Put me down, damnit!" Xena snapped.

"We need to move quickly and you can't run," he growled. Xena was surprised but pleased when he reached up and handed her Ares' sword. "I prefer my fists," he muttered.

"Do you know where we're going?" Xena asked, gritting her teeth against the pain in her leg and the discomfort of being thrown over Hercules' shoulder.

"Down, always down until we find them."

"We need to hurry, Gabrielle's hurt. I can sense it," Xena stated.

"As fast as I can," Hercules promised.

"Xena!" they heard Ares shout behind them.

"Uh oh, sounds like Cerebus didn't think our half brother tasted so good!" Hercules muttered and moved off into a side passage.

/

Xena lost track of how many fights they had gotten into and managed to get away from over the next couple of hours. Hades himself, his guards and Ares had all tried to stop them along the way but Hercules and Xena had managed to get lower and lower into the Underworld.

The warrior leaned heavily against a rock and then quickly ducked behind it at the sound of running boots. She looked over at another set of rocks and saw Hercules looking around. They both cautiously left the cover of the boulders.

"How's the leg?" he asked as they met in the center of the small cavern room.

"Hurts like Tartarus," the warrior grinned.

"How much further can it be?" the demi-god wondered.

"Not much, that last set of guards weren't looking for us, they were headed with a purpose," Xena commented.

"They're heading to the cell where Artemis and Gabrielle are to wait for us," Hercules surmised.

"I'm betting on it. The fighting has gotten more and more desperate, we're getting close."

"So now, they'll gather all the troops together and make a stand," Hercules grimaced.

"Yes," Xena agreed on the obvious strategy. "Listen, Herc, when we get in there and if I get through the bars, I want you to grab Gabrielle and make for the surface."

"We all go out together," Hercules frowned.

"Gabrielle is hurt and she needs out of this place before she can start healing again. I'll follow with Artemis," Xena argued.

"We'll argue about this when we get them out," he countered.

"Alright, until then, take the sword - everyone else in this place is armed," she suggested and handed him the sword of Ares. "Do we try and sneak up on them?" she pondered.

"Probably not, they'll have the cell surrounded and be expecting us," Hercules said thoughtfully as they walked along.

"Maybe I can help?"

Both Greek warriors spun around with weapons drawn, Hercules with Ares sword and Xena with her chakram. Neither of them could see the owner of the voice.

Xena resisted looking surprised when a Roman Centurion appeared before their eyes, lifting a helmet off his head.

"The Helmet of Invisibility of Hades?" Hercules asked, his sword at the ready.

"Yes, do you recognize me, Consort?" the Roman asked Xena.

"Consort?" she muttered, looking intently at his Roman face and brown eyes. "You're Octavion, the Roman that poisoned Gabrielle at our wedding."

"Yes, at your service," he bowed slightly at the waist.

"What? Xena's the reason you died," Hercules demanded.

"Yes, I deserved it and I was wrong. My death meant nothing to Rome or to Caesar," the Roman said simply. "I'm here, Caesar is here, Brutus is here, Crassius, Pompey, all of them. For what? The glory of Rome? I tried to kill a beautiful young woman who was no threat to the Empire, I want to make up for that, if you'll let me."

Xena knew her face reflected her surprise this time. "How did you get the helmet?"

"Most of Hades guards are off looking and preparing for you. A woman in a gray cloak came to me and freed me from my chains and told me where the helmet was."

"Can't have been any of the goddesses, none of them have powers down here," Hercules muttered and Xena nodded.

"It doesn't matter though, he's here and so is the helmet. We'll figure out the details later."

"Agreed, Octavion and I will attack while you sneak in with the helmet and cut the bars," Hercules suggested.

"Yes, then you take the helmet and get Gabrielle out of here," Xena continued.

"We all get out together," Hercules countered.

"And hopefully get Octavion here to the Fields on the way."

"That's not my goal, warrior," Octavion protested.

"We try and take care of our friends," Xena grinned.

With the bard unconscious, most of the tormentors had wandered off down the various passages leading away from the underground chamber, giving Artemis a break from their taunting and crude suggestions.

Then guards started running into the chamber, all armed and most of them battered and looking as if they had been in a good fight. The enemies that had wandered off came running back in and the last to follow was Ares and Hades themselves.

Ares grabbed the sword from Menstratus with a growl. "Give me that! You can use that crossbow of yours, you actually shot Xena with it once."

Everyone crowded around the cell, facing outwards, towards the passages.

"Gabrielle!" Artemis began shaking the bard gently. "Gabrielle, look! Even Hades and Ares are here now and they're scared. Only Xena could cause that kind of fear in those spineless macho types."

Ares turned his head and snarled at the goddess and turned back to watch the main entrance.

"Gabrielle?" Artemis quickly checked for a pulse and was frantic to find that the bard's heartbeat was very rapid and shallow and the bard was non-responsive, her breathing ragged and quick.

"Ares, if Xena doesn't kill you then I will for this!" Artemis promised.

"Haven't you figured it out yet?" Ares turned and looked at the goddess. "I want you all dead, Xena included."

Before the goddess of the Amazons could respond, shouts from the front of the pack caught the attention of Ares and the others.

Octavion, bearing a Roman shield, led the assault into the chamber and took the arrows and crossbow bolts in the shield while Hercules followed with sword through one bandit and his massive fist smashing the nose of another. Within moments the chamber was a mass of moving limbs and bodies.

The Roman found himself face to face with Caesar and Brutus and hesitated momentarily.

The would-be Emperor glared at his former Praetorian Guard and assassin.

"You would turn on your Emperor? On your General?" Caesar demanded, slashing with his sword, forcing Octavion to block with his own sword.

"Yes! I followed you loyally for nothing!" Octavion shouted back, taking the offensive with his own sword and blocking blows from both Caesar and Brutus.

"You would side with the Greeks against the God of War?" Brutus demanded.

"And where will you be at the end of the fight? Right here in Tartarus!" Octavion countered.

Hercules growled as a sword slashed along his ribs and a knife was somehow buried into his thigh. The Greek demi-god yelled in anger and grabbed two bandits by their tunics and smashed their heads together and then threw them into the others crowding around him.

Ares stumbled back from a blow from one of the hands of Hercules and landed next to Hades. The God of War stood up by the bars and leaned over towards Hades, "How can they be winning?"

"They're fighting the dead. The dead really don't care what happens in this, they're still going to be dead. It takes away their edge," Hades responded.

"What about that idiot Octavion, he's dead and fighting on their side!"

"He's fighting for redemption, it gives him a reason and an edge," Hades shrugged.

Neither of them noticed the bars on the far side of the cell being sliced through at the bottom and then at the top but Artemis did and caught three of the bars before they fell and struck the floor. The other two bars hovered in the air and then went silently to the floor.

Ares growled and dived back into the fight with a scream of rage, driving Hercules back several feet and landed a massive wound along Octavion' shield arm, causing the Roman to drop his shield.

"Artemis, it's Xena. When I grab Gabrielle she's going to go invisible, don't panic," Xena's voice instructed the goddess. "Get out of here, grab a weapon and head for the surface, we'll be right behind you."

"We can't move Gabrielle!" the goddess protested. "Both her lungs are punctured and will collapse if you move her."

"If we don't then she'll bleed to death anyway," Xena hissed back.

"Use your energy bolts and take them out!" they heard Ares shouting at Hades.

"I promised to help you hold and keep your prisoners, I said nothing about attacking Hercules. Fight your own battle," Hades countered.

"She's almost dead now!" Artemis whispered intently.

"Alright, I'm going to drag her out of here and stay invisible. You make for Hercules," Xena instructed. "Ares and Hades will think Gabrielle and I are with you. I'll follow behind after I make a stretcher to drag her. Go!"

The goddess ducked out of the cell and turned to see that Gabrielle was gone. Artemis resisted crying out in surprise when something unseen shoved her out of the way. She could feel Xena move past her, dragging Gabrielle out of the cell and against the rock wall.

"Damnit, Hades! They're out!"

Artemis turned at the sound of Ares' voice with a snarl and leaped at the God of War, intent on at least hurting him before Hades could use his energy fireballs.

"Stop!"

Everyone froze and a small circle drew back from the gray-cloaked figure in the center of the room. As the figure drew back the hood Xena removed the Helm of Invisibility, making her and Gabrielle visible to everyone in the room.

Hecate glared at everyone, wounded dead, fighting Greeks, and Greek gods and goddess.

"Enough of this nonsense!" she snapped.

"Stay out of this Hecate! This doesn't concern you!" Ares warned.

"Or what, little god? You forget, as a dark goddess, I have power in this realm!" the goddess countered and the War God grumbled but his sword lowered several inches. "You threaten my child and her mate. You threaten the life of a fellow goddess and you secretly are planning to overthrow Zeus for the control of Olympia," Hecate snapped. "Yes, this concerns me, godling."

The goddess swept her hand and the dead warriors, bandits, generals and riff raff disappeared, leaving Octavion, Hercules, Ares, Hades, Artemis, Gabrielle and Xena in the rock chamber.

Ares turned to Hades but the Lord of the Underworld shrugged and stepped back. "This is your problem, nephew, I consider my debt to you paid in full," the god declared.

"Zeus!" Hecate called loudly. "I demand a hearing on this!"

Xena blinked and stared at the sudden change of surroundings. Instead of a dim rock chamber, they were all now in a white marbled hall with traditional Greek pillars lining the long hall. At the far end of the hall sat two thrones and they were occupied.

From the descriptions from the stories of bards Xena recognized Zeus and Hera.

Ares started forward but Zeus held up a hand, silencing the War God's protests before they began.

"Silence, everyone!" he ordered.

Xena knelt beside Gabrielle, examining her mate in the decent light and growled at how pale her bard was and how faint Gabrielle's heartbeat felt.

"Hecate, you demanded something from me?" Zeus glared at the older goddess in the center of the room. "I swore that I wouldn't interfere with whatever Ares had planned for the humans, Gabrielle and Xena."

"You swore that when you were drunk," Hecate countered. "Besides, you can't swear not to interfere when his ultimate goal is to throw you into Tartarus and take your place."

Zeus and Hera's eyes narrowed as they glared at Ares. Their son began to blush but kept quiet.

"Father, he has found the Dagger of Helios and was going to use it on me and you," Artemis informed the head deity of the Greek gods.

"Enough! Fine, we'll address his plans for the gods. I'm sending the humans back to earth." Zeus commented and raised his hand.

Xena jumped to her feet as both she and Hercules began protesting. Zeus held his hand up for silence again.

"Why should your war with Ares concern me?" he demanded.

Xena clenched her jaw and Hercules looked at her. "Xena, tell him," he encouraged but Xena shook her head.

"I won't ask anything of him," she snarled.

"Zeus!" Hecate stepped forward and placed a hand on Xena's arm. "Its time, daughter." The ancient goddess turned to Zeus and Hera. "Hera, I have asked for your forgiveness in the past for my affair with your husband and you have granted it. For that I am grateful. What wasn't known to either of you was that I had a child from that affair."

Hera's brilliant clear blue eyes flashed angrily. "What? Another bastard child, Zeus?" she demanded.

"Zeus knew nothing about the child. She was born to a human mother and wasn't aware of her true parents until this last year. Xena is my daughter and yours, Zeus."

Xena clenched her fists and knelt back to Gabrielle's side as the bard's breathing became more labored and blood trickled out of her mouth. Xena cradled her mate in her arms as Gabrielle's shook and gasped. Then she was silent.

"NO!"

Hercules went pale at Xena's scream and both Zeus and Hera stopped bickering over his past affairs and looked at the warrior holding her mate, tears streaming down her face.

"Xena?" Hercules whispered softly.

"Ares!" Xena screamed and launched herself towards the War God only to be grabbed by Hercules in a bear hug. The demi-god held on tightly as the Warrior Princess struggled to free herself, screaming in rage.

Hecate walked up to her daughter and placed both hands on Xena's face and waited until Xena's blue eyes cleared.

"Wait, daughter," she said softly.

Both Greeks watched as Hecate walked over to Gabrielle's body and placed her hands on the bard's chest. A glow filled the area surrounding the Greek and the goddess until it was too bright to look at and Xena narrowed her eyes against the brightness. When the light cleared Hecate was helping the bard sit up.

Gabrielle's green eyes reflected her confusion until she spotted Xena and the bard grinned. Xena sighed with relief and Hercules released the warrior. Xena rushed over and hugged Gabrielle before turning to face Zeus and Hera.

"I don't want anything from you, Zeus," she stated. "Except justice. Ares just killed my mate and has interfered in my life, my marriage and wants to take my daughter from me for his own."

"Artemis, why did Ares kidnap you and hold you hostage?" Hera asked.

"Because I found out just how much he's been interfering with Gabrielle, my Chosen. Even the Fates declared he was out of line and punished him. He was going to force Zeus to reverse their punishment by threatening to kill me," the Goddess of the Hunt stated.

Gabrielle welcomed Xena's arms around her for a quick hug and accepted the warrior's help in standing up. Hercules grinned at the small bard as the small group joined him again.

"Glad to see you up and about," he whispered and Gabrielle nodded in agreement.

"I suggest, husband," Hera said, "that we listen to what they have to say about our errant son. We will discuss your offspring later."

"Yes, dear," Zeus agreed. He turned to Artemis. "You have something to say about this?"

"First, where are the other Greek Gods and Goddesses, they should observe this and some of them are witnesses to these events," Artemis suggested.

Moments later all the Greek gods and goddesses, that Xena and Gabrielle knew of, were filing into the hallway and taking up their positions in chairs between the pillars until the small group was surrounded by Greek deities.

Gabrielle felt Xena growl as Poseidon walked by them with a snarl, his trident shining in the sunlight as he took his seat. The bard watched the various gods and goddesses take their seats with fascination, taking in various details about all of them for her future tales; the way the air seemed to shift and go hazy around Morpheus; the air surrounding Iris flashing in rainbow colors; Mercury's dancing hands and tapping feet; the sadness in Demeter's eyes; the golden light surrounding her father, Apollo. Gabrielle noted each of the Muses carrying something symbolizing their talents; and other details filed themselves away in the bard's mind.

Artemis frowned at two empty seats and pointed to them. "Where are Cupid and Aphrodite?" she asked.

"Here!" a voice caused everyone's head to turn to the opposite end of the thrones where Cupid stepped out of a doorway, walking slowly with Aphrodite, lending his arm for her to lean on.

Xena and the others heard many of the gods and goddesses gasp or cry out in shock at the sight of the Goddess of Love, still showing her injuries from her fight with Ares.

Gabrielle rushed up to lend her arm to the other side of Aphrodite and the goddess smiled gratefully as they led her to her customary seat.

"How did you come to be in this state?" Hera demanded, holding her hand up and silencing everyone.

"I attempted to warn the bard Gabrielle of Ares' plot to kill her and Ares attacked us. I was injured. My son, Cupid, took me to Xena and her family cared for me," the goddess answered.

Athena walked over to her sister goddess and held her hands on Aphrodite's head. When she stepped back the Goddess of Love was once again her beautiful self with no sign of having been injured. Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom and War resumed her seat.

"Ares?" Hera demanded.

"Zeus swore none of the Olympians would intervene in my plan against the human Gabrielle and Aphrodite broke that pledge," Ares responded sullenly.

Gabrielle started to walk back to Xena and Hercules and spotted Bacchus, Lord of wine and the bacchae, in the shadows of one of the pillars and quickly rushed to Xena's side. The warrior noticed her bard trembling and questioned Gabrielle with her eyes but Gabrielle just shook her head and took Xena's hand in hers for support.

"Later, lover," she said simply.

"Aphrodite, did you interfere?" Zeus asked.

"Yes, Ares has gotten away with the most underhanded things while the rest of us sit back and let him. I'm fond of Gabrielle and Xena and couldn't stand by," the goddess responded, glaring at the War God who glared back.

"What has he done that irritated the Fates into action?" Hera asked of Artemis.

"He has always wanted Xena back as she was before, a blood-thirsty warlord bent on total domination of the known world with Ares by her side. Ares views Gabrielle as a direct obstacle to that goal. He has impersonated Xena's human father to enrage her, framed her for murder, threatened Gabrielle's life, has sent other warriors against her, the list is endless!" Artemis complained.

"Details, please," Zeus commanded. "Athena, Goddess of Wisdom, you know of Ares and his plots. What has he been up to?"

Athena, the Goddess of Wisdom stepped forward.

"The involvement of Ares in the affairs of Xena and Gabrielle are long and some are well known. It is known that Ares planned for Xena to conquer the known world and send it into darkness. The mortal Xena turned away from those plans and Ares has struggled since then to turn her back to her Warlord ways."

The Goddess moved to the center of the room.

"Ares framed Xena for the murder of some simple villagers, hoping that she would return to him in exchange for escaping a murder sentence. Xena was able to trick her way out of it and prove her innocence.

"Next Ares changed his appearance and pretended to be Xena's mortal father and tried to trick her into returning to the Warlord ways, again he failed." Athena continued.

Ares glared and assumed his seat in the great hall.

"The War God then teamed up with the maniac Callisto and they preyed on Xena's guilt over not having saved Callisto from death. Xena ended up in Tartarus in Callisto's body. Again, Xena was resourceful and escaped from Tartarus but in Callisto's body," the Goddess of Wisdom and War recited.

Gabrielle shivered, remembering having to deal with Xena in Callisto's body, her most beloved in the body of the one person the bard hated more than anyone on earth or in Tartarus.

"It wasn't until Ares lost his sword and required Xena's help that she was able to force him into returning her back to her own body."

Ares growled and waved his hand in a dismissive gesture, "Yeah, yeah, yeah," he muttered.

"Go on, Athena," Hera urged, glaring back at her son.

"Ares convinced the Furies that Xena hadn't avenged her father's death and she was cursed with persecution and insanity. Ares' plan of revenge for Xena not coming back to him was clever. It was Xena's human mother, Cyrene, who had killed her husband when he attempted to kill Xena as a child."

"I remember that," Zeus commented. "I wondered why you were taking an interests in the lives of a soldier and his family. You encouraged him to attack the child, you convinced him that she wasn't his offspring."

Ares shrugged and threw his leg over the arm of his chair.

"Yes, when Cyrene's husband was going to attack the child she killed him. The Furies decided Xena hadn't avenged her father's death and punished her," Athena concluded.

"If she had killed her mother then she would have been cursed by the Furies for killing her kin," Hera frowned and Athena nodded in agreement. "How did she get out of that one?"

"She convinced the Furies that Ares was her father and she wasn't required to avenge the death of Cyrene's husband," Athena answered.

"She didn't know Zeus was her father?" Hera questioned.

"No, she had guessed that Ares might be her father because of his intense interest in her. Xena knew nothing of Zeus or me," Hecate answered.

"The following incidents require others to speak of them: the wedding of Gabrielle and Xena; the poisoning of Gabrielle; drugging Xena and placing her under a spell to forget her marriage; the pregnancy of Xena; the bard being attacked and sold into slavery; the birth of Xena's daughter; the attack on the Amazons by Caesar and the crucifixion of Gabrielle; the slaughter of the Amazons; the attack by the priests of Ares against Xena and her son, kidnapping of her daughter Sasha and attempting to kill Gabrielle; the kidnapping of Sasha by Brutus; and the influence of Bacchus in the bard's life. These are the plots of Ares."

Both Zeus and Hera were frowning at their son.

"That is quite a list, don't you have other battles to fight and arrange, my son?" Zeus demanded.

Ares shrugged and attempted to look bored.

"Continue Athena, call witnesses in. It is hard to believe that Ares could be the center of all this misery these humans have lived through," Hera instructed.

"Who would speak of their wedding and the actions of Ares?"

Hercules stepped forward. "I will. I am Xena and Gabrielle's Kumbada and was there for the entire event. The Gods and Goddess of Olympus gave their blessing to the union of Gabrielle and Xena and gave their blessing to a blood bonding, the most binding and serious of joining of two human souls." All of the Olympians nodded in agreement, remembering the Amazon wedding of the couple. "After the ceremony, Ares attacked the couple in their wedding hut. His intent was to kidnap Gabrielle, Queen of the Amazons, to spark war between several of the delegates. When Xena stepped in and tried to stop him, Ares attempted to kill her, going against the blessing of the gods."

"Ares came to me the next day and attempted to seduce me into joining him as a warrior and as a bedmate, again undermining the blessing of the gods," Gabrielle stated and blushed when she saw Xena's surprised face. She had never mentioned Ares' actions that day to her mate.

"Was Ares responsible for the poisoning of the bard at her wedding?" Athena asked. "Who speaks on this?"

Hades stepped forth into the main part of the hall and waved his hand towards the door. Xena growled as Caesar, Brutus and Octavion stepped through the door in their Roman finery and approached Zeus and Hera.

"Romans," Hades called to them, "Tell Zeus and Hera of the assassination attempt on Gabrielle's life the day of her wedding."

"Why should Romans concern themselves in this, they're already dead," Ares complained.

"Because I told them to and I control what happens to them in Tartarus. Speak the truth Romans and all of it," Hades instructed.

"Ares came to me and offered me glory and the power to build an Empire out of Rome. Naturally, I accepted his help," Caesar began. "I knew Rome would be great if I could gain that power. Ares suggested that if the Amazon Queen were killed during her wedding it would cause political upheaval throughout the region and maybe several wars, all of which would be beneficial to Rome. This would have given me the opportunity to send in troops and take over many of the small kingdoms and their land and wealth. I sent Praetorian Guards, like Octavion here, to poison her."

Octavion stepped forward, "She was poisoned but lived. I was executed for the crime without naming Caesar or Ares."

"She lived because she is my daughter and has the gift of quick healing," Apollo spoke up from his seat.

"Who will speak of the child of Xena and Ares?" Athena asked formally.

Artemis stepped forward, "They were in my Amazon village after the wedding and the poisoning. Xena was escorting their families home when Ares disguised himself as a trusted friend of Xena's and tricked her into drinking enchanted wine. She lost her memory of the previous two winters and forgot Gabrielle and her changed ways," Artemis continued. "He seduced her and then set her out to kill Gabrielle, even though their union was blessed by all of us. Gabrielle succeeded in reviving Xena's memories but Xena became pregnant and a child was born."

"The Fates have said that Gabrielle was to be at the birth of the child and she wasn't, who can speak on this?" Athena demanded.

A new figure stepped through the doors and Gabrielle couldn't suppress her gasp of shock at the sight of Grimhild Thornfinndottir, Xena's Valkyrie from the northern lands.

"All-Father Odin has sent me, great Zeus and Hera to speak of the crimes against Xena and the skald Gabrielle," she stated and they both nodded. "It was set by the Norns and the Fates that Gabrielle should be there when the baby Xena carried was born. She was meant to protect them both and bond with the child. This was denied her."

"How?" Zeus frowned.

"Gabrielle and their friend Iolaus were attacked by Roman soldiers. Iolaus was crippled and almost killed. Gabrielle was sold into slavery," Hecate answered.

"Iolaus?" Hera questioned, "Your mate, Hercules?"

"Yes, Hera," he responded.

Hera frowned and nodded for the Viking to continue.

"Gabrielle wasn't there at the birth of the child known as Sasha because she was in the hands of Romans as a slave. I was sent by All-Father to protect Xena and the child from raiders sent by Ares," Grimhild stated simply.

"Slavery? The daughter of a god?" Hera's eyes flashed angrily and Ares shuffled his feet in discomfort under her glare.

"Who can speak of the slavery of Gabrielle, daughter of Apollo?" Athena called.

Brutus stepped forward. "Gabrielle was treated as other slaves, branded, raped, beaten, and flogged. She became a very skilled gladiator and killed many in the Arena. She was away from Xena for almost two years before I was able to trick her way out of Rome and back to Xena."

"You were her friend but become their enemy?" Hera questioned.

"Yes, after Gabrielle returned to Xena, Ares came to Caesar and offered power and victory. He suggested attacking the Amazons. He knew that it would bring Xena and Gabrielle out of the protection of the Northern lands where he could get ahold of them. Caesar forced me to attack the Amazons," Brutus answered.

"I had Brutus attack and slaughter most of Gabrielle's tribe," Caesar continued. "I was hoping she was there with them and would be killed but she wasn't. The bard traded herself for the Amazons I had prisoner and I had Xena in chains when she attempted to assassinate me."

Xena growled with the memory and Gabrielle's grip on her hand tightened as Caesar grinned at both of them.

"Ares suggested I get rid of Gabrielle and then let Xena go. She would go berserk and would start a war with Rome. I would get the wars I wanted and the conquests I needed to increase Rome's power," the would-be Emperor grinned. "I had Gabrielle crucified in front of Xena, knowing that would drive her insane."

"He didn't count on being assassinated the next day," Brutus grinned an evil grin. "I was able to get the Senate to agree to a treaty with the Amazons and rescued Gabrielle and Xena."

"Crucified?" Zeus growled and Ares decided that his feet were more interesting to look at under the glare of his powerful father.

Athena looked at Ares with obvious contempt. "Who can speak of the crucifixion of the mortal Gabrielle?"

Apollo stood up from his chair, shaking with anger. "Gabrielle, my daughter, died on that cross. Because Ares had influenced everything so heavily, the Fates agreed that I could bring her back but the price was that the darkness that had touched her earlier would show up now. As a partial bacchae she tasted two drops of the blood of Bacchus, now it would flare up," Apollo continued.

"The bard is part bacchae now?" Hera asked with a frown.

"Yes, but she defeated any control the darkness might have had on her," Apollo said proudly.

"How does this affect her?" Athena asked. "Is it permanent?"

"She craves blood, animal and human and sometimes human sensuality with the blood. It hits once a month and it can be overwhelming but it doesn't control her any longer," Apollo stated proudly again.

"Artemis, your Amazons were killed anyway. Was Ares responsible for this?" Athena continued. "Who speaks on this?"

Brutus stepped forward formally again. "In revenge for Gabrielle not dying, Ares approached Marc Antony and me," Brutus continued. "We had his blessing and assurance of victory and attacked the Amazons in their new home and slaughtered all of them."

Xena looked over and saw Artemis clenching her hands into fists so tightly that the warrior thought the goddess might draw blood with her nails digging into her palms.

"It has been accused that Ares sent his priests against the family of Xena and Gabrielle, what happened?" Athena asked.

"Ares then had his priests attack me and my son," Xena spoke up. "They injured Solan almost to the point of death and I was hurt badly and taken captive with my daughter. They were setting up a trap to ambush and kill Gabrielle when she attacked them and killed all of them. She then confronted Ares in one of his temples and they fought to a standstill, both of them injured."

Almost all the gods looked puzzled and Hecate stepped forward.

"The bard was able to hurt Ares?" Athena questioned with a frown. "How could a mortal hurt a god?"

"Xena's gifting from me and Gabrielle's gifting from Apollo is the ability to hurt any god or goddess on equal footing. Any weapon or fist, they use can hurt you," Hecate explained.

The hall erupted into chaos as the gods and goddesses began protesting loudly over humans having the ability to hurt and possibly even kill them. A few were in favor of the two having the power so they could fight against Ares but most were protesting and worried about the warrior's fighting skills.

"Silence! It's done!" Zeus yelled and everyone grew quiet. "Xena hasn't set out to overthrow Olympia with this gifting. How long have you had it, warrior?"

"A couple of winters," Xena answered.

"There, see?" Zeus asked. "The only one she's gone up against has been Ares. I don't see a problem with the gifting and reasons for it."

"Sasha is my daughter too!" Ares protested.

"You have plenty of children, go play with them," Hera snapped.

"Not the daughter of Xena and me," Ares protested.

"The daughter of Xena and Ares has been a source of contention between the two of them and at the center of several of his plots lately. Who will speak about the kidnapping of Xena's child and the blinding of her son?" Athena demanded.

"Ares is the reason I kidnapped Sasha," Brutus spoke up. "He told me if I could get my hands on Sasha that he would grant me victory against Octavian and Marc Antony." The Roman turned and looked at the War God with a sneer. "He promised me the position of Emperor if I killed Xena, and Gabrielle as my slave and in my bed, that's why I betrayed them."

"You failed?" Hera asked.

"You don't keep up with the warriors, my love," Zeus smiled. "He succeeded in kidnapping the toddler but Xena and Gabrielle were more clever and helped Antony and Octavian defeat the troops of Crassius and Brutus and got their daughter back. I watched the battle, it was amusing."

"Because of Brutus and Ares the Romans blinded my son," Xena growled.

"Did Ares let up on his scheming after these failures?" Athena questioned.

"No, during this time Ares had me start calling my blood out in the bard," Bacchus' deep bass voice called from the shadows. "She began feeling the pain of craving blood, especially human blood and the sex that goes along with it. Ares didn't think Xena would accept the darkness and hoped Gabrielle would leave Xena because of it or even kill herself."

Xena's hand clutched at her chakram and restrained herself by sheer willpower from using it on Ares, growling at the memory of how Gabrielle had suffered with the blood craving.

"What is the big deal?" Ares suddenly demanded. "I influence the outcome of battles every day. I decide who lives and dies and no one says a word. Why are you concerned over these two humans?"

"You're half sister, brother," Hercules reminded the War God.

"Did you have to mention that?" Xena hissed and got a shrug from the demi-god.

"You mean almost everything that has gone wrong in our lives has been because of Ares?" Gabrielle demanded, her green eyes blazing.

"It appears so, human," Athena answered.

Xena and Hercules grabbed the bard as she screamed in rage and tried to launch herself at the War God. Ares flinched but attempted to look bored.

Zeus looked amused and Hera's eyes were still blazing angrily.

"Well, my son," Zeus smiled at Ares' obvious discomfort. "Seems that these godlings are upset with you and for good reason. What do you have to say about all of this?"

"Not much," Ares growled. "Everyone knows I want Xena back as my Chosen, my Warlord and I've worked hard to get her back."

"You admit all of it?" Hera demanded.

"You got it! Xena's destiny is to rule the world and all of you have fought against that, even before Xena was a teenager. Apollo fathering Gabrielle to fight against Xena's future with me, what was that?"

"Your plans would throw the world into darkness and chaos, we agreed there needed to be a balancing of light and Xena would choose between the two," Hera countered.

"And I'm just working to get her back, you can't fault me for that!" Ares growled at the gods.

"Your methods go too far, my son," Zeus responded.

"Is there anymore accusations against Ares?" Athena asked all gathered.

"There's more, Zeus," Hecate stated and Ares glared at the dark goddess. "Ares found the Dagger of Helios and I believe he planned on using it against you in his plans for conquest."

The hall went quiet at the thought of Ares having the power to kill any god or goddess with the Dagger. There was very little in existence that could kill a deity and this was one of them.

"Is it true, son?" Zeus frowned as he asked his son.

"No, Father," the War God answered. "I have the dagger but it was only to force you to undo what the Fates did to me, not to overthrow you."

"What exactly did the Fates do to you?" Hera asked and Ares began blushing a bright red.

Gabrielle and Artemis glanced at each other and resisted grinning by biting their lips. The bard leaned into Xena's arms as they watched Ares shift on his feet and refused to meet the eyes of any of the other gods and goddesses.

"Well?" Zeus asked.

"They took my manhood," Ares mumbled and blushed an even brighter red at the laughter of the Greek deities.

Xena looked over at Hercules and both resisted joining in on the laughter but found it difficult.

"Knowing Ares like I do, I understand why he went nuts," Xena whispered in Gabrielle's ear and the bard nodded in agreement.

Zeus waited until the laughter had died down and held up his hand for silence again. "A harsh punishment for you, I agree."

"Before we continue, husband," Hera interrupted her husband. "Hades, send your witnesses back, this concerns only the gods and the godlings here," she instructed.

"Hera, wait!" Xena called out. "Octavion aided Hercules and me in Tartarus in attempting to rescue Gabrielle and Artemis. I ask that Hades reconsider his case and send him to the Elysian Fields."

Hades frowned and Hera looked puzzled. "Isn't he one of the ones that poisoned your mate on your wedding day?" Hera asked.

"Yes, but he regrets that and went against the wishes of Hades, his Emperor and General in an attempt to help us," Hercules added.

"Hades?" Zeus questioned his brother.

"I will consider it and I will be fair and balanced in my decision. In the mean-time he will be kept away from all the other Romans that might wish his harm for his aiding you," Hades stated.

"Thank you, Hades," Xena responded.

"Now, back to my son," Zeus said as the Romans disappeared from sight.

"What?" Ares demanded, getting to his feet and going to the center of the room, standing near Xena and the others. "I'd still fight to get Xena back!"

"You go too far, my son," Zeus said sadly. "The list against you is long and serious and you admit it as well as having witnesses against you."

"His plans are that if he can't have me then he wants my daughter to raise and train as a Warlord and conqueror," Xena stated.

Zeus and Hera appeared thoughtful and bent their heads together whispering. Ares glared as Hercules kept a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder, ensuring that the bard didn't launch herself at Ares again.

After a few moments the head Greek deities turned to look at Ares, both still frowning.

"I don't agree with the decision of the Fates," Zeus declared and Xena's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Obviously it has done nothing but make you more desperate and dangerous. I will reverse their decision, my son, but there are all the other incidents for you to answer to."

"Godlings, Xena and Gabrielle, this concerns you the most," Hera spoke up, "What justice would you ask?"

"I could almost want him dead," Gabrielle muttered, "but I can't. Not even him, but how do we keep him out of our lives?"

"Banishment?" Hera asked Zeus softly.

"Hmmm, a possibility," he agreed and Ares turned red with anger.

"Nothing has been proven that I was plotting against you, Zeus," Ares growled. "This is between Xena, Gabrielle and myself."

"What would you suggest? That we let you go on the way you have?" Zeus demanded.

"Trial by combat," Ares suggested with a grin and turned to Gabrielle. "How about it, bard? Up to a challenge?"

Gabrielle growled and felt Hercules' hand tighten on her shoulder.

"How can a human, even a godling, stand up against the God of War in a fight?" Hera complained.

"We could even the odds, wife," Zeus said thoughtfully. "Would you agree to my conditions, Ares?"

Ares frowned. "What would those be?"

Zeus grinned. "Just agree because you don't have a choice. If Xena and Gabrielle agree to a fight, that is."

Gabrielle started to step forward but was grabbed from behind by Xena who quickly covered the bard's mouth with her hand and held her mate tightly.

"I think you just want the responsibility off of your shoulders," Xena growled at both Hera and Zeus and the God shrugged in agreement. "I am Gabrielle's champion and consort. Ares, you'll face me," Xena declared.

The God of War lost his grin and looked thoughtful.

"You've never been able to beat me, Xena."

"I convinced the Furies that you were my father by beating you to a draw. I have even more incentive now," Xena countered.

"Husband, I am not comfortable with this," Hera declared. "If Xena should lose then Ares suffers nothing."

"I agree," Zeus said and pondered for a few moments. "The choices are this: Ares and Xena decide this matter by combat, as fitting a warrior and the God of War or Ares accepts the punishment of the Fates and promises never to bother Xena, Gabrielle or their families again, including the child Sasha."

"What is the incentive to win the combat?" Xena asked.

"It will be fought in a cave that is magically sealed. Whichever one of you wins the contest and emerges from the cave will be the winner. The loser will be trapped in the cave for eternity or until the winner releases them," Zeus declared.

"And the imbalance of power?" Hecate questioned.

"Both will have equal powers," Zeus decided. "Ares will not be able to use his fireballs or energy bolts and both will be able to inflict mortal wounds and even be able to kill each other. The only weapons will be Ares sword and shield and Xena will have her sword and chakram."

Gabrielle finally wiggled a hand free and removed Xena's hand from her mouth. The warrior relented and eased her hold on the bard, allowing Gabrielle to turn in her arms. The bard's green eyes flashed angrily into Xena's blue ones.

"Don't even think about it!" Gabrielle warned.

"It might be our only shot at getting him out of our lives for good!" Xena whispered.

"And if you don't? I'm not going to lose you!" the bard snapped.

"He's just going to keep coming, Gabrielle, until he gets either you, me or Sasha. You heard everything he's done!" Xena urged.

"She's right, Gabrielle," Hercules said softly and blushed at the glare the bard gave him. "Iolaus is crippled, you were taken a slave and it's only a miracle that you survived that. The crucifixion, everything. How long can you keep surviving what he throws at you?"

"Then let me take him!" Gabrielle insisted. "I remember all the rapes, all the people I was forced to kill, Solan being blinded, this damned blood curse, all because of him! Let me challenge him!"

"No, my love. You're better than most warriors I've seen but you're still no match for Ares," Xena said gently.

"Then you'll still have a chance at him if I fail," Gabrielle insisted.

"No! If I fail then I want you, Hercules and Iolaus to take the family back North where Ares can't reach you and Sasha. Promise me, Gabrielle," Xena demanded.

"I can't promise that! I can't live without you!"

"You have to, for Sasha!"

"Xena, please!" Gabrielle begged as she threw herself into the warrior's arms.

"Oh please, this is sickening already," Ares taunted and found himself lifted off the ground by his vest and looking down at a very angry Hercules.

"Shut up!" Hercules growled.

"Promise me," Xena insisted.

"Alright, if you fail I won't follow you until Sasha is grown and strong enough to face Ares herself," Gabrielle promised.

Xena wiped a tear away from her bard's cheek and turned to Zeus and Hera.

"I agree to the conditions," she stated.

"One more thing, to make the conditions even. Since Ares is a god and immortal, if he wins Xena you will be made immortal and trapped in the cave forever. You'll both be facing the same fate." Zeus declared and Gabrielle went pale.

"Zeus, if Ares wins then he escapes punishment," Here objected.

"I know, that's the risk."

"I suggest that he be banished for the turn of one year into Tartarus," Hera said strongly.

"Hey! What if I just take the year banishment and not risk eternal isolation?" Ares demanded.

"Not an option. Eternal banishment if you lose, one year if you win," Zeus declared.

Xena was frowning, "Eternity? Gabrielle and I wouldn't be together when I die?" she whispered.

"Those are the conditions," Zeus stated flatly. "Do all the gods and goddesses agree to the conditions and swear that they won't interfere now or in the future in this decision?"

All of the deities nodded their heads in agreement, some reluctantly, like Cupid and Aphrodite. Others in amusement like Bacchus.

Zeus turned to Hecate, "Do you agree as well?"

"Yes, I agree. Hear this, Ares, if you win do not ever cross me or Gabrielle again," Hecate threatened.

"I agree to the fight," Ares answered with a grin.

"Xena, no! We've gotten through everything because we knew we'd be together no matter what on the other side!" Gabrielle protested.

"It's our only hope, I won't lose," Xena promised and kissed Gabrielle lightly on the lips and held the bard for a moment. She then turned out of the embrace.

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered, dropping her head in defeat.

"Hercules, please," Xena asked softly and turned to Zeus and Hera and nodded.

Gabrielle found herself wrapped tightly in Hercules' arms as Xena and Ares disappeared along with all the other deities; only Artemis remained.

The demi-god held the bard as she began to cry and Artemis began to pace.

Xena and Ares found themselves in a large cavern with Zeus, Hera and Athena. Torches lined the walls and a large firepit lent warmth and light as well to the dark and foreboding place.

"There is an entrance and many passages but your prison shall be this room for whichever one of you falls in combat," Zeus declared. "See that jewel over the coffin? That is made by Hephaestus, it will be the key to the coffin for whichever one of you remains here."

"And only Xena can release me in the future if I fail?" Ares questioned.

"Either Xena or a descendant of Xena. If Xena falls then only you, Ares, will be able to free her," Zeus confirmed.

"Works for me," Ares said confidently, swinging his sword around several times and stretching.

Zeus walked over to the warrior and smiled kindly and waved his hands over her. Ares growled when he realized that his father had just healed Xena of all her wounds and re-established her energy level.

Xena looked down at her once mangled thigh and grinned, pulling out her own sword and twirling it a few times.

"Thank you," she said simply.

"I said the odds would be as fair as possible. Remember, both of you, either one of you could die or be trapped forever. We will await outside for the outcome," Zeus stated and lent his arm to Hera as they started out of the cavern.

"Hey, Dad," Ares called, stopping the couple as they turned and looked at the God of War. "Who are you cheering for?" he demanded with a smirk.

"You are both my children, I'm trying not too," Zeus said sadly. "Oh, by the way," Zeus stopped and held out his hand. "The dagger, son, hilt first."

Ares turned red with anger but reached behind to his belt and pulled out a wavy bladed dagger and handed it to his father. Zeus and Hera turned to leave.

With a snarl of disbelief the God of War turned to the Warrior Princess.

"Shall we dance?" he grinned.

Without warning Ares was on her with his sword flashing. Xena barely countered his sword strikes with her own sword and found herself forced backwards across the enclosure and felt the fire's heat behind her.

With a growl Xena swung her sword around, matching move for move with Ares and regained her balance and forced him back several feet, giving her room to move. Again and again they met with swords and fists until each of them were breathing heavily and both had various cuts on the arms and legs, though none serious.

"What's the matter, Ares?" Xena taunted. "Not used to fighting someone on equal terms?"

"Not really," he admitted. "It is exciting, though. Admit it, Xena, nothing gets you going like a good fight."

"Give it up already, Ares," Xena sighed and countered his next strike with one of her own, both sword strikes parried and deflected without harm to either of them. "We've been through this. I'm not coming back to you."

"Drop the sword and we both walk out of here to go rule the world," he suggested as he parried another sword stroke but missed countering Xena's fist and was rocked back a foot. He rubbed his jaw with his free hand. "Either that or you get stuck here for eternity and I get Sasha."

Xena's eyes narrowed and the warrior growled. Ares was surprised with the sudden fury with which the warrior was fighting and stumbled back under a rapid series of sword strikes.

As they separated and caught their breath again, Xena knew Ares was frustrated. They were fairly evenly matched now that Ares didn't have his energy bolts to rely on and both were very experienced warriors.

Xena flipped over Ares with a war cry and slashed backwards and found her sword strike blocked again and Ares found his fist blocked by Xena's gauntlet. The warrior spun and attempted another strike and fist blow only to be blocked. Both separated again and glared at each other.

They had already fought all over the cave, balancing on the edges of the stone coffin and trading blows, running up and flipping over and off the walls, swinging from torch holders while dodging sword strokes, and generally beating each other almost senseless. Still they were fighting to a stand still.

Ares traded several more sword strokes, bringing him close to Xena.

"You know something that Athena and the others didn't figure out?" he grinned and Xena struggled to maintain her block of his sword with hers.

"What could that be, Ares?" she growled and shoved him back with a burst of strength.

"I was the one that shot Gabrielle's horse out from under her when she tried to escape the Roman soldiers," he grinned.

Xena felt herself blinking as her mind tried to process the new information. Gabrielle had almost escaped the Roman soldiers that crippled Iolaus and sold her into slavery, except that an arrow had shot her horse and the dead weight had pinned the bard's leg.

The warrior felt her heart begin racing faster to match her rising emotions as images of Gabrielle's capture flashed through her mind. Iolaus had seen everything.

Xena felt a roaring in her ears and a pounding in her head and felt her eyes narrow as she looked at a grinning Ares.

"Do you know what they did to her?" Xena whispered.

"Of course I know!" he smirked, "I watched."

The warrior felt everything inside of her snap and she launched herself at the God of War with a scream of rage.

"It's been forever!" Gabrielle complained as she paced in the hall.

"We don't have a choice but to wait," Hercules commented, throwing himself into Cupid's chair and watching his friend pace, her fists clenched in anger.

"What if she loses? Ares will just grab Sasha!"

"No, if Xena doesn't come out of that cave, I'll take you and the entire family North to safety before he can take Sasha," Artemis promised.

"She can't lose!" Gabrielle muttered, twirling one of her sais in her hand, wanting to break something.

"I hope you're right," Hercules mumbled.

Xena became aware of her surroundings slowly, the first thing getting through her berserker haze was pain.

The warrior realized she was laying face down on the cold rock surface of the cave and everything hurt, especially her back. Xena raised herself up on her arms and cried out in pain as it felt like a red-hot poker stabbing her in the lower back. With a growing sense of dread the warrior discovered she couldn't move her legs easily.

"You've always had one weakness for the last few years, Xena."

Xena looked over and saw Ares standing over the stone coffin with his back to her. She glanced around quickly for her sword and saw it near his feet, totally out of reach since she was right at the doorway of the chamber. She bit her lip against the pain as she tried to move her legs and they refused to respond.

Ares turned and sat down on the edge of the coffin, watching the warrior's struggles.

"I knew I could get to you if I mentioned that irritating little blond. She's been your soft spot and weakness. She makes you weak, Xena!"

"She's the best thing that ever happened to me, Ares," the warrior growled. Her sharp eyes did take in the fact that the God of War was wounded badly in several places, apparently not having moved fast enough to avoid all of Xena's sword strikes when she was enraged. He was holding his left arm and the wound was still bleeding freely, even with direct pressure and Xena could see a deep sword thrust along his ribs. She almost had him, she silently cursed.

"Maybe you'll change your mind after you've been in this thing for a couple hundred years," he taunted, slapping the stone side of the coffin. "Maybe I'll drop by long after that little bitch of yours is dead and gone and see how you feel about spending eternity in this thing."

"I'm not the only one with weakness, Ares," Xena countered, pulling her chakram up along her body where the War God couldn't notice it.

"And what would that be, Xena?" he asked with a grin.

"One, you talk too much when you should be fighting. Two, you really don't want to destroy me. You're too hung up on me, admit it."

Ares lost his grin and looked thoughtful for a moment. "Alright, I admit it. I'd rather have you with me than dead or trapped here but I'll take the trapped part."

"You still talk too much," Xena muttered and rolled over onto her back with a cry of pain and sent her chakram flying.

Ares was caught off guard and ducked as the chakram went sailing past his ear. It rebounded off three walls and came straight at the War God's head. Ares snapped his body backwards to avoid the flying weapon and stumbled backwards into the coffin.

Ares yelled in rage as the chakram hit the Eye of Hephaestus and the lid of the coffin and the stone door to the chamber began closing.

The chakram continued its path past the Warrior Princess into the passageway and snapped into two pieces, embedding itself in the wall.

Xena bit her lip as she rolled out of the way of the stone door into the passageway. She could hear Ares screaming in rage as both the coffin lid and stone door closed, sealing him in and then there was silence.

The warrior looked up at the two pieces of the chakram high above her head on the passage floor and frowned.

"Damn!" she muttered and then bit her lip to keep from screaming as she tried to get to her feet again, the pain sending her to the cold stone floor.

After a moment of letting the worst of the flash of pain pass, Xena began the long crawl towards the opening.

Gabrielle yelped with surprise as all the Greek gods and goddesses began appearing next to their seats in the great hall. Her eyes quickly scanned the deities and noticed several absent. She turned quickly to Zeus and Hera as they appeared in the main chairs.

"Well?" she demanded.

"Here," a voice called and Gabrielle, Hercules and Artemis turned to find Cupid and Aphrodite holding a very battered and wounded Warrior Princess.

Gabrielle rushed over to her mate and Aphrodite moved aside to let the bard get close to Xena. The bard felt tears begin falling down her cheeks as she took in the sight of her warrior mate.

Xena was bruised, dusty and bloody. The warrior opened her eyes and tried to manage a smile when she saw green eyes looking down at her.

"Hey," she whispered.

"Hey yourself," Gabrielle responded and looked up momentarily as Hecate appeared in the chamber near them. The bard looked up into Hercules' face as he knelt and quickly looked over the warrior. Both the bard and demi-god had seen plenty of battle wounds before.

"Not so bad except the back," Xena muttered as Hercules' hands gently felt her wounds and limbs. "I think my spine is broken."

"Your mate won against Ares, bard," Zeus declared loudly.

"What does that mean now, Zeus?" Poseidon demanded. "Who will be the God of War?"

"That can wait," Zeus said impatiently. "First, we deal with the godlings."

Gabrielle and the small group surrounding Xena watched carefully as the main god stood up from his chair and approached them. He looked down into the pained face of Xena and smiled gently.

"I didn't think you could do it but I'm pleased," he said simply and raised his hands over the warrior.

When the bright light cleared, the warrior was unharmed and cleaned up. Xena grinned a lopsided grin and accepted Hercules' hand up to her feet and turned to hug Gabrielle.

"I'll never get used to that, one moment I'm crippled and dying and the next it's as if nothing happened," she complained softly. She looked at Zeus over the head of the bard. "Thank you for that."

"You're welcome," he responded and walked back to his throne and sat next to Hera.

"You'll find an interesting future without Ares in it, I think," Hera commented with a smile and Gabrielle grinned widely in response.

"What will you do without a God of War?" Hercules asked his father.

"We'll deal with that," Zeus promised and suddenly looked thoughtful. "Xena," he called.

Gabrielle and Xena turned towards the main deities, Xena wrapping an arm around the bard's shoulders and the bard wrapping an arm around the warrior's waist.

"The position is open and I couldn't think of a better replacement," Zeus offered.

"Me?" Xena questioned. "You already have a Goddess of War."

"Athena's role is much different than that of War deity, her primary role is that of the Goddess of Wisdom," Hera stated.

"Yeah, Athena thinks," Xena grinned, "Ares just liked the fight and usually didn't care who won."

"Exactly," Zeus agreed. "Athena deals with battle because of the end result, Ares wanted battle just for battle sake."

"Sorry, Zeus, that's not me any longer," Xena grinned down at Gabrielle and the bard hugged her tightly.

"Good! I'm glad of that but I thought I'd offer it since you did defeat Ares," Zeus grinned.

"Now go back to your lives and live as humans as long as you can," Hera instructed.

"What do you mean, as long as we can?" Gabrielle demanded.

"You both are the daughters of gods," Hera smiled, "there are things yet to be discovered by you both. Good lives to you."

The Goddess waved her hand before any of them could question the deities further.

Cyrene dropped the tray of mugs she was carrying in surprise as Hercules, Xena and Gabrielle suddenly appeared by the fireplace in the inn.

The trio looked around in surprise themselves and then everyone grinned as Xena's mom rushed forward to embrace all of them.

Soon the room was filled with family members hugging each other: Iolaus, Joxer, Solan, Reija and Sasha welcoming the three Greeks home once again.

Later that evening Xena's sharp eyes noticed a cloaked figure in one of the booths in a far corner and left the table of celebrating family. She smiled reassuringly to her bard and then moved to the booth and sat opposite the figure.

"Hecate," Xena stated simply.

The goddesses blue eyes danced from under the cloak hood at the warrior.

"It's good to see everyone so happy, none of you have ever really had a chance to relax," the goddess commented.

"That's true, the threat of something is always over our heads. Now with Ares out of the way maybe some of that will ease up," Xena agreed.

"How does it feel?"

"Weird, he's been such a part of my life since I was a teenager, over 15 years now."

"Enjoy it, he's not the only one who has ever caused you problems," Hecate grinned.

"No, he had lots of help," Xena agreed. "What brings you here?"

"I knew you'd have questions," Hecate stated simply.

"You have powers in Tartarus," Xena commented after thinking for a few moments.

"Yes, as a Goddess of the Darkness, I do."

"Why didn't you get Artemis and Gabrielle out of there sooner?" Xena asked softly but intensely. "Gabrielle died!"

"I could have but I had to wait until things got out of hand," Hecate responded, also in a low voice.

"Why? If she had died in Tartarus she would have been trapped there!"

"If I had just gone in and brought her back, Zeus and the other gods wouldn't have listened and agreed to finally doing something about Ares."

Xena frowned and then nodded. "Okay, I'll buy that. Gabrielle was explaining why Artemis didn't heal her after the crucifixion and Solan's injuries and stuff."

"Yes, even though the gods have played heavily in your lives you still have to live with some of the consequences on your own and discover your own paths," Hecate agreed.

"I still don't like it," Xena growled. "Solan is blind, Gabrielle died again, I was almost crippled, and Hercules risked his life again."

"Yes, and now Ares is out of your lives, is that too high a price?"

"No," Xena sighed. "Not if it keeps him out of Sasha's life, it's not."

Both the warrior and goddess were quiet for several moments.

"What did Hera mean about our lives not being human?"

Hecate smiled sadly. "You are the daughters of gods and have had more dealings with gods than any other human ever has. I can't tell you what your future is and what it means to be the daughters of gods except that you aren't like other mortals and it will affect you both eventually."

Before Xena could demand further explanations the goddess was gone and the warrior was left swearing under her breath about gods and riddles.

"MOM!"

The warrior was on her feet with chakram in hand before Solan's cry had stopped echoing in the room of the closed inn. All the laughter and talk stopped instantly at the family table as everyone turned or jumped out of their chairs at the yell.

Solan, cooking dinner in the kitchen for the family, came running and stopped in the doorway with a huge grin on his face.

Xena blinked and slowly lowered the chakram as a familiar roaring filled her ears as she was overwhelmed with the realization that her son was looking at her. Solan wasn't wearing his blindfold over his eyes and his blue eyes were looking into her own blue ones.

Solan could see once again.

Xena crossed the room in an instant and grabbed her son up in a huge embrace as the rest of the family began to crowd them, everyone talking and laughing at once.

Everyone suddenly went still when Solan's eyes scanned the family and caught sight of the former Amazon in their midst, a very pregnant and apprehensive Reija.

Solan's wife.

"By the Gods, you're beautiful," he whispered and swept her into his arms.

"Thank you, Hecate," Xena whispered.


	18. 18 Chakram

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** about a normal television episode.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** A runaway slave and his mystic brother ask Xena and Gabrielle's help in stopping their local war god, Kal, from obtaining the Chakram of Light.

* * *

Xena stopped outside Sasha's room and listened for a moment.

"Why do we tell people that my father's name is Aramus and that he's a soldier somewhere?" Xena heard Sasha's voice asking.

"Well, you know how some people pray to Ares for help in battles and stuff?" Gabrielle began answering and Xena leaned against the wall, curious.

"Uh huh," Sasha answered and Xena could almost imagine the child nodding her head to her Mum.

"Well, if people knew you were the daughter of a god they wouldn't know how to act around you or how to treat you. People sometimes treat other people bad when they get confused or scared. Most people haven't seen anyone who is the son or daughter of a god," Gabrielle continued.

"What about Uncle Hercules?"

"He gets treated differently and sometimes it hurts him," Gabrielle answered gently.

"Why didn't you and Mom want Ares to be my father?"

"We knew that he wouldn't be a good father."

"Why?" Sasha persisted.

"Well, a long time ago," Gabrielle began her answer to her adopted child and Xena smiled at the sound of Gabrielle slipping into her bard voice. "Long before you were born, your Mom learned how to be a warrior. Ares, the God of War, helped teach her how to be a warrior and encouraged her to do wrong things."

"Mom did wrong things?" Sasha asked and Xena felt her jaw tighten and was very glad that her mate was handling this and not her.

Xena could face an entire army by herself but facing a 7 year old's questions was frightening.

"Yes, she did. Sometimes people either choose to do bad things, like the Roman bandits who took you when you were little, or they make bad choices and end up doing bad things and fall away from the right path," Gabrielle tried to explain. "Your mom did both and Ares encouraged it and wanted her to continue to do bad things."

"Why does he want to do bad things?" Sasha asked.

Gabrielle sighed, wondering that herself.

"I don't know," she admitted, "there are things about some of the gods that I don't understand. He is the God of War and I don't understand the need for war. Your mom was very good at war and Ares wanted her to keep doing that."

"She didn't keep doing bad things, though,"

"No, she didn't. She realized what she was doing was bad and felt terrible about it. Your mom began changing and began doing good things for people. That's when I met her. Ares, your father, was really, really angry at your mom and me and he's done a lot of bad things to us because he wants your mom to go back to war," Gabrielle explained.

"I've heard you and Mom talking sometimes, Ares sent those bandits after you that made you a slave before I was born, right?"

Xena closed her eyes with the pain of that memory, Gabrielle had been taken as a slave, sold into a gladiator school and had been forced to endure rape, beatings, floggings, and was forced to kill to survive. All because of Ares.

Gabrielle smiled a sad smile. "Yes, it was because of Ares. That's why we didn't want him to have any contact with you until you were older. He wants you to become a warrior and do bad things, like your mom did a long time ago."

"Being a warrior isn't a bad thing," Sasha frowned.

"No, not at all. There are many good warriors, like your mom. Joxer is a good warrior and Hercules too."

"And you," Sasha grinned and suddenly hugged the bard. "Love you, Mum."

Before Gabrielle could respond the precocious child was up off the bed and heading out the door.

"Hi, mom, bye, Mom!" she yelled as she ran down the hall.

Xena grinned at her disappearing offspring and turned to enter the child's bedroom and frowned when she saw the serious and meditative look on the bard's face.

"Hey, what is it, little one?" the warrior asked as Gabrielle began folding Sasha's freshly washed clothes.

"Just thinking," the bard muttered. "Even Sasha thinks I'm a warrior."

"Is that a problem, my bard?"

"Yeah, I think it is," Gabrielle answered. "Was that my path? I didn't want that."

"I know you didn't want to kill or be a warrior but, even without Ares, we don't know that you wouldn't have ended up here," Xena responded as she sat down on Sasha's bed, watching her bard.

Gabrielle frowned. "You think I would have ended up killing?"

"I don't know but I know it was likely to happen eventually if you stayed with me and you know it."

The bard sat down on the bed beside her mate. "Yes, I probably would have killed eventually but would I have become a warrior with all these deaths?"

"No, I don't believe so. You certainly wouldn't have picked becoming a gladiator," Xena agreed. "What you are is a talented bard, a wonderful mom and someone who can take care of themselves and protect others if needed."

The bard smiled. "I'll take those descriptions," Gabrielle said as she hugged her mate.

Xena frowned as she approached the small home on the edge of the town, her warrior instincts kicking into high gear. Her incredible hearing noted the lack of noise coming from the surrounding woods and no sounds coming from the barnyard either.

The warrior drew her sword from her hip and adjusted her gauntlets as she approached the barn cautiously. She could see movement through the boards.

Xena knew that Gabrielle wasn't due home for another couple of candle-marks yet. Xena's son, Solan, wife Reija and newborn son Kiryk were off visiting Gabrielle's mother in Poteidia and had taken Sasha, Xena's daughter with them.

The warrior was not in a mood to deal with anything. It had been a long day working in the blacksmith shop, the inn had been packed at lunchtime and Gabrielle hadn't had a chance to spend any time with Xena and the warrior was grumpy. Now someone was in the barn.

The only things that should be in the barn were Argo, Xena's prized horse, and two cows.

Xena stopped and listened, sword at ready.

"No, I say we go back to Judea and organize some of the men and go after the chakram. We don't need the help of a woman."

"I know it goes against your grain, Asher, but Caleb suggested her and I've heard of Xena," another male voice responded.

"It's against the nature of God!" the first voice protested.

"So is Kal! If she's our best shot at stopping him, then I say we ask for her help. I know you haven't been out of Palestine before but you have got to start adapting a little bit," the second voice urged.

"What does that mean, Eli?"

"Not everyone that you're going to meet is evil just because they don't believe the way you do. There are good people among other religions, cultures and countries."

"Have you lost your mind?" the first voice, Asher, demanded.

"God says that any who do not believe in him are heretics and worthy of death!"

"Would you destroy half the known world?" the second voice, Eli, countered.

"If they turn from the word and glory of God, yes."

Xena could almost see the second man shaking his head.

"Asher, not everyone is your enemy just because they don't believe in our God," Eli's voice sounded tired.

"Yes they are!" Asher insisted.

"Asher, either you get some tolerance and work with me or go back to Palestine because you're attitude is just going to cause problems," Eli insisted.

"You've been out among the heathens too long, brother," Asher's voice dropped a notch in anger and Xena's eyes narrowed.

"Maybe, but I've learned a lot from those heathens, things that will help our people. If you insist on coming with me then keep quiet and observe, you'll learn more that way."

"I don't see why we need help in doing it!"

"Because I'm not a warrior and we're going up against a War God!"

Xena opened the barn door and stood in the entrance, knowing that the sun behind her was framing her body in silhouette and with the light reflecting off the sword she was presenting a formidable image.

One man, dressed in the more traditional clothing of the Mid-East, fell off the end of a hay bale and the second man jumped to his feet, a sword in his hand as well.

The second man was dressed in similar clothing to the first but the main difference was the sword and the fact that he knew how to hold it. His body stance told the experienced warrior that he knew how to handle it as well.

"Asher, no!" the first man cried out but the second man ignored him and glared at the warrior.

"You're in my barn, friend," Xena growled softly. "Drop the sword and explain why you're here or leave."

"Heathen country," the man with the sword spat. "Women owning property."

"Oh, it gets worse," the warrior grinned. "I own the property and I'm not married to a man, either."

"Asher, drop the sword," the first man insisted as he gained his feet. Asher finally seemed to listen to the first man and lowered his sword and Xena lowered hers but entered the barn cautiously.

The first man, whom Xena took to be Eli, moved in front of his brother and held out his hands showing he was unarmed.

The warrior looked into his blue eyes and lowered her sword further.

"I apologize for my brother, he hasn't traveled much and hasn't been among people of different religions and cultures," Eli stammered.

"Except Romans!" Asher hissed behind his brother.

"I'm not overly fond of the Romans, myself," Xena muttered.

"I've heard that and that's one of the reasons a friend of mine thought you might be able to help us."

"Who are you and why didn't you wait outside instead of hiding in the barn?" Xena demanded.

"My name is Eli and this is my brother Asher Ben-Mishael," Eli moved aside and pulled his brother to stand next to him. Xena could see the family resemblance and then her sharp eyes took in the slave collar and the broken manacles on the brother's wrists.

Eli nodded, taking in her glance.

"My brother is an escaped slave. I know this could cause lots of problems for you and if you don't want to help us, it's okay. I would ask that you give us a candle-mark head start though before you turn him in," Eli said quickly.

"I don't like Romans and I despise slavery. I'm Xena, come into the house but pull up his hood so his collar doesn't show," the warrior instructed, motioning them towards the door, careful not to turn her back on Asher and his sword.

"Thank you, very much!" Eli said gratefully and practically threw his brother through the door of the barn and headed towards the main house.

Gabrielle was surprised to find two men sitting at the table with her mate when she entered the small house. Xena looked tense but not on alert and the bard let her guard relax after quickly glancing around the room.

The warrior bard quickly placed the men from the desert regions but the blue eyes led her to believe that they probably weren't Arabic. Gabrielle noted the one man armed with a sword but the second one only had an eating knife at his belt.

"Hey," Xena said in greeting as the bard walked in slowly.

Gabrielle walked behind Xena and placed a hand on her mate's shoulder. "Hi," she responded and nodded to the two men.

"What's up?"

"Our company here is Asher and Eli from Palestine, they've come to ask our help with something," Xena answered easily, resisting the urge to wrap her arm around Gabrielle's waist.

The bard sensed Xena's stiffness and moved to the empty chair and sat down, keeping her eyes on the men.

"She's too small to be of use against a god!" the shorter of the two men protested.

Gabrielle grinned as Xena frowned.

"You'd be surprised," the bard responded.

"This is Gabrielle and she is experienced in fighting," Xena responded.

"What's this about a god? Ares is still out of our lives, isn't he?" Gabrielle asked her mate with a frown.

"Yes, I think one of the Olympians or Hercules would have warned us if Ares managed to start roaming the country again."

Gabrielle's face reflected her puzzlement when the shorter of the two men began muttering under his breath, his face an angry red.

"What?" she demanded and the taller one began blushing out of embarrassment.

"I'm Eli, this is Asher," he began explaining. "He's not accustomed to people who have had personal dealings with gods."

"I wish I hadn't either, at times," Gabrielle grinned, trying to get the young man to relax but that just seemed to make him even angrier.

"Never mind him right now," Xena growled and Eli put a restraining hand on his brother's arm to keep Asher quiet. "Tell Gabrielle what brings you to us."

"A scholar friend of mine, Caleb, lives in a town between here and Palestine. He sent a messenger to me that the local God of War, Kal, is trying to get his hands on the Chakram of Light," Eli said.

"Chakram of Light?" Gabrielle questioned, looking at Xena.

The warrior shrugged. "Chakrams are common in the east, like in India. What isn't common is that they return to you and can cut through any metal, like mine did."

"Did? You don't have the chakram any longer?" Eli asked, his voice suddenly intense.

"No," Xena answered simply.

"Where is it? How can we get it back?" the young man suddenly demanded.

"We can't, it's lost forever," the warrior replied. "Why? What is the Chakram of Light and how is it different than a regular chakram?"

"Your chakram was the Chakram of Darkness, only someone totally immersed in the darker side of human nature; war, violence, power, could touch it."

Both Gabrielle and Xena looked at each other. "Ares," they both muttered.

Eli looked puzzled.

"Ares gave me the chakram when I became his Chosen Warlord," Xena stated.

"That explains it, he stole it from Kal, the God of War, and gave it to you," Eli said thoughtfully.

"It also explains how a human could touch it, a female is inherently evil," Asher responded and Eli hit him on the arm.

Both Gabrielle and Xena felt growls rising in their throats.

"That attitude doesn't help us, Asher," Eli scolded.

"Why can't Kal just take the chakram," Gabrielle asked.

"No one who has been touched by violence or the baser nature of things can touch it, only a saint could retrieve it," Eli answered.

"Why would Kal want it then?" Xena asked.

"Once it's off the altar, then anyone can touch it and use it. The Chakram of Light has the power to kill gods, the deities themselves."

"Whoa!" Gabrielle found herself muttering and Eli nodded.

"They should all be destroyed anyway!" Asher muttered.

"Have they done something personal to you or are you just naturally ill-tempered?" Gabrielle finally demanded.

Asher began blushing a bright red and glared at the bard.

"There is only one true God in the universe and the existence of these lesser gods is an affront to Him!"

"Which god is that?" Gabrielle asked with a puzzled look.

"God of Abraham, the god of my people," Asher responded.

"We've dealt with the Children of Abraham before," Gabrielle commented, "They weren't this intolerant."

Eli quickly placed his hand back on his brother's arm and glared at him. Asher gritted his teeth.

"My brother is a Zealot, he believes there is only one true religion and one true god for the world," Eli quickly explained.

"And you, Eli?" Xena asked softly and wasn't surprised when the young man blushed himself and refused to meet the eyes of either Xena or Asher.

"I've seen many things in my travels and I've meet some good people. I believe that the God of my people is my true god but I'm not sure he's the god for everyone," the young scholar admitted.

Asher surprised Gabrielle and Eli by jumping to his feet but Xena seemed ready for it as she also jumped to her feet and reached over the table to grab the young man by his robe and arm. She pulled the young zealot off balance and onto the table, face down, his body pinning his arm beneath him as he reached for his sword. The warrior hit two pressure points at the back of his neck and Asher yelled with the sudden realization that he couldn't move.

"Shut up!" Xena ordered and glanced over at Eli and Gabrielle, on their feet a second later than the brother or the warrior. "You are a guest in my home and you are not allowed to kill or hurt your brother or anyone else in here."

"Please don't hurt him!" Eli begged.

"He says blasphemy!" Asher shouted. "Thou shalt have no other God before me for I am the Lord thy God and I am a jealous God," the young man quoted.

"Asher, calm down! God is still my God! I haven't turned from him!" Eli protested.

"If you accept that there are any other gods then you do! Just accepting other gods is blasphemy!" Asher growled.

"Asher, other gods exist and they exist for other people," Eli grumbled. "Who do you think we're going up against?"

"They work for Shaitan, the enemy of God!"

"Eli, send him home, he's just going to get in the way and possibly mess up whatever you're trying to do," Xena advised.

"He can't go home, as a runaway slave he's being hunted," Eli sighed heavily, sitting back down.

"Slave?" Gabrielle questioned, her own face going pale. She quickly looked and found the slave collar and manacles on the young man laying on her table.

"He's an escaped slave," Xena stated and watched as Gabrielle touched her own neck, the bard remembering her own collar.

"He'll be killed if he's captured," Eli stated.

"He can go to Palestine and hide in the caves like the rest of the Zealots, criminals and rebels," Xena muttered.

"He'd never make it back," Eli countered. "You've heard him, he can't keep his mouth shut for ten minutes."

"How did he end up a slave anyway, given his attitude?" Xena asked.

"The heavy taxation by King Herod left my family with nothing and my two younger brothers were sold into slavery to pay the taxes. Asher escaped from the Roman family he had been sold to when he saw me in the market in Desyme."

Xena released the pinch holds and Asher fell back into his chair, rubbing his neck.

"All right," she warned. "You behave until your brother finishes telling us why you're both here."

Asher muttered under his breath but nodded in agreement.

"So Kal, a minor God of War, wants to get his hands on this Chakram and kill Zeus and any other god that gets in his way in become the Supreme ruler of Olympia. You want to stop him somehow and you need Xena's chakram to do it?" Gabrielle stated and grinned when both Eli and Xena stared at her, amazed looks on their faces. "The pieces fit," she responded to their unspoken question. Xena turned to Eli.

"She's got it," he grinned.

"How does my chakram fit into this?" Xena asked.

"By combining both chakrams together causes the power to destroy the gods to be neutralized and Kal won't care about it then," the scholar responded.

"But we can't get to it," Gabrielle complained.

"Why not?" he asked.

"It's trapped in a cave with Ares and we don't know where. Hopefully, for all eternity," Xena answered.

"Then the rumors of Ares disappearing are true," Eli muttered.

"Yes, my chakram was broken and embedded in the cave walls during the fight," Xena answered. "Useless to anyone."

"And you don't know where the cave is?" Eli questioned.

"No, I don't," Xena growled.

"Then we have to find another way to neutralize the chakram," Eli muttered, his eyes thoughtful and unfocused.

"Why not leave it where it is?" Gabrielle asked. "It doesn't sound like Kal or anybody else can get it."

"Kal will eventually find someone who can get it for him and then he'll terrorize the world," Eli said simply.

"Who hasn't been touched by violence or the baser parts of human natures?" Gabrielle asked thoughtfully.

"Maybe a child or someone simple minded," Xena suggested and Eli began to turn pale.

"Oh God, I pray that Kal hasn't thought of either of those!"

"Amen," Asher responded.

"So your plans are?" Xena questioned Eli.

"Get the chakram before Kal does, neutralize it and possibly destroy it."

"Sounds simple, as usual. That means it's going to be complicated," Gabrielle complained and then smiled at her mate.

"What is it with you and war gods?"

Xena blushed and growled.

Asher, watching the two women interact, almost turned purple but decided to look at his feet.

Gabrielle found Asher staring into the fire of the small house in the middle of the night. She smiled when he noticed her and started to get to his feet, blushing.

"No, don't get up, Asher," she said simply and sat down in a chair across from him, wrapping her blanket around her.

"I couldn't sleep," he muttered and went back to staring at the flames.

"I understand that, neither could I," the bard responded easily.

"What is keeping you awake?" he asked.

"Something that was said earlier," Gabrielle answered, also watching the fire.

"About taking on the gods? Most people would be scared," Asher commented.

"No, I've dealt with gods and goddesses before, both good and bad. It was about you being a slave."

The young Hebrew blushed bright red in the firelight and unconsciously pulled at the manacle on his left wrist.

"You're worried about the Romans finding out you harbored a runaway slave?" he asked, his eyes bright with anger.

"No, not at all," the bard answered. "My memories were just keeping me awake."

"You were a slave?"

"Yes, to a Roman," Gabrielle stated, letting Asher lead the conversation. The bard knew that the young Zealot wasn't happy being in a home owned by two women, in a heathen country, or especially asking for help from heathens and wanted him to get more comfortable around her and Xena.

"Did Xena buy you from the Roman?"

"No, I was sold illegally into slavery. I was gone from my family and Xena for almost two years."

"You couldn't appeal for justice?" Asher was frowning.

"No, Caesar was hoping to find me and use me against Xena. He knew that she cherished our friendship and would risk her life to save me. I couldn't let anyone know who I was," Gabrielle explained.

"Were you mistreated?"

Gabrielle felt her jaw muscles tightening and looked over and found the young man watching her. "Yes," she finally responded.

"I was abused from the first moment that renegade Roman soldiers captured me and the abuse didn't stop until I won my freedom."

"I was whipped for not obeying my master or his harlot or his wife," Asher said simply and returned his eyes to the fire.

"I was flogged for not responding fast enough or refusing to go to the bed of the school owner," Gabrielle said softly, letting the young man absorb the common ground they shared.

"School? What kind of school?" Asher looked up, obviously curious.

"Gladiator, I was taught to fight and I was taught to kill," Gabrielle answered.

"I wish someone had taught me, I'm not the best with a sword," Asher complained.

"Why take it up at all?"

"To fight for the Lord, to rid my land of the Romans and make the Earth ready for the Kingdom of God," he answered sincerely.

"Kingdom of God? I'm afraid I don't know that ideal."

"When the God of Abraham returns the Earth to the paradise it once was," Asher began with a smile. "When the Jews return to their moral ways and honor God, He will return our land to paradise. All the nations of the world will bow before him and we shall be raised back to our rightful place as his Chosen children."

"How is fighting with a sword going to help bring your god back to Earth and his people back to him?"

"The reason our land is desolate and we are under the yoke of slavery to the Romans is that the Children of Abraham fell out of favor with the one true god by accepting the ways and customs of the heathens around us. Once we clear the heathens out and those that accept Roman rule and Roman gods, then God will turn His favor to us again," Asher answered intensely.

"And to do that you need a sword?"

"I know you've fought Romans, it's the only way to sweep them out of my land," Asher frowned.

"Very likely it's suicide, I moved my Amazon tribe out of the Empire and they were still slaughtered by Romans," Gabrielle shook her head with the painful memories.

"You're an Amazon? One of those women who turn from the rightful rule of men?" Asher demanded.

"Asher, I have a feeling we're about to head down the way to a long argument that neither of us could win and will only make things worse. Drop it, okay?" Gabrielle urged. "I know most of your fellow Zealots and rebels end up dead, is that what you want for yourself and Eli?"

"I'm not afraid to die, I will sit at the right hand of God a hero!"

Gabrielle, feeling her years of experience compared to the young man in front of her, sighed heavily and lowered her eyes.

"You'll still be dead, your parents will be without their sons and the Romans won't even remember you after a few days."

Gabrielle noted the Zealot's clenched jaw and flashing eyes and held up her arms out from under the blanket. She didn't wear her normal bracers or bracelets to bed and Asher could see the massive scarring on the inside of the young woman's wrists in front of him and then he turned pale when she turned her arms and showed the scars on the other side.

"I was crucified by the Romans," she explained. "My tribe is still dead, my family was told that I had died a criminal on a cross and my best friend watched me almost die."

"You regret trying to save your people?"

"No, not for a minute and I would do it again but I'd also try and find another way other than violence," Gabrielle said softly.

"I'm not afraid to die," Asher insisted.

"You would be if it's crucifixion," Gabrielle muttered.

"Violence isn't always the answer, Asher."

"That's what Eli always says," Asher muttered. "It's the only thing that the Romans understand."

"Then maybe someone should teach them something new?" Gabrielle suggested with a smile.

"You're a warrior and preaching the Way of Love like my brother?"

"The Way of Love?" the bard questioned.

"It's what my brother believes," Asher said with a frustrated smile. "He believes that violence is never the answer, no matter what. My brother Eli would let someone run him through with a sword before lifting a hand to defend himself!"

"He's stronger than I am, then," Gabrielle muttered.

"He won't defend himself at all," Asher complained.

"Maybe it takes more strength not to pick up a sword than to use one sometimes, you might think about that and give him a break," Gabrielle suggested.

"You became a warrior," Asher countered.

"Because I had more to live for than to die for, I guess," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "Your brother has a principle, a way of life that he's willing to die for, just like you do."

The young Hebrew looked thoughtful and Gabrielle stood up with the blanket wrapped around her.

"I never wanted to be a warrior, Asher," Gabrielle said softly.

"I did it to save my life. Don't try and force your brother into something he's not, you could destroy more than his physical life."

Gabrielle smiled and walked outside of the home and sat down on the bench outside, leaving the young man to his thoughts.

The bard didn't look surprised when a figure stepped out of the shadows around the corner of the house and sat down next to her.

"I overheard your conversation," Eli began.

"I heard you in the hall," Gabrielle responded.

"Thank you for talking to him," Eli said simply.

"Not a problem," Gabrielle grinned at the taller man and he smiled back.

"You have the most gentle energy," he commented and then began blushing as Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in question. "No, that's not a statement to flatter you. It's what I sense about you."

"You haven't seen me in a fight," Gabrielle smiled a sad smile.

"I have a feeling you only do what is necessary. The Way of Love isn't for everyone. It's very difficult and not meant for everyone. I fail a lot, myself," he grinned.

"Really?" Gabrielle grinned.

"Yes, I'm not sure I'm strong enough most of the time. Asher is part of a large movement in Palestine, they desire to overthrow the Romans and the corrupt rich and royal Jews."

"What do you want, Eli?" the bard asked.

"Me? I don't know. I haven't found what God has called me to do yet."

"Who is Caleb?"

"Part of the Order that I've studied with, learning the Way of Love as well as the other Ways. He is the most scholarly among us and most serious, if he called for help then the trouble is real," Eli explained.

"We'd better get some rest, we'll get everything together for the journey tomorrow. Xena will take Asher to her work and get those manacles and that collar off of him."

"Thank you for everything and I'm sorry."

"For what?" the bard asked with a puzzled face.

"For whatever my brother says in the future," Eli grinned and Gabrielle found herself joining in his smile.

"You will have to keep him quiet whenever we're around Romans or nobility," Gabrielle agreed.

"You mean around most anyone!"

Gabrielle laughed and Eli joined her but they both knew the words were true. It was going to be difficult to keep Asher's rebellious nature in check.

"I hate ships," Gabrielle muttered as the group stood on the dock of Eion.

Sasha looked up at her Gabby Mum and smiled and the bard couldn't help but smile back.

It had been a hectic day, getting the basic travel stuff together and then Solan, Reija, Sasha and the new baby had come home and Sasha had insisted on going with them.

That had led to a huge argument with Asher firmly on one side and Gabrielle on the other. Both Eli and Xena tried to stay out of it, mostly. Asher had been against taking a small female child into possible danger and Gabrielle knew he was right, if Sasha had been any other child but the child had whispered to Xena and Gabrielle that Sasha just "knew" she had to go with them. It was one of those feeling things she got.

Gabrielle and Xena had the difficult task of convincing the young men that Sasha could come along without revealing that she had special gifts, gifts she had received by being the child of Ares and Xena. Ares, the God of War and Xena the daughter of Zeus, Hecate and Cyrene.

Knowing Asher's hatred of any god but his, both the bard and warrior wanted to keep Sasha's birthright quiet. That made convincing him that the small child could come along with them to fight a God of War extremely difficult.

The argument had finally ended when Eli had squatted down and looked Sasha deeply in the eyes. Neither man nor child spoke but everyone could sense something passing between them. At last Eli had stood up and turned to his brother and announced that Sasha was going with them and if Asher didn't agree then he could stay behind and dodge Romans as a runaway slave.

Asher had turned bright red and stormed out of the house but didn't say anything when they left for the coastal town with Sasha riding behind Gabrielle.

"I thought you were from Poteidia," Eli commented as he stood beside the bard while Asher sat on a pylon sulking and Xena haggled their fare across the Mediterranean to Judea.

"I am," the bard responded with a smile.

"Isn't it a coastal town?" the scholar questioned.

"Yes, that doesn't mean that I ever went out on the boats," she said grimly.

"Ah, seasickness?" he smiled gently.

"Major," Gabrielle muttered, her face already going pale at the thought of getting on a ship.

"My stomach doesn't like it but I don't get too sick," he commented.

"I do," she grimaced again and then turned to Eli with a thoughtful look. "Why did you agree to Sasha coming?" she asked as Sasha broke away from them and ran to her Xena mom, who was coming down a gangplank from the ship.

"Her eyes told me that she's going to be needed during our journey. Like most students of the Ways, I have a little bit of a gift and sometimes just know things. So does Sasha, I could see it in her and knew that she has received a little bit more knowledge than we have."

"But she doesn't know what she knows, she says it's just a feeling."

"You trust that feeling though," he stated.

"Yes, she's been right before and she's special."

"She's part god, isn't she?"

Gabrielle felt her body tense.

"No offense," he quickly stammered, seeing the bard's eyes narrow and the body shift slightly. "I sense divinity around her, that's all. I don't mean to pry."

"Are you an oracle?" Gabrielle frowned; trying to figure out the two men she was traveling with. One a religious zealot and the other a scholar and possible mystic?

"No, I have some healing gifts and some insight. A lot of us do, especially those who believe in the Kingdom of God. It's something that God touches us with to help us do his work," the young man answered.

"Like being the Chosen of Ares will make you a better fighter and more likely to have victory in battle," Gabrielle said.

"Yes, God gifts some of his children with ability to do miracles and predict the future and sometimes with a touch of madness, I think."

"Xena's calling us to the ship." Gabrielle said as Xena waved to them. "Oh Gods, grant a smooth sailing," the bard muttered under her breath as they began walking towards the gangplank.

"Amen," Eli muttered next to her.

Xena walked up behind Gabrielle on the deck of the small ship later that evening as the bard hung over the railing. The warrior waited with a pained expression of sympathy until Gabrielle could stand upright again and placed an arm around her mate's shoulders.

"I'm sorry, little one, it's the quickest and safest way to Syria," Xena said softly.

"I know, I know, just put me out my misery, okay?"

Xena smiled down at her mate and knew the bard's frustration. There was nothing anyone could do. Eating small bits of ashes helped settle the stomach and Xena could always use some pressure points, only then Gabrielle would be faced with losing all sense of taste and would always be hungry. Once the pressure points were released she was usually sick with whatever she had eaten on board the ship.

Gabrielle had decided to suffer with the sickness.

"You know where we're going they frown on our type of relationship," Xena began cautiously.

"I know, it's punishable by death in most of the countries on that side of the sea," Gabrielle nodded. "And with Asher's hot temper you think it's a good idea if we not share the same bedroll on this trip."

Xena sighed with relief; she hadn't quite known how to approach her mate with this suggestion. Normally the warrior didn't care what anyone thought but she didn't want to have the added hassle when they weren't really sure what they were walking into.

"Yeah, I guess so," she agreed.

"Probably for the best," Gabrielle agreed and sighed herself.

"Won't be easy, you know," she continued with a gleam in her eyes and was pleased when Xena's eyebrows went up in playful questioning.

"Really?" the warrior whispered, pulling the bard into her arms.

"Nope," Gabrielle whispered back, "You're irresistible," the bard said as she leaned up for a kiss and then surprised her mate by backing out of Xena's arms with a grin. "I guess we shouldn't be doing that, someone might see us."

"Gabrielle," Xena growled and Gabrielle smiled her impish grin before her face changed when another high wave rocked the ship and hung onto and over the railing as the battle with her stomach interrupted the couple's playfulness.

Xena grimaced, as Gabrielle was sick once again.

Once on solid land the bard was back to her friendly self and Asher found himself loosening up in spite of himself as they rode along the dry land of the Syrian coast.

"Your people think that your god has turned away from you because your people stopped following his laws?" the bard questioned as they rode behind Xena and Eli.

"Yes, the Torah says: If you follow My laws and are careful to keep My commandments, I will provide rain at the right time, so that the land will bear its crops and the trees of the field will provide fruit," he quoted. "Then God also promises that we will have so much that the threshing season of wheat will last until time to harvest the grapes and we will have our fill of food."

"What else?" Gabrielle questioned.

"That we will sleep without fear, that God will chase away all our enemies. He says that five of us will be able to chase away a 100 and a 100 of us will be able to defeat ten thousand."

"Wow," the bard commented, processing the information, "What happened to change that?"

"The people turned away and began breaking the covenant with God and He turned from us. The Torah says: Thus, I will be a God to you and you will be a nation dedicated to Me. If you come to denigrate My decrees, and grow tired of My laws, you will have broken My covenant. I will then do the same to you. It's said that God will direct His anger against us and we will be defeated by our foes and that God will send the plague against us and give us to our enemies. The land will became barren and we will be scattered among the nations and remain desolate and our cities in ruin with every sword turned against us."

The bard frowned in thought. "So if you rid your land of the Romans and those Hebrews that break your covenant with your God what will happen?"

"Then He will turn His favor once more to us and restore our land and make the nations of the world bow down to us under Him," Asher smiled, his eyes shining brightly.

"And the Zealots are willing to use force to achieve this?" Gabrielle could see Xena and Eli listening in on the conversation as well.

"Yes, we are soldiers for God and have His blessing and protection. King Herod spends riches on buildings and we pay for it in taxes that leaves us with nothing. He prefers the Roman life to that of a good Jew," Asher answered simply.

"How can you fight against the Romans?"

"We take our example from the great David and the Maccabees, we hide in the caves of the mountains and strike on Roman army units and harass and destroy the property of rich Jews and heathens. We encourage the people not to pay their taxes to Rome and Herod."

"So why are you traveling with Eli to neutralize the Chakram of Light?" the bard questioned.

"I saw Eli and just escaped, he was already looking for you and Xena, and I'm along for the ride. After he settles the chakram thing then we'll return to Palestine and I'll join the other Zealots hiding out from the Romans and corrupt officials," Asher answered.

"Mum?" Sasha's voice interrupted the question the bard was about to ask the young religious fanatic. Gabrielle glanced over her shoulder to the child holding on behind her.

"Yes, Sasha?"

"Trouble," the youngster said simply.

"Xena!" Gabrielle called just as Xena reigned in her horse and was motioning for Eli to stop.

Fifteen riders appeared at the top of a grassy ridge ahead of the travelers. Both groups took in each other. Xena and the others dressed much alike in flowing shirts and billowing trousers, the second group was dressed in armor and carried the curved swords that were popular among the desert people. The armor reminded Xena of the Persians.

The lead soldier drew his sword and sounded out a desert war cry and pushed his horse forward in a charge down the hill with the rest of the soldiers following behind.

"Let me guess," Xena growled, "Soldier priests of Kal?"

"Good guess," Eli agreed.

"Let's ride, where to?" Xena hated being in unfamiliar territory, especially a foreign land. Canyons could lead to dead-ends, locals could be hostile, and the terrain could turn against you in a moment.

Eli turned his horse to the right and began riding as fast as his horse could be encouraged to run. The small band of travelers right behind him with Xena holding back to take up the rear.

"At least they don't have archers!" Gabrielle shouted to Asher.

"Thank God! Eli, hurry!"

"Gabrielle, make sure everyone is safe!" Xena called.

"What are you doing?" her mate demanded.

"I'm going to delay them, leave trail signs if you can!"

"I'm not leaving you!" Gabrielle protested as they rode.

"Keep Sasha safe!" Xena insisted and the bard growled but nodded her head in agreement.

Xena pulled her horse up to a stop and growled when Asher rode up beside her.

"What are you doing?" she demanded.

"I'm a soldier, unlike my brother," he responded, drawing his sword.

"Alright, just do exactly as I say," the warrior growled. Seeing the flash of anger in his eyes, Xena hesitated. "I mean it, Asher. I'm a lot more experienced at fighting than you are."

"Alright, I agree."

"Then when I say, ride as fast as you can in the middle of them with your sword and keep low. Make only one pass and then wait for my next move!" Xena ordered.

Xena drew her sword and waited for a moment and then shouted her war cry and spurred her horse into action with Asher a moment behind.

"Eli, where are we going?" Gabrielle shouted as she rode beside him with Sasha clinging to her Gabby Mum.

"It's a longer way to Caleb's house," he responded.

Gabrielle hated leaving Xena behind and swore under her breath, cursing any and all War Gods. "Hang on, Sasha!"

Xena turned her horse and Asher moved his horse around to be next to hers as they faced the soldier priests, who were also turning their horses. Xena had managed to take two priests out with her sword and one with her dagger and Asher had also killed two priest soldiers.

"They're tougher and more skilled than most priests," Xena muttered. "When I give the word we go back through. I really hate this but take out the horses."

"What?" Asher asked with a frown.

"They can't follow if they don't have horses, as much as I hate to hurt the horses," Xena explained.

"I don't care about the horses, why not kill the men if we have the chance?"

"We've a better chance with the horses, just do it! We don't have time to argue!"

Xena spurred her horse into action as the soldier priests drew closer, trying to shut off her mind to what she was about to do.

Asher, grumbling, was right behind her.

The warrior steeled herself and headed straight for the riders coming at them. She tried to close her ears and mind to the screams of horses and the yells of their riders as they fell. Xena ducked several swords and broke through the group and had started to break for the trail Gabrielle, Eli and Sasha had taken when she realized that Asher wasn't with her. Xena stopped her horse with a curse and turned to see Asher fighting two priests on the edge of the group. The rest of the group was beginning to divide between following her and heading towards Asher.

Xena swore a general curse and threw her dagger and moved her horse back towards the warrior priests. The dagger buried deep in the eye of one soldier about to stab Asher and Xena reached down and grabbed the war axe she used as backup to her sword since losing her original chakram and sent it flying. It cut the throat of the other priest the young Jew was fighting.

Xena forced her horse through the center of the soldier priests again, flaying with her sword in all directions and caught the shaft of the war axe and yanked it out of the throat of the priest with her left hand in time to strike out with it and cut the throat of another priest.

"Move!" she yelled at Asher and then swore again as his horse went down. Xena flipped off her horse and landed next to the young religious warrior, parrying a sword strike from one of the priests. She grabbed the dying soldier and yanked him off his horse and grabbed the reins of his horse.

Xena reached down and pulled Asher to his feet and handed him the reins. "Go!" she shouted and turned to take on four soldier priests on horseback crowding close to her. Throwing the war axe and following through with a series of sword strikes, Xena cleared a little space and Asher was able to mount the horse.

Xena slashed at the horses nearest her and then grabbed another priest off his horse and mounted it in his place. With a shout the warrior followed a fleeing Asher, continuing to slash at the horses in her way.

"Sasha, is your Mom okay?" Gabrielle called to the child behind her.

"Yes, for now but she's angry at Asher," the young voice reached the bard.

"Figures," the bard muttered, following behind Eli through a forest.

"What?" Eli asked over his shoulder, slowing his horse down in the forest terrain.

"Sasha says that Xena and Asher are alright but Xena's upset with your brother," Gabrielle grinned as she slowed her horse as well.

"Why am I not surprised?" Eli's blue eyes danced in amusement. He glanced around the forest.

"Caleb's place is about two miles from here, the trail branches off in three different directions. Can you mark the trail for Xena to follow but hide it from the soldiers of Kal?" the scholar asked.

"Yes, she knows to look for Amazon signs," Gabrielle answered.

"That's right, I heard you tell Asher that you are an Amazon. Good thing you cut that conversation off!" Eli grinned as they moved along the path. "He has a particular dislike for women warriors, especially the Amazons and gladiators."

"Terrific, I fit that on all accounts," the bard complained.

"I know but he does realize that you didn't become a gladiator of your choice. Xena told me a little bit about that on the ship."

"You mean while I was heaving up my guts?"

"Yeah, something like that," Eli smiled.

They continued on until they reached the end of the forest and faced three different paths. Eli pointed to the left path and Gabrielle nodded and dismounted, leaving Sasha on the horse.

The Amazon Queen moved to the woods next to the left trail and broke several branches and turned and found Eli watching her with a puzzled look. The bard grinned and walked back to the horses.

"Xena will know the pattern. Now, let's move down the middle trail for a bit and then backtrack," she suggested.

"Mum!" Sasha screamed and Gabrielle instinctively ducked.

Both warrior bard and scholar mystic were surprised by the energy bolt that cut down a tree just behind the bard. Eli dived off his horse while Gabrielle grabbed Sasha as the child leaped from the horse she shared with the bard.

The three began to run for the trees as energy bolts exploded around them.

They had almost reached the trees when Gabrielle was thrown forward into a tree by a blast hitting her square in the back.

Xena and Asher moved as fast as their horses would carry them, the warrior cursing the blood covering her hands and legs from the horses and men she had slain, especially the horses.

"Why didn't you listen? You could have been killed!" she yelled at the young Zealot.

"I don't take orders from a female!" he snapped.

"Then your mother must have had her hands full in raising you!" the warrior growled back and wanted to backhand the Zealot as he glared at her.

"I was doing fine!" he yelled.

"Right! One against ten on horseback, I don't think so."

"They don't seem to be following, why?" Asher asked, glancing backwards.

Xena checked as well and frowned. "I don't know, those with horses should be all over us. Unless…"

"What?"

"Sasha!" Xena spurred her horse to an even faster speed. "They were a diversion, meant to split us up!" she yelled as Asher struggled to catch up.

"Eli?"

"Kal is after Sasha, Gabrielle or Eli," the warrior growled.

Xena was off her horse before it had completely stopped when they reached the crossroads and she saw Gabrielle sitting by a tree, her head between her knees and Eli kneeling next to the bard, dabbing at Gabrielle's back with a cloth.

Gabrielle looked up at the sound of the horses and dropped her head again.

"Where's Sasha?" Xena demanded as Asher finally stopped his horse behind hers and dismounted.

"He took her," Eli said simply, his eyes filling with tears.

"Who?"

"He didn't introduce himself but I'm guessing it was Kal," Gabrielle muttered.

Xena squatted in front of Gabrielle and gently raised the bard's head up and frowned at the sight of the blood trickling from her mate's mouth, cut cheek and hollow eyes. The warrior then raised up and took in the sight of the bard's burned back. Something had burned a hand's width wound in Gabrielle's back.

"Where is she, Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly, her blue eyes intense.

"I don't know. Fire bolts came out of nowhere and we were running for the trees. Next thing I know someone has me by the neck and holding me off the ground," Gabrielle stated. "I kicked and fought back and got thrown into a tree."

"Before she could get up he backhanded her and then kicked her. He drew his sword and was aimed at her neck," Eli said. "Sasha and I stopped running and Sasha agreed to go with him if he spared Gabrielle. Sasha walked over to him and they disappeared and Gabrielle passed out."

"You didn't try to protect her?" Xena frowned.

"I'm not a fighter, Xena, I cannot raise my hand in violence," the young man answered.

"I can understand sacrificing your own life for a principle but you didn't fight for a child?" the warrior demanded.

"I understand your anger and I will do anything I can to get Sasha back except fight or do violence," Eli said simply as he lowered Gabrielle's tunic down. The bard hissed with pain and gritted her teeth.

Xena frowned but stood up and helped Gabrielle to her feet.

"Can you ride?" the warrior asked briskly.

"Yes," the bard answered and then frowned as Xena turned and started towards the horses.

"Xena?" Gabrielle called softly but the warrior kept walking. The bard's eyebrows furrowed in puzzlement, she knew Xena had heard her.

"You can ride behind me and Eli behind Asher," Xena stated, quickly mounting the horse she had taken from the priest of Kal.

"Xena? What is it?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Let's move," Xena ordered.

"Where?" Eli asked, coming up behind Gabrielle.

"Wherever the chakram is, that's where Kal will be with Sasha," Xena answered.

"He's going to use Sasha to get the chakram?" Asher questioned.

"She's a child and he's counting on her being innocent enough to get it," Gabrielle responded.

"Xena?" Eli questioned.

"Sasha has seen a lot, including her older brother being blinded by Roman soldiers, I don't know if she's innocent enough for whatever demented god made those damned things!" Xena snapped.

"I think we should go to Caleb's first, we need to know how to neutralize the chakram first," Eli suggested.

"If Sasha can get the chakram then he won't need her anymore and he'll probably kill her," Xena growled and reached out an arm to help Gabrielle onto the horse and then frowned even deeper when Gabrielle didn't respond right away.

"What is it?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Can we talk about this later?" Xena snapped.

"You're blaming me?" the bard demanded.

"How could you turn your back once the fire bolts started? We can hurt Greek gods; odds are that we can hurt this one too. You could have had a chance to fight him if you hadn't been taken from behind," Xena said in a low voice.

"I was trying to get Sasha and Eli to cover," Gabrielle whispered, surprised at the anger in her mate's eyes.

"Bad call," Xena muttered.

"What about you, warrior?" Asher demanded and Xena turned to glare at him as Eli mounted behind his brother.

"What do you mean?" Xena snapped.

"You didn't figure out the soldiers were a diversion until we got away from them," he snapped in return.

"I expected Gabrielle to be able to protect Sasha!" Xena snapped back.

"This isn't helping us!" Eli yelled. "If anyone's to blame, it's Kal!"

"Eli's right," Gabrielle growled, her green eyes flashing at Xena and her jaw taking on that stubborn set that the warrior knew very well. "Let's finish this and we'll talk about this later!"

The bard reached up and accepted her mate's arm and help in mounting the horse behind Xena and placed her arms around the warrior but Xena could feel the anger radiating from her mate.

"Gabrielle?" she said softly.

"No," Gabrielle snapped. "Just ride, the left trail."

"I'm just worried about Sasha," Xena began but Gabrielle cut her off.

"You don't think I am? You don't think I'd die for her?" the bard snapped.

Xena felt her own jaw tighten as she yelled and kicked the horse into action.

They found the decapitated body of Caleb in the middle of the living area of his simple stone house. The mystic and scholar hadn't been dead long.

Eli knelt beside the body and head of his friend in a state of disbelief.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and fought back angry tears and Asher stormed outside, the others presumed to break something.

"Eli, I'm sorry about your friend," Xena said softly, feeling some of her anger melting away in the face of another death.

"Why would Kal kill him?" Eli muttered. "Caleb was the most simple living of our group, he rarely would even eat meat. He was so gentle and no threat to anyone."

"Either as a warning to us or Caleb wouldn't give Kal something he wanted," Xena ventured.

Gabrielle walked over to the simple single bed and removed the wool blanket and gently covered the body and head while Eli stood up.

"Then something here can help us," he stated and began looking about the small living space. Both Xena and Gabrielle also looked around and frowned.

"Eli, there are scrolls and books everywhere," Gabrielle protested. "How do we know what we're looking for?"

"You probably won't and you probably don't read Hebrew," he smiled a slight smile.

"Oh, why can't everyone stick to Latin?" the bard complained.

The scholar shrugged. "You get Xena to take a look at that burn and cuts, there's salve on the shelves near the water basin. I'll look quickly through the scrolls and books."

"Alright," Xena agreed and waited to see if Gabrielle would. The bard's green eyes flashed for a moment and then she sighed and nodded.

The warrior crossed the room and rummaged through the bottles and jars until she recognized some of the salves and herbs. She turned to her mate and found Gabrielle sitting on the edge of the bed, her back to Eli, without her shirt on.

Xena sat down beside the bard and began to slowly apply some of the salve as Gabrielle gritted her teeth.

"Gabrielle," Xena said softly.

"Not right now, okay?" the bard responded. "I hurt everywhere, I feel guilty about Sasha being taken, I'm worried sick and I'm upset with you."

Before either of them could speak they both looked up at Asher walking in the door. Gabrielle nonchalantly pulled her tunic up to cover her breast while Xena continued to dress her wounded back. The young Zealot suddenly had trouble swallowing and blushed furiously. He quickly blinked and then frowned as his eyes took in the sight of the lash scars and the long scars from the bear claw, not knowing that the claw marks were from Gabrielle's Amazon ritual initiation into the Northern Amazons. He moved over to the blanket and pulled it aside.

Eli glanced up and bit back tears as Asher moved the body of his friend onto the blanket, followed by the head of the older scholar.

"I'll build a stone grave," Asher said simply as Eli walked over and handed the young man a needle and some thread. The Zealot began sewing the blanket closed over Caleb.

"Thank you, Asher," Eli said softly and returned to the scrolls.

"Are your ribs injured?" Xena asked the bard.

"No, just bruised," Gabrielle answered as she slowly pulled the tunic back on with a grimace.

"Turn around and let me see those cuts on your face and arms," Xena instructed her mate softly.

"I can do those."

"Please," the warrior asked softly and she felt Gabrielle's muscles relax a little and the bard turned, her green eyes still flashing though.

The warrior thought her bedroll would be empty that night if she and Gabrielle weren't sleeping separately already.

After nearly thirteen seasons together the couple had seen a fair share of disagreements and arguments but nothing that wasn't usually settled by the end of the day. Xena wasn't sure Gabrielle would be willing to let this go by evening and she knew the bard was right.

It just wasn't easy for Xena to admit she was wrong, especially aloud.

The evening found Eli still pouring over the scrolls and books and rubbing his tired eyes in the lamplight, Asher washing up from the hard work of building a stone cairn grave for Caleb, Xena sharpening her sword and Gabrielle finishing dinner.

Asher, frowning, walked over to where Gabrielle was stirring a pot cooking over the fire.

"What are you cooking?" he asked.

"I know that you can't eat pig or hare so we're having a chicken from the stock pens Xena killed earlier. Roasted chicken with vegetables and in the pot is some herbs for my back," she answered.

"How do you know that we can't eat pig nor rabbit?" he asked, kneeling down beside her.

"We have Hebrew visitors coming through occasionally at the inn, sometimes they're even Roman soldiers."

Asher scowled, "Traitors," he muttered.

"What else can't you eat?" she asked, curious.

"Anything that swims without fins and scales, camel, ravens, snails, mice, other stuff."

"Eels are out then?"

"Yes, they are unclean to us."

"Seems a harsh religion at times," she commented.

"Yes, very. The laws can be difficult to follow when outside influences encourage us to turn away from the face of God, that's why many have turned from the true way," he agreed.

"Have you ever seen your god?" Gabrielle asked, checking on the chicken and vegetables.

Asher looked stunned. "No, no one has ever seen the face of God, not even the mighty Moses! He appeared to the great leader as a burning bush because no one is worthy to look upon Him."

"A burning bush?" Gabrielle tried not to look amused.

Asher blushed and reached to help pull the grape leaf wrapped chicken from the coals with the bard.

"That's what the Torah says," he muttered.

"I understand that, the legends say that Zeus appeared as a golden ray of sunshine once," Gabrielle smiled.

"I have it!" Eli shouted, startling everyone else in the room causing Xena to drop her whetstone, Gabrielle to drop a cooked carrot and Asher to almost drop the hot chicken he was putting on a platter.

"Eli!" Xena snapped.

"Sorry," he shrugged and pointed to a scroll. "I found it, the answer! How to neutralize the Chakram of Light!" he said excitedly.

"Okay, how does it work?" Xena asked, getting to her feet and looking over Eli's shoulder and then frowned, still unable to read Hebrew.

"Well," Eli began stammering, "We need to find a stone, a magical stone. If you take the chakram and cut the stone in half with it then the powers of the stone are released and the chakram is neutralized."

"What is the stone, where is it and what does it do?" Xena demanded.

Gabrielle and Asher, both listening closely, finished putting the food on the table.

"It's called the Stone of Bacchus…."

Everyone turned at the sound of a goblet crashing to the stone floor and saw Gabrielle suddenly blinking and her breathing quickened.

"Bacchus?" she whispered.

"What's wrong?" Asher demanded.

"We've dealt with Bacchus before, we both almost died and became his," Xena quickly explained. "What does this stone do?"

"Bacchus and Kal got into a fight decades ago about the worshippers in these parts and Kal won, stealing the stone from Bacchus. It's rumored that the stone can turn an innocent into a full bacchae or free a bacchae from the curse of Bacchus," Eli answered.

"How?" Gabrielle demanded while Asher continued filling the goblets with wine.

"If the affected person breaks the stone then Bacchus no longer controls them," Eli said after reading the scroll further. "To change someone into a bacchae it has to be slipped under their pillow while they're sleeping and they awaken as a vampire."

"What does this have to do with us?" Asher demanded, not seeing the looks passing between Xena and Gabrielle.

"So a weird scenario would be a bacchae taking the Chakram of Light, cutting the Bacchus Stone and being cured of being a bacchae and neutralizing the chakram at the same time?" Xena asked, watching Gabrielle's green eyes flash with yellow tinges.

"Well, that would make an interesting situation," Eli agreed with a grin. "Since we don't know any bacchae, I suppose that means any of us can grab the chakram from Kal and slice the stone."

The small group sat down to dinner with Gabrielle being more quiet than usual. Xena wasn't surprised but the men were but all attempts by Eli and Asher to draw the bard out failed.

"I suggest that Asher and I take on Kal, he's going to expect me to go for the chakram. While Asher and I take him on Eli grabs Sasha and Gabrielle goes for the chakram and shatters the stone," Xena suggested over dinner.

"Any idea where the damned stone is and how I'm supposed to get a chakram off a very defensive War God?" Gabrielle asked in general.

"The scroll says that Kal treasures the Bacchus stone as a war prize and has it displayed on his altar," Eli answered part of the question.

"We'll just have to convince him to let go of the chakram," Xena grinned.

"Or better yet, we hope Sasha has held off getting it for him," Eli commented.

"That would be perfect," Xena agreed, carefully watching her thoughtful bard.

Without a word Gabrielle got up from the table and went outside. Xena was surprised when Eli motioned the warrior to remain sitting and got up.

"I'd like to talk with her for a bit, Xena," the young scholar said simply.

Xena frowned but nodded and began helping Asher clear the table.

Eli found the bard sitting on the stone fence holding the two cows Caleb had kept for milk. Gabrielle was twirling one of her sais in between her hands with an intense look on her face.

"Do you want to talk?" Eli asked softly.

"About what? Xena and I have argued before, we'll get through it," the bard answered.

"No, why you have to be the one to smash the stone."

"Seems like a good plan," the bard suggested.

"There's something about you, Gabrielle and I have a feeling it has to do with Bacchus and that stone."

Eli wasn't sure if the bard was going to fall off the stones in surprise. He could see her jaw muscles tensing with an effort to control her emotions and surprise. The scholar sat down next to her and waited.

"What do you mean, Eli?"

"Asher didn't notice the looks you and Xena gave each other when I described the Bacchus stone and its' powers but I did. He also didn't notice that your eyes are trying to change from green to yellow. Add in Xena's idea of you smashing the stone and that I sense something around you, I logically figured that you didn't get totally away from Bacchus."

"Damn, I can't control the eyes sometimes," the bard muttered.

"Tell me," he encouraged and then listened patiently and without questions as Gabrielle found herself pouring out the history of her involvement with Bacchus, God of Wine and Bacchae.

Gabrielle told Eli about being turned into a partial bacchae and turning Xena and how they managed to defeat Bacchus and return to normal. She could see him flinch when the bard described her crucifixion at the hands of Caesar and how she had died. Eli's eyes widened as Gabrielle described Apollo bringing her soul back into her body but at a price; the unknown taint of Bacchus would now come to the surface.

"How does it affect you?" Eli asked softly, noticing the tears in Gabrielle's eyes.

"I crave blood. No, that's not right, I need blood," she answered, not looking into Eli's blue eyes. "I've almost died a couple of times when I couldn't get it. It hits around the full moon and I can reduce the need with rare meat and animal blood but I occasionally have to have human blood."

Eli waited patiently.

"I've learned to control it mostly but that stone could be my answer."

"Have you ever killed because of it?" Eli questioned softly.

"No, never. When it gets bad, Xena…."

"Xena is your blood source and your mate," Eli finished for his friend.

"You knew, of course," Gabrielle nodded. "You're more observant than your brother."

"Just more traveled and not as narrow-minded. It tends to cloud his observations at times. He suspects but he wouldn't want to deal with that so he pretends he doesn't notice," Eli smiled.

"It's against your laws isn't it?"

"Which? The blood or your relationship with Xena?" he asked with a grin, "Both are stoning offenses in our customs. I wouldn't mention either to Asher," he recommended.

"I don't think I will," Gabrielle agreed, able to smile slightly for the first time in hours.

"How long have you been fighting this?"

"I was bitten and tasted Bacchus' blood twelve years ago but the blood lust hit four years ago."

"And right now?"

"The craving is there," she admitted.

"And you and Xena aren't talking," Eli smiled.

"What are you, Eli? You're more than a scholar," Gabrielle asked.

"I'm a seeker. Asher would say that I'm one of the Chosen, gifted with miracles from God and that I should be leading the fight against the corruption of Judea."

"Miracles?"

"When I was thirteen, my father's best friend collapsed. He had chronic convulsions, and I was left with him while my father went for help and all I could do was stand there, helpless. As I reached out, trying to calm him, I guess, I felt this kind of white hot surge go through me, and when I touched him it stopped. Whatever or whoever gripped him let go. He never convulsed again."

"And you've been searching for what, Eli?"

"What I am supposed to do with these gifts. There are many in the Kingdom of God movement that possess such giftings, it's almost a requirement to be able to perform miracles to be a leader but I don't feel my path is violence," the young man said.

"I never believed my path was to be a warrior either," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Then maybe my truth is yours," Eli suggested.

"What is that?"

"It's life; that we must revere it whenever we find it. To bring peace to this world, I think my path is to teach mankind a reverence for life."

"So, if someone were to walk up to you and knock you down?" she questioned.

"Then I'd get back up."

"But if they knocked you down again?"

"Then I'd get up again if I could. Under no circumstances would I fight back. If I did, I would simply be perpetuating the cycle of violence that has ravaged the Earth for centuries. That cycle has to be broken. My truth is that this can only be done through nonviolence."

Gabrielle frowned with thought.

"It's not for everyone, Gabrielle, few can do it. You have the instincts of a warrior now and the strength of love for others before yourself. Could you stand by and watch someone kill Xena or one of your family?" he questioned gently.

Gabrielle shook her head readily. "No, never."

"Just like Xena's Way is that of the Warrior, your must find your middle ground and what Way is yours. It is better to die following your own way than to live following someone else's," Eli advised.

"My path is with Xena, we were blood bound before the damned blood lust," Gabrielle stated.

"Then your Way is that of Friendship and Family. Have you ever wondered what to do with your skills in overcoming the blood lust?" he questioned.

"What skills?"

"You have overcome the madness of the lust. It still calls and you answer it but it no longer overtakes you totally, does it?"

"How do you know that?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Your mate would answer that I have many skills," he grinned and Gabrielle gave him an exasperated look. "Do you realize that there other types of vampires out there other than bacchae?"

"I've heard some of the legends but we haven't run into any," the bard answered.

"Maybe you could teach some of them to control their blood lust and not kill innocents," Eli suggested.

Gabrielle was stunned and sat pondering. It was something she had never considered.

"Maybe your curse can be used to help others."

"Turning a weakness into a strength?" she said with a smile.

"But if I smash the stone then I won't have the blood lust any longer."

"Then that won't be your path, will it?" Eli asked with a grin as he stood up.

Gabrielle twirled the sai in her hand, deep in thought as the young man went back into the stone building.

Gabrielle turned and saw Xena closing the door of the house behind her. The warrior seemed to hesitate for a moment and then approached her mate slowly.

"Still mad at me?" the warrior asked softly as she sat down next to the bard.

"No," Gabrielle answered simply.

"I'm sorry, I was wrong."

"It's over, lover. Let's just get her back," Gabrielle smiled and laid her head on her mate's shoulder, letting what was left of her anger fade away.

"I will do everything possible to get that stone in your hands, Gabrielle," Xena promised.

"I know, just don't endanger the ultimate goal of taking that chakram away from Kal and neutralizing it," the bard stated.

"Let's go to the barn," Xena suggested softly.

"I thought we weren't going to risk intimacy with Asher and Eli around," Gabrielle countered.

"I saw your eyes, I don't want you weak with cravings when we leave before dawn," Xena said simply.

"Eli knows, he saw my eyes too and sensed the blood. He won't admit it but he's a mystic."

"Is he okay with it? Jews aren't too fond of blood issues," Xena frowned.

"Yes, he's a little more tolerant than his fanatical brother," the bard smiled and wrapped her arm around Xena's waist in a familiar and comforting movement.

"Do you need the blood or can you fight it for a day?" Xena questioned.

"I'll fight it, lover."

The sun wasn't even turning the sky purple when Xena's sharp eyes took in the temple interior from the high window above the altar.

The inside of the temple was lit by a few torches in brackets on the walls, two on each wall and one by the door, making the place fairly well lit. The design was very basic as far as temples went, the warrior reflected.

Seats for worshippers just inside the door, aisle down the center, stone altar stained heavily with blood, banners showing battles scenes decorating the walls along with various weapons, and a chair on a dais behind the altar.

On the secondary altar, behind and higher than the sacrificial one, was a large reddish-purple stone sitting in an eagle's claw. A huge golden sword and a golden goblet also sat on the altar.

In the chair was someone that Xena presumed to be Kal. The War God was sitting with his leg thrown over the wooden and elaborately decorated chair, in the same manner that Ares did. This god of war had long hair pulled back in a braided ponytail and was clean shaven. His skin was well tanned and Xena wasn't sure if he looked more Arabic than Greek or Egyptian. Also like Ares, Kal wore all leather with his arms bare, showing off his well-developed arms.

Xena's eyes narrowed at the sight of a chakram hanging on his belt.

At his feet, curled up in a blanket, was a sleeping Sasha.

Xena bounced lightly on her feet on the windowsill and waited, dagger in her hand.

It was only moments before the door to the temple crashed inward and three shouting and screaming figures ran in and separated, each taking a side and one up the center aisle.

Kal, startled awake, started to rush down from his throne but Xena grinned with delight when Sasha reached out an arm and tripped the War God, sending him flying to the stone floor next to the altars.

As Kal raised up to his knees he grabbed the chakram at his belt and drew back to launch it. The War God appeared surprised when he stopped and looked at his hand as the chakram hit the floor. A dagger was sticking through his hand and it was bleeding.

Xena laughed and flipped forward out of the window and landed on Kal's throne.

The God of War swore under his breath and pulled the knife out and threw it at the warrior but with a grin Xena merely caught it before it hit her face. Kal drew his sword and slashed out as Asher reached him and struck at the god with his sword.

The God of War growled and motioned with his left hand and the young Zealot went flying across the room to land heavily among the benches.

As Kal turned to take on Xena, Sasha crawled out from behind the altar.

"Sasha!" Eli called from the far side of the room. "Here!"

The child quickly ran to him and the scholar turned, putting his body between Sasha and the angry god of War. Gabrielle screamed as Eli and Sasha were thrown into the wall by an energy burst.

Kal parried a series of sword strikes from Xena as she flipped over and landed in front of him. With cat-like quickness he pulled a second sword and slashed at Gabrielle, attempting to scurry past the fighters and grab the chakram. The bard fell back behind Xena holding a slashed arm.

Both Xena and Gabrielle pressed forward again, Xena with her sword and Gabrielle with her sais. Kal parried their strikes, taking a few cuts on his arms and body but nothing serious.

Gabrielle fell back from a sword hilt connecting with her jaw and lay in front of the first set of benches shaking her head.

As the bard picked up a sai she had dropped she spotted Eli trying to get to his feet dazed and an unharmed Sasha crawling out from under him. Gabrielle glanced back and saw Asher pulling himself up from the stone floor among the over-turned benches with a scowl, blood flowing down the right side of his face from a cut scalp.

Asher grabbed up his sword and rushed past the bard just as Kal got through Xena's defenses and managed to hit her in the stomach several times with the pommel of the sword but before he could turn the sword to strike, Asher tackled the War God.

Gabrielle scrambled to her feet and rushed up beside Xena.

"Grab the chakram," Xena yelled.

As the bard started past the altars she found herself falling into the altars with Asher on top of her. With a curse the bard moved the unconscious body of the Zealot off of her and saw Xena and Kal fighting once again, swords flashing faster than the bard's eyes could follow.

Gabrielle started to get to her feet and fell back against the altar with a cry and grabbed her leg, realizing with horror that it was twisted and it felt like lightning striking through her lower back and leg and the bard realized that the leg was broken in the fall.

"Damnit!" she shouted.

She watched as Xena and Kal spread their fight to the rest of the temple, leaping on top of benches and trading sword blows, somersaulting over benches and rebounding off the stone walls to land behind each other, trading fist blows to each other's faces and bodies, Xena flipping over Kal's head and Kal spinning out kicks faster than even the warrior could counter.

Sasha knelt beside Gabrielle while Eli was still trying to clear his head.

"Sasha, grab the chakram and wait behind the high altar, okay?" Gabrielle instructed the child and smiled as Sasha nodded, the child's blue eyes flashing as they watched Xena fighting the War God.

The daughter of Xena disappeared behind the altar.

Gabrielle began shaking Asher.

"Asher, come on!" she shouted. "Wake up, I need to get to that altar!"

Receiving no response the bard turned toward Eli. "Eli, snap out of it! I need help!" she yelled and shouted in rage as the young man attempted to stand and fell back against the wall and slid down to the floor, his eyes unable to focus.

Xena glanced over to see Gabrielle and Asher by the altar.

"Gabrielle, grab the chakram!" she shouted.

"My leg!" the bard shouted back.

Xena swore under her breath seeing both Asher and Eli unable to help and Sasha nowhere in sight.

The warrior knew she had to somehow get away from Kal and help Gabrielle to the higher altar to grab the chakram and break the stone. The problem was that Kal was just as skilled as Ares and even more deadly. Unlike Ares, Kal didn't care for Xena and therefore wasn't holding back.

Xena could feel a couple of broken ribs, a loose tooth and various cuts and slashes on her arms and legs. The warrior reflected that the War God wasn't in much better shape, however, and that gave her some hope.

With a war cry the warrior somersaulted over the War God and thrust her sword backwards and spun around as the sword went through Kal's back, near his right side. The War God cursed and spun rapidly and managed to kick Xena in the stomach before she could follow through with another sword strike. Both warriors recovered and met in front of the altars, almost within kicking reach of Gabrielle.

Kal surprised the warrior by dropping his sword, parrying her sword strike with his arm gauntlet and grabbing Xena by the throat. Before the warrior could counter the movement it felt like white hot fire was ripping through her body and she could feel her body jerking as Kal lifted her off of the stone floor, choking her.

"Xena!" Gabrielle screamed as she could see energy bolts shooting through her mate. "No!"

The bard tried once again to get to her knees and screamed in pain and rage. Xena was shaking in Kal's hands, her eyes rolled back in her head and Gabrielle felt a chill sweep over her body as blood began to trickle from Xena's nose and her arms went limp, no longer clawing at Kal's hands and arms.

"Sasha!" Gabrielle screamed, pulling herself up on the lower altar as upright as she could. The child's head appeared above the higher altar, her eyes wide at the sight of her Mom dying in the War God's hands. "Take the chakram and smash that stone in front of you! Do it now!"

Kal's head snapped around as the child raised the silver weapon above her head with both hands and the energy bolts stopped as he started to turn.

"NO!" he screamed, dropping Xena as the chakram went crashing down onto the Stone of Bacchus.

Xena's eyes cleared and the warrior growled.

The War God Kal glared at the small child he held by her tunic high above his head, his eyes blazing with intense fury.

"You've ruined the chakram!" he shouted.

He prepared to throw the child into the stone wall when he hesitated, feeling cold steel at his neck.

"Put my child down or die, Kal," a harsh voice instructed.

"You can't kill me, Xena," the War God smirked.

"Oh yeah? What's that you're doing, bleeding, isn't it?"

Gabrielle could see the War God frowning as he looked down at his body, especially the wound in his side.

"We have the power to kill gods, Kal. I'm willing to let you live right now if you put my child down gently and give me your word that we all walk out of here unharmed," Xena hissed in his ear.

The War God looked at the child in his fists, the chakram having separated into two distinct pieces, one in each of the child's hands. He glanced back down at the altar and the shattered stone and glared back at Sasha.

The child's eyes were wide with fear but she matched his glare.

"I give you my word that I won't harm any of you for the space of three days. Get out of my territory, Xena, and take your brat with you," Kal snapped and lowered Sasha to the ground. In a flash, the War God was gone.

Xena looked down at Gabrielle's yellow eyes and realized what had happened.

"Oh gods, little one," she whispered.

Eli patiently followed the candle flame with his eyes as Xena passed it in front of his face later that day.

"The eyes are both equal now, you've had a pretty good hit to the head but I think you'll be okay," the warrior and occasional healer announced with a smile.

"That's good because I can't seem to heal myself," he matched her smile and then frowned. "How is Gabrielle?" he asked softly, glancing over at his brother who was fixing lunch.

"She'll be okay, I can help her if you keep Asher busy," Xena said softly.

"Her leg?"

"It'll be mostly healed by tonight and she can get around on crutches tomorrow."

Xena shrugged her shoulders at his obvious surprise.

"We've been blessed by the gods with rapid healing," she explained, also keeping an eye on Asher, not wanting the young Zealot to get upset with Xena and Gabrielle's dealings with the gods. Anything dealing with the gods could set the angry young man off.

She wondered what he would think if he knew the true parentage of Xena, Gabrielle and Sasha. The warrior decided that she didn't want to find out.

"The other?"

"We failed, it wasn't Gabrielle who broke the stone, it was Sasha," Xena answered.

"Then she's still cursed by Bacchus," Eli lost his smile.

"Yes, that's why she's been in the barn since we got back. She doesn't want Asher to see her eyes and fangs right now. Being near the stone set her bacchae side off."

"Then go to her, I'll keep Asher busy."

The warrior found Gabrielle resting on a pile of hay with Sasha playing in the hayloft above, playfully dropping hay onto her bard Mum. The child grinned at the sight of her Mom entering the barn and nearly gave Xena a heart attack when Sasha launched herself from the loft and landed in a large hay pile next to the warrior.

"Sasha!" Xena squeaked as the laughing youngster dug her way out from under the hay.

"Now I know how my mom felt when I pulled that same stunt," the warrior complained as her daughter hugged her.

Gabrielle managed a small smile at her mate and child.

"Sasha, why don't you go help Asher with our early dinner, okay?" Xena suggested.

"You need alone time?" the impish child asked.

"Yup, think I can get it with your Mum?" the warrior asked.

"I guess so, see you later!"

Xena looked down at Gabrielle and wasn't surprised when the bard lost her smile, her yellow eyes looking up at Xena's blue ones.

The warrior settled next to Gabrielle and pulled the bard to lean into her, wrapping an arm around Gabrielle's shoulders.

"How's the leg?"

"It's okay. Hurt like Tartarus for awhile," the bard answered and reached down and carefully removed the chakram from Xena's belt and began looking at it.

This chakram was different than the warrior's original one in that it could separate into two pieces. The pieces looking very similar to a Yin Yang design Xena had come to know from her travels in Chin.

"Can you throw the individual pieces?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, one at a time or both at the same time or as one large piece," the warrior answered.

"Then it's even more deadly than your original one," the bard remarked.

"Yeah," Xena agreed.

"I'm still bacchae," Gabrielle said simply.

"I know, I saw the eyes and your fangs. You could have crawled to the chakram while Kal and I were fighting."

"You were dying, by the time I reached it you would have been dead. It was either distract him with the chakram or sacrifice you. I chose you, my love," Gabrielle answered softly, leaning into Xena's shoulder.

"Gabrielle…."

"No, it's okay. I've lived with it for awhile now and it won't be any different," Gabrielle said.

"No, it won't be the same. You had a ray of hope and sacrificed it."

"For us, Xena, I'd sacrifice my life for us or the kids."

Xena wiped a tear away from Gabrielle's face.

"I know, little one. I'm sorry about yesterday, about blaming you, I was wrong."

"It's over and seems like forever now," Gabrielle whispered.

"Xena, I can't let Asher see me like this."

"I know," Xena said softly and took the chakram from her bard's hand and put it in her left hand. "What say we break this in?"

With a rapid movement the warrior had sliced a cut into her forearm and held the arm around for Gabrielle.

Gabrielle felt a whimper escape from her throat as she gently

reached out and pulled Xena's arm to her lips. She could feel her head pounding with the rushing blood through her own veins, sensing Xena's blood as well moving through the warrior's body and her senses were overwhelmed with the scent of the fresh blood and the bard's canines extended even further.

The first taste of willing blood always sent a jolt through both Gabrielle and Xena and the bard felt Xena pull her even closer with her other arm that was wrapped around the bard. Both felt their bodies jerk and the warrior began to nuzzle Gabrielle's neck while the bard lost herself in the blood flowing into her mouth and the eroticism flowing through her body.

"Xena…." A voice broke Xena's concentration but the bard was lost in the feeding and responded slowly to the barn door being opened.

Asher stood in the doorway and the Zealot's eyes grew wide as he took in the sight of Gabrielle's yellow eyes, fangs and bloody mouth and Xena's loving position holding the bard.

"Spawn of Lilith!" he screamed and drew his sword.

Gabrielle, reacting slowly in her blood-hazed mind, flinched back into Xena and reached for her sai as the sword came straight for her head.

The bard breathed a sigh of relief as the chakram switched from one hand to the other and her warrior blocked the sword with the new weapon. Gabrielle rolled out of the way as Xena sprang to her feet and kicked Asher in the chest, sending him back several feet.

She parried another sword strike from him and kicked the sword out of his hand and backhanded the young man as he charged her with his fists.

"Asher, no!" Eli shouted as he ran into the barn and grabbed his brother before Asher could get up from the floor of the barn. Xena held the chakram at the Zealot's neck.

Asher glared at her, his eyes blazing with madness.

"She's a demon!" he shouted, pointing at Gabrielle.

Eli looked over and saw the bard blushing bright red as she wiped her mouth and refused to meet his eyes. The young scholar quickly figured out what Asher had walked in on. It was worse than if his younger brother had walked in on Xena and Gabrielle having sex. That the young Zealot could curse and dismiss as foreign and heathen influences.

Blood was a serious matter to Jews.

"She is not a demon, she was tainted by Bacchus and requires blood occasionally," Eli tried to explain.

Xena pulled back slightly as Eli held Asher tightly. She kept her new chakram ready and her body was tense, ready to spring into action.

"You knew!" Asher screamed. "She's unclean! Both of them!"

"Yes, I knew. I also know that they aren't Hebrew, Asher. They aren't required to follow our rules, they don't even live in Palestine!"

"They've been cursed by their own gods and you accepted their help?" Asher demanded.

"Asher, stop it!" Eli begged, "they risked their lives to stop Kal, to help us."

"No! If you accept their friendship then you are cursed!"

"Asher, Gabrielle needed to be the one to smash that stone to cure herself. She sacrificed that chance to ensure Kal didn't defeat all of us. Both of them have died before to save their friends and families and even strangers, I will not turn away from them," Eli declared.

"Then you are forsaken!" Asher yelled and struggled out of his brother's arms. As he stood up he glared at all three of them, his fists clenched. He looked like he was going to approach Gabrielle for a moment until he saw Xena's eyes narrow and she raised the chakram.

"Eli's brother or not, you take one step towards her and you're dead," the warrior warned.

"You mate with her, don't you? Not only blood cursed but perverted!" Asher sneered.

"Eli, get your brother out of here before I lose my temper," Xena growled.

"No! He is not my brother!" Asher yelled. "He is my enemy if consorts with the likes of you!"

"Asher, use your head!" Eli begged. "All fall short of the glory of God and these two have done more good for humanity than all of your Kingdom of God Zealots. Make peace with them and we'll leave and go back to Judea."

"No," Asher hissed.

"Asher, don't turn away from your brother," Xena urged. She quickly motioned Sasha back outside when she spotted the child peeking in the barn door. "Learn to use your brain, you're as intelligent as Eli, prove it!"

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"Asher, I've learned a lot from people who weren't the same culture or who didn't believe the same as I do. We aren't your enemies and we aren't demons," Xena said gently.

The young man continued to glare, especially at Gabrielle.

"Ash, what would you do if Roman soldiers demanded that you make sacrifices to their gods to prove your loyalty to the Empire?" Gabrielle asked.

The young man frowned and blushed angrily.

"He would refuse and be arrested and flogged or draw his sword and be killed," Eli answered.

"Yes, the Roman soldiers would celebrate that night and forget you by the next day," Xena said harshly.

"My brothers would remember me and hold me up as a martyr," Asher insisted.

"And what good would that do?" Xena countered. "How many would follow you in death? I'm saying learn to pick your battles, like your Maccabees, they struck when they knew they could win and used their heads. Learn who your enemies are and where to find allies."

"Like you?" he sneered.

"You saw Gabrielle's scars. You didn't see the brand that the bear claws destroyed. She was raped, beaten, flogged and crucified by the Romans. They destroyed our Amazons, blinded my son, kidnapped our daughter and almost killed several of our friends. Who do you think we'd rather have as a friend?" Xena stated.

"Instead of being a tree that will snap in a windstorm or can be cut down, learn to be a willow, brother," Eli suggested. "Bend with the wind and avoid the axe that would cut you down before your roots can take hold."

"I'm a warrior, not a leader," Asher shook his head.

"And your brother is the leader and not a warrior, he'll need someone to protect him," Gabrielle suggested.

"Me? A leader?" Eli stammered.

"Isn't that the role you've been fighting against?" the bard countered.

"Asher, the time of the warriors will pass and Eli and his students will be the ones to follow, like water. A friend taught me that water is gentle and soft but no one can stand against a raging river," Xena insisted.

"Warriors always come along and conquer the farmers," Asher insisted.

"And then they fall aside again, it's a cycle," Gabrielle responded.

The young man looked troubled and thoughtful.

"Asher, don't turn away, please," Eli asked simply.

"I can't travel with them," the young man said in a stubborn voice.

Eli dropped his head in defeat and sadness as Asher turned back to Xena and Gabrielle.

"I can't accept your relationship and the blood, I will think about what you said though."

"Thank you, Asher. We'll stay in the barn tonight," Xena said.

"I'll have Eli bring your food and things out here," Asher said and picked up his sword, Xena's narrow eyes watching his every move as he sheathed the sword. Then, she finally put her new chakram on her belt.

The young Zealot left the barn without another word.

"I'm sorry, Xena, Gabrielle – I didn't realize he was coming out here until he was already out of the house," Eli apologized.

"He's right about one thing, we do walk different paths. What he doesn't see is that we're wanting to get to the same place but he wants to do with a sword and I want to do it with love," the young mystic complained.

"I'll take your way over his when we can," Gabrielle smiled, her eyes once again bright green and no sign of fangs.

The bard yelped when Xena threw herself onto the hay next to her mate.

"Xena!"

"We can make for the coast in the morning," Xena said simply as Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her mate's neck.

Xena turned to look at Eli.

"What about you, Eli? Going back to Palestine right away?" she invited.

"No, I'm going to stay here for a bit and study Caleb's scrolls and books, there's much to be learned here," he said simply.

"Asher can use the time as well, tending the animals and such."

"Sounds dull," Xena grinned.

"Everything is dull without you two around," he grinned back.

"Besides, someone has to take care of the animals until I find a buyer for the livestock and the property. The money will go to a hospice near here."

"Sounds like what Caleb would want," Gabrielle agreed.

Sasha peeked her head back in the door and then made a running leap for her Mom as Gabrielle rolled out of the way, protecting her injured leg.

"Humph!" the warrior cried out as the child hit her and they both began a tickle fight. After a moment they settled into a hug with Sasha between Gabrielle and Xena.

"Tomorrow we go home?" Sasha asked.

"Yup, your Mum with a sprained leg and sea-sick. Should be a fun trip," Xena grinned evilly.

"Oh, I'll get you for those thoughts!" Gabrielle threatened.

Eli grinned at his Greek friends. "Maybe someday Asher can see the love and not the rules," he muttered to himself as he headed out of the barn.


	19. 19 Death and Rain

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** not much, less than a typical TV episode.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Passing through a village becomes difficult when Gabrielle becomes trapped in a village struck with plague or worse.

* * *

"Xena, I can see a sign for the next village up ahead," Gabrielle stated.

"Good, ride on and get out of this rain. I've got to adjust Argo's straps or my saddle is going to drop me on my ass," Xena suggested.

"Can't you make it on in?" Gabrielle frowned, shaking the rain off her cloak hood as she looked into the blue eyes of the Warrior Princess.

"It'll only be a minute," Xena reassured the bard.

Gabrielle waited patiently.

"I think someone is behind us and I want a look," Xena finally admitted with a slightly sheepish smile.

"Only one?" the bard frowned, resisting the urge to look back.

"Yeah, I don't think it's anything, just want to be sure."

"Okay, don't take too long, I know you've got to be tired of this rain, after two days of it," Gabrielle smiled. Sasha, riding behind Gabrielle, smiled at her mom too.

Gabrielle knew that Xena was being cautious, the warrior's instincts always on alert but the bard knew that not much was likely to happen this close to a walled village and moved her horse towards the village gates.

The bard began frowning as she got closer. The walls of the village were high, probably three men high and of thick stone. The gates were wooden and thick and would take effort to open or close.

What was beginning to bother the bard was the fact that there weren't any guards on the wall and it didn't appear that there were any at the gate either. Gabrielle reached down and drew her sais as she slowly moved her horse towards the gates again. The bard felt her body begin humming with energy as she went on high alert, taking in every sound, every scent, and every movement around her.

"Sasha, I want you to get down from the horse and climb that tree up there and wait for me, okay? I want to check this out," Gabrielle said softly, lifting the child down to the ground.

"Something's wrong inside," Sasha said, looking at the gates of the town.

"Can you tell what it is?" the bard asked, trusting the child's god-given psychic gifts once again.

"No, but it's not..." Sasha frowned, looking for words to fit her feelings. "It's not war."

"Good, let me go check it out and you wait for me, okay?"

The child nodded and then scampered off the road and up the tree like the true energetic kid she was.

Gabrielle let the horse move through the gate cautiously, eyes darting around for any sign of a trap. The bard felt a chill overcome her as the silence of the village reached her. There were no dogs and no people in sight.

"Hello? Anyone here?" she called out loudly with a frown. There were no signs of fire or attack and no signs of things having been moved out quickly. Gabrielle dismounted and entered the tavern, one place where there was usually someone around, if only the innkeeper.

The bard felt herself go very pale when her eyes adjusted to the inside light.

There were several men lying with their heads on their arms on the tables, none looked up at the bard but the stench almost knocked Gabrielle off her feet. The smell of death and illness. The innkeeper was lying on his bar and when he looked up at her, she backed out of the door. His face was covered with horrible red splotches and his eyes were yellowed with illness and fever.

Gabrielle turned and ran for her horse and ran smack into an old woman coming around from the other side of the bard's horse. The bard and woman fell backwards together into the mud and Gabrielle looked over in horror at the woman, realizing the woman was sick with the same thing the men in the inn had.

Everything became clear, the village wasn't deserted, it was dying.

"Don't touch her!" a voice demanded.

Gabrielle and the old woman looked up and saw a middle aged man stagger out of the inn towards them. The bard scrambled to her feet and backed up several feet away from both of them.

"She already did," Gabrielle muttered.

"Then you've been exposed," the man shook his head.

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed, trying to get her fear and emotions under control. She knew she couldn't very well tell these suffering villagers that she was immune to sickness because she was the daughter of a god. They would resent her or expect her to cure them and then would resent her when she couldn't.

"I set guards on the gates but they must have gotten worse," the man muttered.

"Come help me close them," Gabrielle ordered and approached the man.

"No, don't touch me! You might be safe if you don't touch anyone else!" he protested.

"I've been in the town for a quarter of a candle-mark and I've touched her, I'm already dead if it's going to happen. In the meantime, let's make the town secure so no one else gets in," she ordered, placing his arm around her shoulder. The old woman went into the inn without a word.

"I'm Urban, Captain of the Guard," he introduced himself.

"I'm Gabrielle," she muttered as they made for the gate.

"Hey, slow down, I'm afraid I don't have a lot of energy," he protested.

"I've got a friend heading for town and I don't want her in here. We need to close that gate," Gabrielle explained.

"Well, you're better hurry, I think I hear a horse," Urban urged.

"Damnit! Sasha!" Gabrielle got out from under Urban's arm and darted for the gate. She could hear a horse as well and broke into a run. Even if it wasn't Xena, the bard didn't want anyone else coming into the village unless they were a healer with medicine. She also had to keep Sasha out of the village at all costs.

Gabrielle got to the gate in time to see Xena riding up at a trot. The bard managed to get one gate totally closed before Xena got close enough for the bard to see the questioning look on her face.

"Xena! Stay back!" Gabrielle shouted.

The warrior reined Argo in and frowned as she saw Gabrielle struggling to close the other gate. Xena set Argo into a run towards the gate, determined to help her mate with whatever was wrong.

Gabrielle stepped outside of the gate and raised her sais in a throwing position. Xena reined Argo back as the bard sent one flying, landing in front of her mate's horse. Argo reared up, almost looking indignant at the bard for attacking her.

"Xena, stay back!" Gabrielle shouted again. "The village is down with the plague. I need you to get a healer, medicine and supplies. Don't come in the village!"

"Let me in to help, you know we can't get sick," Xena protested. "Where's Sasha?"

"Here, Mom!" Sasha called as she scurried out of the tree and ran up beside Argo, watching her Gabby mum with wide eyes. Xena leaned down and pulled the child onto Argo with her and glared at her bard with concern.

"Xena, we don't know about the plague. Your mother said we can't get sick, she didn't say we were immortal and this stuff kills. Someone needs to go for help," Gabrielle countered.

"Keep your friend out of here, everyone is dying," Urban urged from behind the gate.

Gabrielle turned back towards Xena. "It's killing people; you've got to keep out."

The warrior frowned and looked back at her mate. "If there's a chance it can harm us then get out of there and we'll both go for help."

"I've already been exposed, I've had contact."

Xena could see the distress on Gabrielle's face and cursed under her breath, wanting to dash forward and grab the bard away from the danger but she knew Gabrielle was right.

"Damnit!" she swore. "Alright, what are the symptoms?"

"Urban?" Gabrielle called over her shoulder.

"Headache followed by chills and fever. Then the red splotches appear and weakness. You can't keep food down and then delirium from the fever. Death follows within four days," the Captain answered.

"Do the splotches cover the entire body?" Xena called.

"Yes, head to toe," Urban called back.

Gabrielle listened as the two talked back and forth for a few moments, Urban describing the illness and Xena questioning the Captain. Then the bard caught her mate's eyes and they left the words unspoken between them. She could see the concern and fear in both Xena and Sasha's faces. Gabrielle nodded and waved slightly as Xena turned Argo back onto the road.

"Your friend will be too late, most everyone is dead or dying," Urban said behind her.

"Then we'll have to work at keeping them alive. Find some paint and a brush," she ordered.

"Whatever for?" the Captain asked, shivering in the rain.

"Because I'm going to paint a warning on the gate to keep people out, we don't want anyone else wandering in," she responded.

"Good idea," he agreed.

"Urban?" he turned to look at her, his face fevered. "Is anyone not sick?"

"No, every single person in the town and anyone who was caught here is sick or dead, including the horses."

"Horses? That is unusual."

Gabrielle felt a twinge of fear come over her as she walked over and retrieved her sai, watching Xena disappear in the rain.

"I hope your friend can ride fast," Urban commented as Gabrielle helped him towards the inn.

"How many in town?"

"Sixty, we're off the main road and so the outpost remained small. Only the one road. Why were you two taking this route?"

"We were going to drop off a message in the next village over for a friend before going to Poteidia," the bard answered.

"Bad luck for you," he muttered, a grimace on his face.

Gabrielle helped the Captain into a chair in the inn and then took a good look around at the villagers. If Xena could have seen the bard, the warrior would have recognized the familiar stubborn set of Gabrielle's jaw.

The bard spent the next two candle-marks exploring the village. She was able to find four farmers not too far gone with the illness and together they made two litters while she tried to dry off.

With a muttered curse she had discovered everything in her packs was wet except her scrolls and parchment. Once again the bard gave thanks for Xena fixing the one pack, sealing it again and again with oil and wax until the thing was waterproof for her bard's writing things.

There were times that Gabrielle cursed the hardiness of her mate. Xena usually didn't mind traveling in the rain or snow as much as Gabrielle did. After two days of rain the bard was wet, muddy and grumpy.

"Alright, the stable may be the largest building in town but the horses are dead and damned hard to move. Okay, gather anyone still alive and start bringing them to the temple. I'll start clearing out the benches and chairs," she ordered the young men.

"Shouldn't we keep everyone separate?" one of them asked.

"I'm the only one who isn't sick yet and I need everyone in one place if we're going to help them," she insisted. "My name is Gabrielle, what's yours?"

"I'm Patron, this is Sidor, Deimachus, and Iobates," one of them introduced himself and the others.

"Okay, let's get moving while any of us have any strength left," she encouraged.

It was dark when the men finished bringing in the sickened villagers and collapsed against the wall themselves, breathing heavily and sweating, despite the cold rain.

Gabrielle quickly checked each of them and handed them a goblet of water and a towel.

"I checked the well, it seems fresh and has plenty of water. Drink as much of it as you can," she instructed.

"How can we help?" Patron asked, panting.

"Just rest for awhile. A couple of the village girls are able to go from bed to bed with water and cool cloths. I'm going to make some broth for those who can keep it down," Gabrielle stated simply.

Gabrielle made a count of the villagers still living and found that out of 65 only 40 were still alive and she didn't think 10 of those were going to make it through the night. Thrashing in delirium or comatose with fever, five of them were almost dead before they were moved.

Of the remaining 30 only five of them were able to get to their feet; the Captain, the young litter carriers and the two women assisting Gabrielle. Iobates and Sidor were showing signs of weakening. No one looked to be getting better and the bard frowned. She had learned to handle her fear in battle, this was a different kind of fight.

Gabrielle found clothes in a house with three dead occupants that would fit her and quickly changed into dry clothes, knowing they wouldn't stay dry long but might give her own clothes time to dry out. Once more the bard cursed the rain that didn't seem to ease up any.

Xena cursed as it became too dark to travel along the road and Argo needed a rest. The warrior quickly pulled Argo off the road and loosened the horse's saddle and grabbed some cheese and bread out of the packs for herself.

"Damnit, Argo! What if Gabrielle is right and we can get sick? She's right in the middle of an outbreak!" the warrior cursed as she sat against the tree, letting the horse graze beside her on the grass.

The warrior pulled her cloak around her, missing her mate and barely noticing that the rain had stopped.

Sasha curled up in her Mom's arms and they held each other throughout the night. Daughter trying to comfort her mother for once.

"I remember when Gabrielle and I went up against the Persians," Xena told her child. "It was up to us to warn the next major towns and Athens and Gabrielle was shot by a Persian arrow."

"Was she hurt bad?" Sasha asked.

"Yeah, the arrow was poisoned. I was hoping to find the antidote at the next town, only the town was deserted and the medicine gone or broken," Xena continued, her heart tightening at the memory of Gabrielle struggling against the poison. "We had to make a choice; stand and hold off the Persians at the bridge or I could ride to Athens for the antidote and leave the way open for the invaders. I couldn't do both and your Gabby mum was dying, slowly."

"You didn't let her die," Sasha pointed out.

"No, but I made the choice to stand. Gabrielle made it actually. She was so brave, Sasha. Braver than I was. I'm not afraid to die in battle, that's something I've always accepted would be my fate. In fact, I never expected to live as long as I have," the warrior grinned at her child. "I couldn't stand seeing Gabrielle die though. We weren't even a couple yet but I was willing to let Greece take its chances against the Persians to save her life. She insisted I stand and hold them off, even if it meant her life."

"She wanted you to fight even though she would die?" Sasha questioned.

"Yes, Gabrielle said it was for the best, for the greater good," Xena answered.

"But she lived," Sasha pointed out.

"Yes, while fighting the Persians I found poisoned arrows and knew someone among the bunch had to have the antidote and found it. It was close, though. She almost died and I thought I would die with her. Gods, Hecate said we can't get sick but Gabrielle is right, Hecate didn't say we couldn't die."

Sasha hugged her mother tight, trying to reassure her in the only way she knew how.

Gabrielle spent the night caring for the sick and moving the dead out of the temple. The sounds of moaning, thrashing patients and crying kept everyone not comatose semi-awake and the bard busy throughout the long night.

Buckets of water to be carried, waste buckets to be emptied, bedding to be changed, all requiring time and energy. Something Gabrielle was running short of by morning. And always there was the rain, making tiny rivers in the middle of the village roads, turning everything into mud and getting on the bard's nerves.

Urban was thrashing on his blanket by mid-morning and Sidor was having trouble focusing on anything and throwing up what little water the bard could get him to drink.

It was past noonday when Patron walked up behind the bard and gently put his hands on her shoulders. Gabrielle, tears streaming down her face, pulled the blanket up over the child she had been tending. The little girl couldn't have been more than five winters, she thought.

The young farmer knelt beside the bard and lifted the child in his arms and headed out the door. No one had the energy to bury the dead so they planned to burn the dead in the evening. Gabrielle just hoped they still had the energy to do it by nightfall.

Patron came back in with some cheese and a loaf of bread and tried to hand them to the bard but Gabrielle shook her head no.

"Go on, you've got to eat," he insisted. "You'll make yourself sick if you don't."

"I ate some this morning but you're right," she said, taking the cheese and bread. "Have you eaten?"

"I can still keep soup down," he said with a small smile. The red splotches on his body and face were getting worse.

"If we can keep the fever down some of the villagers might live long enough for Xena to get back with healers and medicine," Gabrielle said thoughtfully, rubbing her temple.

Patron frowned. "Headache?"

"Yeah, but I've also been up for over twenty candle-marks, so don't panic yet," she smiled a tired smile.

"Then get some rest," he encouraged.

"We need more water," she countered.

"I'll get it."

"You can't hardly move anymore, Patron. I'll get the water. Just try and keep that soup down," she ordered and rose to her feet slowly and headed for the well with two buckets.

Gabrielle leaned against the well and closed her eyes for the moment. Patron was right, she was exhausted and it would be at least another day before Xena could return with help. She wasn't sure she could get through another night without some rest but there were so many sick people that needed tending to and none of them recovering, only getting worse.

The bard filled the buckets slowly and began the short walk back to the temple. Gabrielle couldn't tell if she was shivering from the illness beginning to hit her or from being wet all the time from the rain.

She found Patron and Deimachus still on their feet.

"Hey guys, we need an inventory of the food in the village and we need to keep the patients cool, who wants what?" she asked with a slight smile.

Deimachus was sweating heavily and breathing hard but attempted a small smile himself. "I'll help keep the others cool with the water," he volunteered.

"I can empty the buckets, I've still got a little strength left and you're the bard and good with the writing stuff," Patron suggested.

"How do you know I'm a bard?" Gabrielle questioned.

"You called your friend Xena and you're Gabrielle. There's only one Warrior Princess named Xena and bard named Gabrielle."

"Yeah, I guess so." The bard smiled a small smile and nodded, acknowledging the comment. "I'll inventory the food."

"There should be plenty of dried supplies, grains, potatoes, stuff like that. Fresh meat will be a little difficult," Deimachus said.

"No one can keep fresh meat down anyway. With the barn separate from any other building, do you think we can burn it without endangering the other buildings in the village?" the bard questioned.

"Even with the rain, the insides and the dead horses should burn completely before the rain dampens the fire. There's the rain so it shouldn't spread. You're worried about illness from the rotting corpses?" Patron asked.

"Yes, we've already got our hands full without adding more disease on top of this plague," the bard confirmed.

"Okay, let's do that and then inventory the food."

"Before checking our supplies?" Gabrielle frowned.

"You'll need help to set the barn on fire in the rain and I'm not going to be able to stand up much longer," Patron stated with a small smile.

"Okay, let's go."

The sun was just setting when the last of the barn collapsed with a scream of timber. Both Patron and Gabrielle held pieces of cloth to their noses against the smell of burning horseflesh and human flesh. The bard was saying prayers of thanks that her horse hadn't come down sick yet.

"Why don't you sleep for a little bit before you drop?" Patron suggested.

"The others need me," she protested, leaning heavily on a rake.

"And you won't do them any good if you're too exhausted to move," he insisted.

"Alright," the bard said wearily and let the young man lead her to the temple and a blanket in the corner. Gabrielle was asleep before he finished covering her.

It seemed like only minutes when the moans and cries of the villagers woke the bard up again but it seemed well into nighttime so Gabrielle knew she must have gotten some rest. The bard moaned with weariness as she got up from her bedding, moving to the first villager next to her.

It was another long night for Gabrielle, Patron and Deimachus. Sidor and Iobantes now too sick to be of any help and the village girls were all thrashing on blankets with high fever.

The morning was spent burning the bodies of the villagers that had died in the houses on the far side of the village, the more run-down area of the village inside the wall. Then Gabrielle found herself helping Deimachus back to the temple when he collapsed at the burning. The bard looked over at Patron as they lowered his friend onto a pallet and covered the shivering farmer. Gabrielle recognized the look in Patron's eyes as one of hopelessness. He leaned back against the wall and looked around at the villagers and shook his head.

"Don't give up on me, Patron," Gabrielle urged, kneeling down in front of him and feeling his forehead.

"I think I need a shave," he muttered, his hazel eyes looking back into hers as he attempted to smile.

Gabrielle attempted a small chuckle. "We could all do with a very long bath," she agreed. "Don't give up on me yet."

"I'll try," he promised and looked deep into her tired face. "We're the only ones left standing and I'm almost done in."

"I know, none of the others are recovering. Hasn't anyone survived this?" she questioned.

"Not that I know of. All the villagers are here and the couple of merchants who were here when it hit. They were the first ones to get sick," he said.

Gabrielle frowned, trying to think around her exhaustion. "What were they selling?"

"Grain from the midland and fish from the coast."

"They got sick first, right?" she asked.

"Yeah, day after they got here."

"When did the villagers start eating the grain and fish?" she asked.

"Immediately, we were short of grain. Even grain for the horses," Patron's face took on a look of shock. "Grain? We've been poisoned?"

"It's really rare for someone not to survive an illness, even the plague. Someone is always resistant but no one here is, including the horses. The dogs and pigs are fine, the people and horses are dying," she said thoughtfully. "Horses don't eat fish but they do eat grain."

"By the gods, if it's poison or diseased grain, what do we do?" he asked.

"Just what we're doing, no one can keep anything in their stomachs now as it is. We keep pushing the water and the broth and try to flush it out of our systems. Think back, when people started feeling better after throwing up, did they start eating again?"

Patron frowned. "Yes, simple things, bread and broth."

"More grain, poisoning themselves again," Gabrielle reasoned.

"Yes, and then dying the next day."

"Then if we can get some of them to eating solid food and not give them the grain, maybe some of them can live."

"If you're right," Patron concluded.

"If I'm not then there's no harm done, we're all dead if I'm wrong anyway and may have a chance if I'm right," she said simply.

"Give me a minute and I'll help haul the water buckets with you," he said as he leaned back against the wall and closed his eyes.

"Just rest a bit," Gabrielle muttered, feeling her own eyes growing heavy. She yelped with surprise when she felt Patron's arms reach out and pull her against him against the wall.

"Just rest, little bard," he muttered.

Gabrielle laid her head in his lap and fell asleep, fighting the headache crowding her thoughts.

"Listen, damnit!" Xena snapped at she faced the gathering of healers from the nearest four villagers and their apprentices. "My friend said the entire village was sick, they need your help and supplies."

"Warrior, the symptoms you describe aren't from an illness," a middle-aged healer stood up and spoke. "The grain has been poisoned by a local plant, the merchants attempted to bulk up their stock by mixing in the contaminated local grain. We've heard of these merchants but they disappeared before the militia could grab them. Now we know where they went. By the time we could get to this isolated village they will all be dead, including your friend."

"I won't believe that," Xena growled. "My friend is smart and resilient. You can't turn away just because they 'might' be dead."

The healer looked around and found several of the others nodding and turned back to Xena.

"We agree. We will gather the supplies and as much antidote as we can work up or have stored. We'll leave first thing in the morning," he stated.

"You know the type of poison?" Xena questioned.

"Yes, the symptoms and red splotches tell us which it is," the healer answered.

"In two candle-marks," the warrior snapped.

"We can't travel at night," one of the healers protested.

"We'll travel by candlelight if we have to!" Xena growled. "If it was your family in that village, would you wait?"

The healer looked away from the warrior's piercing blue eyes and nodded in agreement.

The bard woke up a couple of candle-marks later with people calling for water and help. She found Patron still asleep against the wall and feverish. Gabrielle managed to get up and carried water to everyone, somehow. She thought a couple of the villagers looked better than they had earlier that morning but she wasn't sure if it was just wishful thinking on her part.

"Oh gods," she muttered when she walked into the rain of the late afternoon and felt her body shivering uncontrollably. "I could do without being poisoned again."

She moved slowly towards the well with her buckets, her feet feeling like her boots had lead weights in them. Trying to walk through the endless mud with her cloak hanging loosely on her shoulders was difficult. Gabrielle stopped, staring at the dagger in the mud in front of her, trying to process its sudden presence when a voice broke through her headache and she turned towards it.

"Gabrielle! Queen of the Southern Amazons!"

The bard turned with a puzzled look and found two strangers standing just inside the gates. Both were cloaked and hoods hid their faces from Gabrielle's eyes. What little clothing she could see didn't help her identify either of them, simple woolen trousers and boots and bracers on the arms.

The tall figure in front was holding another dagger in her hand.

Her? Gabrielle's mind tried processing.

"Who are you and how do you know me? Didn't you see the signs?" she demanded. "This village is sick with plague, get out while you can!"

"We saw you enter the village two days ago and Xena leave. I won't wait any longer to face you, Gabrielle," the taller one stated.

"Who are you and what do you want with me?" Gabrielle dropped the buckets and slowly lifted her sais into her hands.

The figure in front slowly pulled her hood back, revealing a familiar face, even with the scar and the patch over one eye, the face was familiar. Gabrielle shook her head, trying to comprehend that the woman standing in front of her was real.

"Eponin?" she whispered. "Pony?"

"Yes," the Amazon weapons-master nodded, holding her dagger at the ready.

"Hercules and Iolaus said everyone else had died," Gabrielle said, trying to clear her fuzzy head.

"Nice of you to come and find out for yourself," Eponin snapped.

"Pony, you have no idea how happy I am that you're alive and I have no idea why you're upset with me but I really don't have time for this. I'm the only one standing in this village and the people need my help."

"I've come to challenge your right to be Queen, Gabrielle!" Eponin growled, moving closer to the bard.

"Fine, you can have it if there are any more Amazons to lead. Right now, I'm needed back inside with water. We can discuss this later," Gabrielle snapped back, putting one of her sais away, her sharp eyes keeping watch on Eponin and the other figure.

"I accuse you of abandoning your tribe to the Romans," Eponin snapped.

"Great, whatever! As your Queen for the moment, I declare that we will settle this later and right now you either get out of here and save yourselves from possible plague or grab a bucket and begin helping me!" the bard shouted and then cried out as everything began spinning. "No, damnit!" she whispered, feeling herself fall.

When her eyes cleared Gabrielle found she was on the ground and in Eponin's arms looking up into Eponin's brown eye.

"Damnit, you shouldn't have touched me!" Gabrielle whispered. "Get out of here Eponin, please."

"No, we have unsettled business. If that means I have to wait until you and this village is on its feet again, then I will. Jaeger and I will take over while you rest," Eponin stated and lifted the bard into her arms.

"No, get out of here," Gabrielle protested weakly as Eponin headed for the temple.

"Too late, my Queen," the Amazon said simply as Gabrielle's head dropped back, unconscious.

Xena swore to several deities at once and suggested things that the healers had never heard before which made a couple of them blush.

Clement, the oldest healer, jumped down off of the lead wagon and walked up beside Argo as Xena dismounted, still swearing profusely.

They both walked up to the rockslide and quickly took in the massive landslide that now blocked the only road to the village.

"Sometimes I hate Greece's mountains," Xena complained.

"I know, that's one of the reasons this village is so isolated. On one hand it's a good thing if it is a plague, we can contain it. On the other hand, we can't seem to get there," Clement agreed.

"Damnit! We need to get to that village!" Xena growled.

"I know and it's going to take at least two days to clear the rocks enough to get the supplies through," Clement argued.

"Then lets get started," Xena growled and turned back to the three wagons of supplies and healers. "Let's go, people, we've got to clear a path to get through."

"We're healers, not laborers!" one of the healers protested.

"Unless you want to learn how to heal yourself of broken bones, I suggest you start moving some rocks. An entire village is dying on the other side of this mess and one of them is my best friend. Which do you want, a little hard work or a broken leg?" the warrior threatened.

The healers began jumping down off the wagons and the warrior set about arranging work shifts and getting a temporary camp set up.

Xena looked back at the rockslide and then at the sky and the rain. The warrior cursed again. If the healers were right about the symptoms then it wasn't a plague but poisoned or diseased food. Gabrielle was right, Hecate had only said they wouldn't get ill from common stuff, Xena figured they weren't immune to poison. Especially Gabrielle after being poisoned by the Romans on their wedding day.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and found herself looking at Eponin as the weapons master of the Southern Amazons put another cold cloth on the bard's forehead.

"Terrific," Gabrielle muttered, "I'm delirious already."

Eponin smirked at her. "No, I'm real, Gabrielle."

"Hercules and Iolaus said they only found three survivors and one of them died later. Why didn't they find you? Did any others survive? Why didn't you let me know sooner? What happened?" the bard demanded, attempting to sit up and falling back onto the pallet holding her head.

"They didn't look close enough. Several of us survived. I was wounded badly and it took a long time to recover. There are ten of us now in the Black Forest. Five survivors, three women that have joined us and two infants that were left out by their families to die of exposure," Eponin answered simply. "Like we were left to die."

"Why didn't someone send word to me?"

"We thought you were dead. Brutus bragged that he had killed you and Xena before marching against us. We just found out two weeks ago from a traveling skald, a Viking bard that you lived. She told us about your adventures with the Vikings up north."

"I think I remember you challenging me, why?" Gabrielle was finally able to sit up against the wall and looked around at the other suffering villagers and spotted Patron moving between the pallets, carrying water to those still conscious. She also saw a female warrior moving along, helping cool down the cloths on the villager's foreheads. The bard reasoned that this must have been the other cloaked figure with Eponin.

"You abandoned us to the Romans, leading Marc Antony and Brutus right to us!" Eponin hissed.

"Pony, I swear we knew nothing about the attack and didn't learn of it until Hercules and Iolaus came to tell us," Gabrielle insisted.

"Brutus showed us your sais and staff and said you had betrayed us to save Xena's life just before he killed you both," Eponin frowned.

"Am I dead? Is Xena dead?" Gabrielle countered and pointed to her sais along her boots. "Brutus could have gotten those sais from anywhere and I haven't carried a staff since I was a Roman slave."

Eponin continued frowning.

"You are right, though," Gabrielle continued. "I should have gone to the Black Forest but I couldn't face that, Pony." The bard angrily brushed away a tear. "Hercules and Iolaus told us how they found Ephiny and the others crucified. I know how they suffered and I couldn't face that. I'm sorry."

Eponin growled and looked around the temple.

"So you just shed a few tears and then continued on your happy life with Xena?"

Gabrielle's eyes flashed angrily and then she sighed. "I guess that's close to the truth. We grieved, swore vengeance, and dealt with life."

The bard's eyes began unfocusing and she grabbed at her head, falling over onto her side with a groan.

"What in Tartarus is wrong with everyone, this isn't like any illness I've ever seen," Eponin demanded.

"I think the grain the merchants sold the village was bad, either diseased or poisoned. I'm guessing poisoned because it's affecting me," Gabrielle whispered as chills began racking her body again.

"Who would poison a small village in the middle of nowhere?"

"I don't think it was meant for this village. The merchant was headed for Poteidia but decided to sell his grain here when he started getting sick," Gabrielle answered softly as Eponin covered her with a blanket.

"Your home village?"

"Probably some minor warlord or pirates," the bard muttered.

"What do we do?"

"Keep pushing the water, try and get it out of their systems," the bard said softly.

"You'd better not die, Gabrielle," Eponin threatened. "We've got unsettled business."

"Later, Pony, right now I'm busy dying, okay?" Gabrielle attempted a small smile and drifted into the darkness.

Several candle-marks later and a long series of throwing up what little food she had eaten in the last couple of days, Gabrielle felt a little better and was able to sit up again.

Patron, however, was thrashing on his pallet in fevered delirium. Eponin walked over and sat down next to Gabrielle, obviously very tired.

"How bad?" Gabrielle asked.

"Twenty left alive, most are unconscious or delirious. Jaeger is outside burning the most recent bodies."

"Who's Jaeger?" the bard asked, drinking the water Eponin handed her.

"One of the Amazons, she was outcast by her family and village and joined us last winter," Eponin said.

"Eponin, I am sorry for not coming to you," Gabrielle said softly.

"Do you know what it's been like while you've been moving on with your life?" Eponin demanded.

"No, I don't," Gabrielle admitted.

"We barely survived the first couple of winters, struggling just to find enough to eat. I couldn't help, all I could do was lay there, and trying to heal while my sisters struggled." Eponin growled.

"Pony, if I had known we would have been there."

"We heard that Brutus was defeated at the battle of Philippi, you didn't take revenge right after the attack? Why?" the Amazon demanded.

"We found out about the attack and then Ares got in the way and we had to find a way to deal with him. Xena, Solan and I almost died fighting him again and Ares almost got his hands on Sasha, our daughter. We were also watching the developing war between Octavian and Antony against Brutus and Cassius, waiting for a good time to take our revenge without getting ourselves killed and without helping the worst Roman of the lot. It took awhile to figure out which one of those bastards that was," Gabrielle explained. "We were just about to plan how to go up against Brutus. He surprised us, he had Sasha kidnapped to gain favor from Ares. His soldiers blinded Solan, trying to force Xena's mom into revealing where we were to the soldiers. They almost killed Joxer as well."

"Oh Gods, how old was he?" Eponin questioned.

"Fourteen springs. We went after Sasha, both of us were determined that Brutus wouldn't survive very long. Xena and I were at Philippi, I rescued Sasha and Xena was there when Brutus was killed. He died knowing that we lived and he was paying for his attack against the Amazons."

Eponin nodded, obviously pleased with that news.

"Do I know any of the survivors?" Gabrielle asked.

"Byblos, the scholar, you'd remember her," Eponin began and Gabrielle nodded. She did remember the Amazon scholar from the trial of the Roman who had attempted to assassinate Gabrielle. "Everilda, Aetna, Pitane, Theronice, and me. Jaeger, Isgeror, and Guoleif are our new Amazons. The babies were named Birna and Ephiny."

The Amazons brushed away tears as they both remembered their friends and family.

"Listen, Pony," Gabrielle said, grabbing at her head from the pain from the massive headache she was trying to concentrate through. "Fever and the splotches come next."

"But you're doing better!" Eponin protested.

"For now, are any of the others getting better?" Gabrielle asked.

"A couple seem to, and we've just been giving the villagers broth even though they're hungry for solid food."

"Good, maybe we can get some of them by this," the bard nodded.

"What about you?"

"I ate some of the bread before we figured it out and I think my body hates poison more than others. Given my rapid healing abilities - it probably evens out to normal reactions."

"Which means you're as likely to die as the rest of the villagers have," Eponin frowned.

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed.

Clement walked up beside the warrior and placed his arm on hers, Xena stopped trying to lift a heavy stone and glared at him. The healer refused to release her arm and she finally stood up.

"Do I have to slip a sleeping herb in your tea?" he asked. "You've worked well into the night. You need to rest, killing yourself moving these rocks isn't going to help your friend any."

Xena angrily brushed away a lock of hair but then nodded and followed him back to the temporary camp under tarps. She raised her eyebrows as he handed her a cup of tea.

Clement grinned. "No, it isn't drugged. I figure all the work you've done will catch up with you and force you to sleep some tonight."

"I'm just worried about the village," Xena commented, sipping her tea slowly.

"You mean about your friend," he said gently.

"Her too," Xena conceded with a smile.

"We'll be able to get you and your horse through by tomorrow afternoon with the antidote, I'll keep them working until we can get the wagons of supplies through," Clement promised.

"Thank you, Clement," the warrior said gratefully.

"You said Gabrielle has been poisoned before?" he said as he sat down next to the warrior.

"Yes, on our…. Yeah," Xena answered. "Once by the Persians and then she was poisoned with strychnine and cowsbane. It… it was bad."

"By the gods, how did she survive?" Clement asked softly in disbelief.

"The gods like my friend," Xena grinned but Clement could see the memory and the pain with it in Xena's eyes.

"We'll get you to her, Xena," he smiled a sad smile. "I know you need to be with her."

"How did you get to be so wise, Clement?" the warrior grinned.

"I've heard the rumors about you and your bard, I suppose most everyone has," he commented easily. "I see your face when you talk about her and how worried you are and I know how that feels. I lost my wife while I was away from our village. I'll never know if I could have saved her if only I had been there."

"Clement, I'm sorry," Xena said softly.

"Thank you, now get some rest and hope your bard is doing the same," he suggested.

Gabrielle came to awareness with someone forcing her to try and drink some water through her chattering teeth, as her body shook with chills and sweated with fever at the same time.

"Come on, Gabrielle!" someone's voice ordered. "Fight this, damnit!"

Then strong arms were wrapping around her and pulling her close, bringing a blanket over her.

"Xena?" she whispered softly.

"No," Patron's voice answered. "Maybe I can be a temporary substitute, bard. Just rest." The young man wasn't sure if Gabrielle even heard him.

"She's getting worse," Eponin commented with a frown.

"Yeah, you may have to wait for your revenge," Patron snapped as he held the bard close, trying to keep her warm with his body.

Eponin resisted the urge to put her dagger through his throat, rubbing her hand over her face. "Too tired, we're all too tired," she muttered.

"Why do you hate her?" he demanded.

"She abandoned us and we were wiped out by the Romans. Some of us lived though," Eponin growled.

"I heard about the Roman Generals Antony and Brutus attacking the Amazons up north, that was your tribe?" he asked.

"Yes, that was us."

"I'm sorry for your loss but are you sure about Gabrielle? I heard you arguing, you first thought she was dead, how do you know anything they told you was true?"

Eponin frowned and stomped away into the rain and her thoughts.

The bard woke up with someone changing the cool cloth on her forehead and looked up into unfamiliar gray eyes.

"Hi," she whispered.

The woman smiled a tired smile and helped Gabrielle sit up slightly and drink more water.

"Are you Jaeger?"

"Yes," the warrior answered simply.

"Nice to meet you," the bard whispered as she lay back on the pallet. "How long was I out of it?"

"All of a day, it is the fourth day since Xena left you at the gate," Jaeger answered.

"Isn't Jaeger Northern for 'hunter'?" the bard questioned.

"Yes, it is the name I took when I was exiled from my tribe," the woman explained.

"I understand. How many are left alive?"

"Five more died but it looks like the rest might live, you included," Jaeger grinned and sat down next to the bard's pallet.

"Any sign of you or Eponin getting sick?"

"None."

"Good, then it probably is the grain," Gabrielle whispered still shivering.

"You have not developed the splotches either," Jaeger commented. "Maybe you only got small measure of poison, ja?"

"I hope so, I prefer to live a little longer," the bard attempted a small smile.

"Gabrielle!" Eponin shouted, running into the temple and sliding to a stop next to the bard and the rising Jaeger. "Bandits outside the gate, they're demanding that we turn over all the money and valuables or they'll come in and burn the village to the ground."

"What in Tartarus? Didn't they see the signs? Don't they know they'd be risking the plague?" Gabrielle demanded, letting Eponin and Jaeger help her to lean back against the wall.

"They said they'd shoot fire arrows in and collect the gold and silver after the village burned to the ground," Eponin answered.

"Damn! Where are they now?"

"Rode off, said they'd be back in a candlemark for our answer," Eponin growled.

"How many?"

"I saw fifteen, I don't think there were any more. They were scruffy and ill equipped and probably not smart enough for any strategy," Eponin frowned.

"Any villagers on their feet?" Gabrielle asked.

"No, Patron might be able to lean against something but fighting is out for everyone except Jaeger and me."

Patron sat up off his pallet and looked at the women, "I can fight," he insisted, his face still flushed with fever and splotched.

"Eponin, they probably aren't strong enough to break the gates open and a couple of us on the walls could keep them out. Can you and Jaeger take to the trees outside and pick them off one by one from behind?" Gabrielle asked.

"No, I have no depth perception and can't shoot a bow and arrow anymore. I can only fight up close," Eponin frowned, shaking her head. "Jaeger was wounded when she was exiled and can't climb. Amazons who can't take to the trees," Eponin said bitterly.

"Okay, then we'll have to think of something else," Gabrielle muttered.

"Why not give them what they want?" one of the nearby villagers asked.

"Because they'll burn the village to the ground once they have whatever is valuable out of fear of getting sick. Besides, you'll need what little you've got to buy new supplies," Gabrielle explained her reasoning.

"The four of us can't keep track of fifteen raiders, someone will get over the wall," Eponin muttered. "You and Patron might be able to stand but neither of you can fight."

"Then we'll have to outsmart them," the bard muttered.

Xena cursed as the work progressed slowly and the time ticked by with no end in sight for the warrior.

Sasha walked up to her mom and handed her a flask of water. Xena smiled and wiped her forehead as she leaned against a particularly large and stubborn boulder. The warrior's daughter hugged her mom and looked around the rocks over the cliff.

"Careful, little one," Xena, ever the cautious Mom, said easily.

Sasha, looking very much like a smaller and younger version of her mother, grinned back at her Mom.

"You can get through later today, I think," Sasha commented.

"I think so too. Will you be okay riding with Clement later?" Xena asked.

"Yes, he's nice."

It was indeed late afternoon when enough of a treacherous path had been cleared.

"I'm going to try it," Xena said firmly.

"You can't! Think of your family!" one of the healers protested, wiping his grime covered face off with the sleeve of his tunic.

"I am, my mate is on the other side of those rocks and may be dying," Xena's bright blue eyes flashed.

The warrior looked down questioning into the blue eyes of her daughter.

"You can make it, mom," Sasha said, giving her mom a firm nod.

With barely room enough for a human being to slide past the rockslide onto the other side and open road, Xena carefully began leading Argo slowly along the track over the protest of several of the healers.

Clement shook his head in amazement when the warrior reached the other side. He knew it must have been only the bond between the amazing woman and her horse that had kept the animal calm and stable at such dangerous footing.

"Take care of Sasha," she called to Clement and the healer and her daughter both waved and smiled at Xena.

The warrior grinned and mounted her horse easily and was flying down the road towards the village before most of the healers had started breathing normally again.

Clement turned to the rest of them. "Come on, we've still got to clear enough room to get the supplies through."

"Patron, what's the must secure building in the village?" Gabrielle asked while Jaeger and Eponin were going through the village collecting weapons and placing them along the upper battlements of the wall and near the gate.

"The temple," he answered with a frown and both he and the bard looked around at the building they were in.

Unlike most of the buildings in the village, which were made of wood, this building was made of stone with windows that were very narrow and high set in the walls. The doors were of thick wood and solid. The bard began to nod slightly and her eyes narrowed.

"What are you thinking, Gabrielle?" Patron questioned.

"Of giving them what they want," she answered distractedly.

Eponin and Jaeger entered the temple and went immediately to the Amazon Queen.

"When the bandits come back tell them we need time to gather the valuables together. Buy us another two candle-marks, tell them everyone but you is sick and it'll take you time to gather everything together, especially in this damned rain," Gabrielle instructed, trying to keep her eyes focused.

"Okay," Eponin said questioningly.

"Next, we need to move all the villagers to the inn and get them out of here. Then we need to move in several large chests and weigh them down with rocks, bricks, whatever you can find to make them very heavy and top them off with some of the gold and silver the villagers have stashed," Gabrielle instructed.

"What have you got in mind?" Patron demanded.

"How do you catch mice in a trap?" she asked with a smile.

"Bait a trap with cheese or bread," he answered with a smile. "You make them think we've got a fortune in the chest and that it'll take several of them to move those chests and lock them in. What about the ones waiting outside?"

"Well, I know how well Eponin can fight, I'll trust her word about Jaeger and I think I can get a couple of shots off with a bow. We hope to take enough of them out and cause the others to run or we fall back to plan Beta."

"Which is?" Patron questioned with a smirk, admiring the bard's quick mind.

"Any villagers that can stand and walk a few feet come out of buildings and begin walking towards the bandits but not close enough to be stabbed," Gabrielle said grimly.

"By the gods!" Eponin exclaimed. "You're hoping the sight of the villagers will scare them off!"

"It scared me the first day," Gabrielle admitted. "All I wanted to do was get out of here before I caught whatever it was."

"What would stop them from torching the village from the outside once they run?" Patron asked.

"They'd risk burning their mates alive in the temple," Eponin responded with a grin.

"And this damned rain," Gabrielle muttered.

"Let's get moving," Patron suggested, leaning against the wall for support as he stood up. He motioned Gabrielle back down onto her pallet. "You stay there! You're going to need your energy soon for your plan. I'll get some of the villagers on their feet and positioned around the temple for your play, bard," he grinned.

"Make sure they know not to get too close to the bandits, I don't want them killed when the bandits panic," Gabrielle reminded.

"Got it," he said and stumbled to begin helping the villagers out of the temple and towards the inn. Eponin and Jaeger were already moving pallets out of the stone building.

"Xena," the bard whispered as another wave of stomach cramps seized her. "I wish you were here."

As Gabrielle expected, the bandits granted them the extra time that Eponin asked for and the trap was baited and all the villagers moved barely within the time but everything was set. The bard was sitting behind a barrel near the inn with a bow and a quiver full of arrows and she knew that Patron was waiting just inside the door.

Eponin had ordered the young man to stay near Gabrielle and help her to stand if necessary.

The only "villagers" in sight were Eponin and Jaeger. Both were in their cloaks, hiding their swords from the bandits and Jaeger was leaning heavily on a crutch as they opened the gates.

The bard couldn't hear the words exchanged between Eponin and the bandit leader but he seemed pleased and rode into the village easily, not even really looking around. Gabrielle shook her head, wishing for four more people on their feet with bows on the walls. The rest of the bandits followed him into the gates and again the bard shook her head at their obvious lack of experience in raiding.

Eponin pointed to the temple and the leader spurred his horse into a trot and dismounted quickly, running into the temple without even looking around. Gabrielle could see Eponin's exasperated look as she caught up with the bandits at the temple and shook her head at Gabrielle.

Within moments the bandit leader was back at the door.

"I need most of you inside to move these chests, they weigh a ton. Two more of you go hitch your horses to a wagon and bring it here," he ordered.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as she watched seven of the bandits follow their leader into the temple and two more head towards the nearest wagon, beginning to throw the sacks of grain stacked in it. The rest of the bandits dismounted and stood waiting.

Eponin and Jaeger moved closer to the temple door and looked at Gabrielle. The bard stood up, leaning heavily against the tavern wall and Patron moved out of the door quickly to stand next to her. The bard nodded as she pulled the bow upright.

Eponin and Jaeger threw their cloaks back and drew their swords swiftly, surprising the bandits standing nearby. As Eponin jumped off the steps of the temple to meet the first ones Jaeger turned and slammed a bar across the doors, in between the handles. In a moment pounding and shouting were coming from inside the temple.

Jaeger began swinging her sword and her crutch, using both as weapons with a battle cry that sent a chill up Gabrielle's spine.

Patron leaned over and helped Gabrielle pull the string of the bow back and the bard quickly aimed and watched as one of the bandits fell with an arrow in his back.

Two bandits fell to Eponin's sword and another one fell permanently under Jaeger's sword and crutch. The two who had gone for the wagon began running up to help their friends and Patron helped Gabrielle pull the bow back again and one fell with an arrow in his side and the other turned in surprise and was flattened by a crutch whacking him over the head.

The remaining two bandits grabbed the reins of their horses and mounted quickly and headed for the gate.

Eponin checked the wooden bar holding the temple doors shut and then turned with Jaeger and rushed over to the bard.

Gabrielle smiled and dropped the bow.

"My Queen, your plan worked wonderfully!" Eponin grinned.

"Queen?" Patron questioned, his eyebrows raised high and Gabrielle couldn't help but smile at his confusion.

"Meet Eponin and Jaeger of the Black Forest Amazons," she said simply.

"And this is our Queen, Gabrielle," Eponin continued.

"I thought you wanted the job," Gabrielle asked with a slight smile.

"Only if you're tired of it, my Queen," Eponin said seriously. "I was wrong."

Gabrielle looked down at her trembling hands and back up at Eponin. "You are my Regent, Eponin," she said firmly and held up her hands, now covered in splotches. "You may get the job sooner than you wish."

The bard felt darkness claiming her once more.

"Come on, swallow, little one," a voice commanded and the bard fought against it and the foul tasting stuff but someone quickly held her nose, forcing Gabrielle to swallow in order to start breathing again.

Gabrielle flailed on the bed and felt her arms being held tightly and a voice soothing her.

"It's okay, shhhh, it's okay, little one."

The bard opened her eyes and smiled at the blue ones looking at her.

"Xena!" she managed to whisper.

"I'm here," Xena smiled down at her mate, running her hand gently over the bard's hair.

"You're late," Gabrielle muttered.

"I know, I'm sorry. I could only move a mountain so fast," Xena said softly.

"Are the villagers okay?"

"They're going to be fine, thanks to you keeping them alive. I came with the antidote for the poisoned grain."

"How's Patron? And where's Sasha?"

"Better than you, little one," Xena smiled. "He's up and moving slowly. Sasha is with the healers, they're following behind."

"How am I?" the bard finally asked.

"The splotches are fading and you should be on your feet in a couple of days. I wouldn't go running up and down the mountain for a week though," the warrior reassured her mate.

"I've missed you," Gabrielle said simply as she drifted off toward sleep again.

"Me too, my love," Xena said softly.

Xena smiled as Eponin stood in the doorway of the room in the inn where they had moved the unconscious bard. She stood up and walked over to the Amazon.

"I still can't believe you're alive," Xena said.

"Yeah, I couldn't believe it when the bard traveling through the area said you both were alive and in the North," Eponin answered and walked into the room past Xena and sat down on the bed next to Gabrielle. "Xena, Brutus told us that Gabrielle betrayed us to save you as he nailed Ephiny and Solari to those crosses."

"Oh gods," Xena said softly. "They died thinking she betrayed you?"

"Yes, we all thought that and then I found out you were alive, I lost it. That's why I came looking for Gabrielle, to kill her in a challenge."

"We didn't betray you, Pony," Xena said softly.

"I know that now," the Amazon responded. "Ephiny and Solari will know it on the other side too. It took a long time to heal from my physical wounds, Xena, and it will take even longer to heal from the emotional ones. I watched Ephiny and Solari crucified."

"I know what that's like," Xena said softly, remembering how Caesar had Gabrielle crucified in front of her while Xena was chained, forced to watch as Gabrielle slowly died a painful death.

"They thought I was dead and threw me on a pile of Amazon bodies. I was able to crawl away after sunset. I… my mind snapped," Eponin admitted. "Clawing my way through the bodies of my sisters was too much. Byblos found me hiding in a hollow log the next evening when the Romans became lax in their security."

"Brutus died looking in my eyes, Pony." Xena growled, remembering the blood of the Roman general on her hands and the life fading from his eyes on the battlefield.

"Gabrielle told me, thank you for avenging us," she said simply.

"We're not done yet. Antony still has to pay," Xena growled.

"You're still going to go after him after all this time? It's been six summers."

"Gabrielle swore a blood oath at our grieving ritual and I swore one to my Queen as Consort and Champion," Xena said easily.

"Why haven't you gone against him before?" Eponin questioned, watching Gabrielle sleeping.

"He's in Egypt with Cleopatra most of the time. Cleo is a friend and I don't want to move against her to take him out. War is coming between Octavian and Antony, that's when I'll move," Xena stated.

Eponin looked up at Xena and frowned. "Tell me something, Xena."

"Anything, Pony."

"When did you two become immortal?"

Xena's eyebrows furrowed as she tried to sort out the question. "Immortal? We're not immortal," Xena protested and pointed to Gabrielle, "And there's your proof, she almost died from that poison."

"Xena neither one of you have aged in the last six years. Not a gray hair on you and you're how old?"

"Almost 38 summers," Xena continued to frown.

"Not a wrinkle and not a gray hair on you nor on Gabrielle," Pony pointed out. "How old is Solan?"

"Sixteen, almost seventeen," Xena answered quietly. "We are not immortal, Pony."

"Then I want the recipe to whatever you two are drinking," Eponin grinned.

Xena managed to smirk back at the warrior.

"What now, Eponin?"

"We go back to the Black Forest," Pony shrugged. "We continue rebuilding and stay away from anyone else."

"I think Gabrielle and I will want to go with you. There were two survivors that Hercules and Iolaus found and they're with Eddval, our adopted German family. We were going to take them to the Northern Amazons but things got a little complicated."

Eponin smirked, "When doesn't it get complicated with you, Xena?"

The warrior glared but smiled after a moment and shrugged, admitting the truth in the words.

"Who survived?"

"The baker Sterope and the child Tyro," Xena answered.

"Sterope's a good Amazon, will they return to us?"

"They wanted to go to the Northern Amazons but it wasn't safe for us to take them there when we were at Eddval's last time. Sterope will want to be with you again," Xena smiled.

"We will rebuild, it'll take time but we will rebuild," Eponin promised.

The warrior could hear and sense the other woman approaching as Xena sat on the north wall of the village, keeping an eye out for the healers and the supplies desperately needed by the village that evening.

Jaeger leaned against the battlement, seeming to watch the road with Xena.

"Guten Abend, meine freund," the German Amazon said simply.

"Evening," Xena answered easily. After a moment she glanced at the warrior next to her and took in the young woman closely. "You want to try and kill me like you promised?"

"Nein," Jaeger said simply.

The Viking was taller than Gabrielle but not as tall as Xena, with a shock of black hair that seemed to always be ruffled and spiky. Jaeger had clipped the sides short but the back was long and braided, Viking style. The grey eyes were bright and quick and the body lean and muscled.

"You know what Eponin asked me earlier?" Xena ventured.

"Of course not," Jaeger responded. "What?"

"How I became immortal, she swears Gabrielle and I haven't aged in six years. I told her we weren't immortal but I think I should be asking you that question, you haven't aged any, Hallvor," Xena commented, her eyes watching the warrior closely.

"No, just a bit," the warrior agreed. "You grew up from the young and angry warrior you were then."

"I've changed a lot," Xena admitted. "You haven't. It's been almost twenty winters and you were, what? About seventeen?"

"Yes, that would make me what, Xena? Almost 35, almost as old as you, yes?

"Have you aged any?"

"A couple of years, maybe," Jaeger answered.

"The Amazons don't know?" Xena frowned.

"No, I may not have aged much but I have learned a few things, my friend," Jaegar stated. "Including how to control certain things."

"Seems we've both changed," Xena stated.

"Yes, and I've seen the reason for your change," Jaeger grinned at Xena's raised eyebrows. "Gabrielle seems remarkable."

The warrior felt herself begin blushing slightly. "She is, best thing that ever happened in my life."

"Good, maybe someday I'll find my mate," Jaeger said somewhat wistfully, turning to watch the road.

"Hallvor," Xena began to speak and the Viking held up her hand.

"You rescued me, Xena, but your heart was never mine and you never pretended different. Then you used me and threw me aside when I was no longer useful. What happened simply was, that was a very long time ago. It's a small thing."

"What have you been doing for the past years?" Xena asked, grateful to change the subject.

"Mercenary mostly, even served with a Northern Roman Legion for awhile," the warrior grinned at Xena's raised eyebrows and then laughed. "It was…. Interesting. None of them ever figured out I was female during the five years of my service. I learned a lot about the Romans and their fighting, it will come in handy when they move against the North again."

"Not as reckless and blind as you once were?" Xena teased.

"No, I don't want to behead every single Roman I see now. I learned how to think and plan ahead," Jaeger grinned.

"Not so much the berserker? Rushing headfirst into battle, the odds be damned?"

"Werserker," the Viking corrected with a smile. "It's still there."

Xena nodded and looked back at the village and smiled. Some of the villagers were beginning to get back on their feet and move around slowly, cleaning up and moving things back into place and drawing fresh water from the well for the animals and humans still sick from the grain.

Jaeger grinned at Patron and two other villagers guarding the doors to the temple and at the shouts from inside. So far the doors were still holding the bandits trapped inside.

"If the healers don't get here tonight then they should be in the morning," Xena commented.

"Good, then you can send for the militia from the next village to come and get those idiots," Jaeger grinned.

"You know, you're Greek has gotten a lot better except when you're around Eponin," Xena questioned with a grin.

"Yeah, I can't tell them that this young and lost German has actually been running around the world for the past sixteen years without explaining a lot of things I'm not ready to yet," Jaeger commented.

"I won't say anything, I know what it's like fighting against your past," Xena said softly.

"Thank you," Jaeger said, sighing with relief and then frowned. "That would mean you not saying anything to your mate?"

"I won't," Xena stated.

"Hmmm, not sure if I like that, Xena," Jaeger frowned. "Mates shouldn't have secrets."

"Friends sometimes keep secrets for friends," Xena countered. "Don't you think that Eponin and the others would accept everything about you?"

"I don't know and I'm not sure I want to risk that."

"I didn't think Gabrielle wanted me as a mate and I was willing to keep my feelings a secret from her and live with it. I almost lost her because of it," Xena advised.

"You know me and how I got my back broken by my own people, would you accept me?" Jaeger countered with an angry look.

"I already did, remember? I didn't leave you because of what you are, Hall," Xena asked and then turned towards the steps, leaving the Viking with her thoughts.

It took five days for the bard and the village to be totally on its feet again. The total remaining villagers numbered fifteen with four of those being children.

Gabrielle reassured Xena and Sasha with a smile as the bard tied on her travel packs to her horse, it having survived as well by eating grass instead of grain.

"Hey, Hall," Xena called and tossed a pack to the Viking Amazon.

Xena didn't notice Gabrielle's narrowed eyes.

Gabrielle turned to the villagers who stood around to see the women on their journey. She grinned and hugged Patron tightly.

"Thanks for everything," he said with a smile.

"You're welcome, and thanks for holding me."

The young man began blushing and quickly looked at Xena and began stammering at her withering gaze. "I… uh… you're welcome. I know you and the warrior are together but if anything ever happens, I'd be glad to hold you again," he whispered.

"Thank you, Patron," Gabrielle smiled and kissed his cheek and began hugging some of the other villagers she had gotten to know.

Urban bowed slightly and hugged her. "You saved the village and almost died doing it. Is there any way we can repay you?" he asked.

"Just rebuild, Urban," Xena grinned, answering for both of them.

"We will, thanks to all of you. You will always be welcome here as honored guests!" he announced loudly to the cheers of the villagers and Gabrielle blushed as she mounted her horse.

The cheers followed them out of the village gate.

Eponin grinned at Gabrielle's blush and Jaeger merely shrugged as they followed Xena and Gabrielle down the road.

Gabrielle fell back to ride alongside Eponin after they had been on the road for a couple of candle-marks.

During her recovery from the poisoning, the Amazon Queen and weapons-master had talked endlessly about how Eponin had survived the Roman attack. They also talked of how she had begun to rebuild the tribe with the few survivors and were beginning to take in outcast women from the surrounding Germanic families and villages.

Gabrielle had told Eponin about her life with Xena after the Amazons had been attacked. Pony had grinned at the thought of Xena finally getting Ares out of their lives, even if it had almost killed the warrior and Gabrielle again.

Eponin pointed to the sais at the bard's boots.

"I remember teaching you the beginnings of how to fight with a staff because you wouldn't kill," the Amazon stated.

"I remember," Gabrielle smiled sadly. "I never really changed in that viewpoint, I just didn't have a choice."

"Everything happened so fast when the Romans attacked us and you exchanged yourself for the ones who had been captured. When I saw you after the Ides of March and Caesar assassination, you were deathly sick from the crucifixion and couldn't use your hands yet. We never did catch up on how you became a fighter," Pony said.

"What did you know?" Gabrielle asked.

"We received word from Hercules and Iolaus that you had been found and returned to Xena while she was still in the north, keeping her pregnancy a secret from Ares. The message said that you had been a slave but were healthy and safe. Later, after you sent us north towards the Black Forest, word spread that you had been a gladiator in Rome for Caesar," Pony frowned. "We knew that couldn't be right because Caesar was looking for you to hold you hostage against Xena."

"It was true," Gabrielle grinned slightly at Eponin's surprised look. "He didn't know who I was. I had been taken as a slave and sold to a gladiator school. I had to learn to kill and fight or die. I choose to learn and survive to get back to Xena," Gabrielle began explaining. "Brutus recognized me but kept quiet, protecting me and eventually bought me. Caesar found out his favorite General had taken an interest in female gladiators and demanded to see me. I became one of his fighters and won my freedom in the Circus."

"Oh Sweet Artemis!" Pony whispered. "A gladiator?"

Gabrielle nodded unhappily. "Yes, I became a trained killer," she said bitterly.

"You survived for your mate and then you survived being crucified to save the Amazons," Epony frowned. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Forget it, Brutus betrayed all of us," Gabrielle said.

"What happened? He was your friend and then he betrayed us and Xena said he kidnapped Sasha?"

"I don't know. When he returned me to Xena we were friends. I knew he was in love with me, or lust, I don't know," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "I don't know what happened. I think something snapped when he killed Caesar somehow and he found himself fighting Antony for control of Rome. I think he crossed a line somewhere in his soul and was determined to have everything that he wanted, no matter what the cost."

"And he wanted you," Eponin said grimly.

"Yes, he kidnapped Sasha to gain favor with Ares and he was hoping I'd be captured. If he couldn't have me willingly, he was willing to force me."

"Gods, does everyone fall in love with you?" Pony grinned at the exasperated look the bard gave her.

"Not everyone!" Gabrielle protested. "You didn't! Your heart is elsewhere!"

Pony's eyes went wide and the Amazon began blushing. "I don't know what you mean!" she whispered, her eyes glancing at Xena and Jaeger riding in front of them, with Sasha riding with Xena.

Gabrielle's eyes caught the glance and grinned even wider.

"Tell me something, Pony," she lowered her voice. "Why aren't you with Jaeger?"

"I don't know what you mean," Eponin mumbled. "Oh Hades, is it obvious?"

"Just a little, but then people tell us Xena and I were the same way, everyone knew but us." Gabrielle grinned.

"I don't know. I think she's interested and then she turns cold," Eponin complained.

"Well, I think she's got it bad for you," Gabrielle smiled.

"Don't take this wrong, but have you noticed something different between Xena and Jaeger? I don't mean sexually, but…"

"Yeah, there's something there, it's like they know each other somehow," Gabrielle agreed.

"Have you asked Xena?" Pony asked.

"Yes, she says it's nothing."

Eponin and Gabrielle continued on, both reflecting on their thoughts as they watched their warriors ahead of them.


	20. 20 Beowuld and Grendel

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** This one probably rates an "R" rating for the descriptions of violence and it's aftermath. Don't expect "Dawn of the Dead" but it's not "Mister Rogers" either.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Xena and Gabrielle travel North with two Amazons to rectify one of Xena's past mistakes and meets Beowulf, the Viking warrior.

* * *

The warrior could hear and sense the other woman approaching as Xena sat on the north wall of the village, keeping an eye out for the healers and the supplies desperately needed by the village that evening. Thankfully the rain had stopped, the warrior thought to herself.

Jaeger leaned against the battlement, seeming to watch the road with Xena.

"Guten Abend, meine freund," the German Amazon said simply.

"Evening," Xena answered easily. After a moment she glanced at the Viking next to her and took in the young woman closely. "You want to try and kill me like you promised?"

"Nein," Jaeger said simply.

The Viking was taller than Gabrielle but not as tall as Xena with a shock of black hair that seemed to always be ruffled and spikey. Jaeger had clipped the sides short but the back was long and braided, Viking style. The grey eyes were bright and quick and the body lean and muscled.

"You know what Eponin asked me earlier?" Xena ventured.

"Of course not, what?" Jaeger responded.

"How I became immortal, she swears Gabrielle and I haven't aged in six years. I told we weren't immortal but I think I should be asking you that question, you haven't aged any, Hallvor," Xena commented, her eyes watching the warrior closely.

"No, just a bit," the warrior agreed. "You grew up from the young and angry warrior you were then."

"I've changed a lot," Xena admitted. "It doesn't look like you've aged a day. It's been almost twenty winters and you were, what? About seventeen?"

"Yes, that would make me what, Xena? Almost 35, almost as old as you, yes?

"Have you aged any?"

"A couple of years, maybe," Jaeger answered.

"The Amazons don't know?" Xena frowned.

"No, I may not have aged much but I have learned a few things, my friend," Jaegar stated. "Including how to control certain things."

"Seems we've both changed," Xena stated.

"Yes, and I've seen the reason for your change," Jaeger grinned at Xena's raised eyebrows. "Gabrielle seems remarkable."

The warrior felt herself begin blushing slightly. "She is, best thing that ever happened in my life."

"Good, maybe someday I'll find my mate," Jaeger said somewhat wistfully, turning to watch the road.

"Hallvor," Xena began to speak and the Viking held up her hand.

"You rescued me, Xena, but my heart was never yours and you never pretended different. Then you used me and threw me aside when I was no longer useful. What happened simply was, that was a very long time ago. It's a small thing."

"What have you been doing for the past years?" Xena asked, grateful to change the subject.

"Mercenary mostly, even served with a Northern Roman Legion for awhile," the warrior grinned at Xena's raised eyebrows and then laughed. "It was…. Interesting. None of them ever figured out I was female during the five years of my service. I learned a lot about the Romans and their fighting, it will come in handy when they move against the North again."

"Not as reckless and blind as you once were?" Xena teased.

"No, I don't want to behead every single Roman I see now. I learned how to think and plan ahead," Jaeger grinned.

"Not so much the berserker? Rushing headfirst into battle, the odds be damned?"

"Werserker," the Viking corrected with a smile. "It's still there."

Xena nodded and looked back at the village and smiled.

Some of the villagers were beginning to get back on their feet and move around slowly, cleaning up and moving things back into place and drawing fresh water from the well for the animals and humans still sick from the grain.

Xena still couldn't believe the misfortune that had hit them recently. She and Gabrielle had only meant to travel through the village, not even stopping for breakfast. That had ended when the bard had entered the village ahead of Xena and Sasha only to discover everyone in the village down with what appeared to be a plague.

Xena had been forced to leave Gabrielle in the village while she and Sasha went for healers. Everything had gone wrong, reluctant healers, never ending rain and a rock-slide delayed the warrior by days. Leaving Gabrielle to tend to a small village of dying villagers by herself.

On Gabrielle's side it hadn't been easy either; dying villagers, never ending rain, bandits and the fact that it wasn't a plague but poisoned grain. The bard hadn't realized the true cause of the illness until after she had consumed some of the bread made from the grain, becoming sick from the poison herself.

Then Eponin had seemingly risen from the dead and returned as Gabrielle took sick. The Amazon was hunting for Gabrielle, having been told that the bard and Xena had betrayed the Amazons to the Romans and leading to the destruction of the majority of Amazons in the Black Forest.

Eponin and her new Amazon sister, Jaeger, had found Gabrielle but the bard collapsed from the poisoning. Eventually the bard, Amazons and one of the villagers dealt with illness, rain and bandits and settled their past, the truth finally coming out.

Xena had gotten around the rock-slide ahead of the healers and Sasha in time to save Gabrielle and most of the villagers with the antidote. The warrior had been very pleased to find that Gabrielle's planning against the bandits had led to several of them being trapped in the temple and several killed without any loss to the village or Amazons.

Jaeger grinned at Patron and two other villagers guarding the doors to the temple and at the shouts from inside. So far the doors were still holding the bandits trapped inside.

"If the healers don't get here tonight then they should be in the morning," Xena commented.

"Good, then you can send for the militia from the next village to come and get those idiots," Jaeger grinned.

"You know, you're Greek has gotten a lot better except when you're around Eponin," Xena questioned with a grin.

"Yeah, I can't tell them that this young and lost German has actually been running around the world for the past sixteen years without explaining a lot of things I'm not ready to yet," Jaeger commented.

"I won't say anything, I know what it's like fighting against your past," Xena said softly.

"Thank you," Jaeger said, sighing with relief and then frowned. "That would mean you not saying anything to your mate?"

"I won't," Xena stated.

"Hmmm, not sure if I like that, Xena," Jaeger frowned. "Mates shouldn't have secrets."

"Friends sometimes keep secrets for friends," Xena countered. "Don't you think that Eponin and the others would accept everything about you?"

"I don't know and I'm not sure I want to risk that."

"I didn't think Gabrielle wanted me as a mate and I was willing to keep my feelings a secret from her and live with it. I almost lost her because of it," Xena advised.

"You know me and how I got my back broken by my own people, would you accept me?" Jaeger countered with an angry look.

"I already did, remember? I didn't leave you because of what you are, Hall," Xena asked and then turned towards the steps, leaving the Viking with her thoughts.

It took five days for the bard and the village to be totally on its feet again. The total remaining villagers numbered eighteen with four of those being children.

Gabrielle reassured Xena and Sasha with a smile that she was ready to travel as the bard tied on her travel packs to her horse, it having survived as well. The bard glanced up gratefully at the sun as they prepared to leave the village. It had been a long few days in the rain and Gabrielle was grateful just to be alive at the moment.

"Hey, Hall," Xena called and tossed a pack to the Viking Amazon.

Xena didn't notice Gabrielle's narrowed eyes.

Gabrielle turned to the villagers who stood around to see the women on their journey. She grinned and hugged Patron tightly.

"Thanks for everything," he said with a smile.

"You're welcome, and thanks for holding me."

The young man began blushing and quickly looked at Xena and began stammering at her withering gaze. "I… uh… you're welcome. I know you and the warrior are together but if anything ever happens, I'd be glad to hold you again," he whispered.

"Thank you, Patron," Gabrielle smiled and kissed his cheek and began hugging some of the other villagers she had gotten to know.

Urban bowed slightly and hugged her. "You saved the village and almost died doing it. Is there any way we can repay you?" he asked.

"Just rebuild, Urban," Gabrielle grinned.

"We will, thanks to all of you. You will always be welcome here as honored guests!" he announced loudly to the cheers of the villagers and Gabrielle blushed as she mounted her horse.

The cheers followed them out of the village gate.

Eponin grinned at Xena's blush and Jaeger merely shrugged as they followed Xena and Gabrielle down the road.

Gabrielle fell back to ride alongside Eponin after they had been on the road for a couple of candle-marks.

During her recovery from the poisoning, the Amazon Queen and weapons-master had talked endlessly about how Eponin had survived the Roman attack and how she had begun to rebuild the tribe with the few survivors and were beginning to take in outcast women from the surrounding Germanic families and villages.

Gabrielle had told Eponin about her life with Xena after the Amazons had been attacked. Pony had grinned at the thought of Xena finally getting Ares out of their lives, even if it had almost killed the warrior and Gabrielle again.

Eponin pointed to the sais at the bard's boots.

"I remember teaching you the beginnings of how to fight with a staff because you wouldn't kill," the Amazon stated.

"I remember," Gabrielle smiled sadly. "I never really changed in that viewpoint, I just didn't have a choice."

"Everything happened so fast when the Romans attacked us and you exchanged yourself for the ones who had been captured. When I saw you after the Ides of March and Caesar assassination, you were deathly sick from the crucifixion and couldn't use your hands yet. We never did catch up on how you became a fighter," Pony said.

"What did you know?" Gabrielle asked.

"We received word from Hercules and Iolaus that you had been found and returned to Xena while she was still in the north, keeping her pregnancy a secret from Ares. The message said that you had been a slave but were healthy and safe. Later, after you sent us north towards the Black Forest, word spread that you had been a gladiator in Rome for Caesar," Pony frowned. "We knew that couldn't be right because Caesar was looking for you to hold you hostage against Xena."

"It was true," Gabrielle grinned slightly at Eponin's surprised look. "He didn't know who I was. I had been taken as a slave and sold to a gladiator school. I had to learn to kill and fight or die. I choose to learn and survive to get back to Xena," Gabrielle began explaining. The bard took in the smell of the trees and the sound of the birds, remembering a time when they were a distant thought behind the walls of a Roman villa, behind the walls and chains of the gladiator school. "Brutus recognized me but kept quiet, protecting me and bought me. Caesar found out his favorite General had taken an interest in female gladiators and demanded to see me. I became one of his fighters and won my freedom in the Circus."

"Oh Sweet Artemis!" Pony whispered. "A gladiator?"

Gabrielle nodded unhappily. "Yes, I became a trained killer," she said bitterly.

"You survived for your mate and then you survived being crucified to save the Amazons," Eponin frowned. "Gabrielle, I'm sorry I doubted you."

"Forget it, Brutus betrayed all of us," Gabrielle said.

"What happened? He was your friend and then he betrayed us and Xena said he kidnapped Sasha?"

"I don't know. When he returned me to Xena we were friends. I knew he was in love with me, or lust, I don't know," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "I don't know what happened. I think something snapped when he killed Caesar somehow and he found himself fighting Antony for control of Rome. I think he crossed a line somewhere in his soul and was determined to have everything that he wanted, no matter what the cost."

"And he wanted you," Eponin said grimly.

"Yes, he kidnapped Sasha to gain favor with Ares and he was hoping I'd be captured. If he couldn't have me willingly, he was willing to force me." Gabrielle felt her jaw tightening at the thought of more rapes at the hands of the Romans and almost growled.

"Gods, does everyone fall in love with you?" Pony grinned at the exasperated look the bard gave her.

"Not everyone!" Gabrielle protested, regaining her smile. "You didn't! Your heart is elsewhere!"

Pony's eyes went wide and the Amazon began blushing. "I don't know what you mean!" she whispered, her eyes glancing at Xena and Jaeger riding in front of them, with Sasha riding with Xena.

Gabrielle's eyes caught the glance and grinned even wider.

"Tell me something, Pony," she lowered her voice. "Why aren't you with Jaeger?"

"I don't know what you mean," Eponin mumbled and then gave up the pretense. "Oh Hades, is it obvious?"

"Just a little, but then people tell us Xena and I were the same way, everyone knew but us." Gabrielle grinned.

"I don't know. I think she's interested and then she turns cold," Eponin complained.

"Well, I think she's got it bad for you," Gabrielle smiled.

"Don't take this wrong, but have you noticed something different between Xena and Jaeger? I don't mean sexually, but…"

"Yeah, there's something there, it's like they know each other somehow," Gabrielle agreed.

"Have you asked Xena?" Pony asked.

"Yes, she says it's nothing."

Eponin and Gabrielle continued on, both reflecting on their thoughts as they watched their warriors ahead of them.

"I hope Mom isn't going to worry too much about this little side trip of ours," Gabrielle muttered as she curled up in Xena's arms that night.

"She shouldn't, we just didn't expect to take another trip to Eddval's so soon," Xena smiled, running her fingers through Gabrielle's short hair and feeling the bard snuggle down against her.

"You think the message will get to her?"

"Should, Clement, the healer, promised me he'd send a reliable messenger to both our families."

"I think Mom wants to marry that farmer next to her, the widower," Gabrielle commented after a moment.

"Be a good match, I think," Xena said simply, holding her mate close and raising up momentarily to check that Sasha's bedroll was filled and the child sleeping.

"I think so to, she actually blushes when she talks about him," the bard grinned.

Both mates lay looking at the stars. After a few moments Xena could tell Gabrielle wasn't done talking but was nervous, the bard's hand playing over Xena's nightshift and ribs. The warrior waited for her bard.

"Are you going to hunt tomorrow on the way?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"Yes, what is it, little one?"

"It's almost a full moon," the bard said softly, her fingers nervously pulling at Xena's clothing, unconsciously revealing her tension.

"I'll take the flask with me," Xena said simply and pulled the bard close for a tight hug and heard Gabrielle sigh with relief.

After a few moments Xena found herself frowning with thought. "Are you going to tell Pony?"

"About?" Gabrielle asked slowly and Xena's eyes narrowed, sensing that Gabrielle knew exactly what she was asking but was dodging the issue.

"About the bacchae thing," Xena stated simply. "About needing blood during the full moon?"

"It's not something that I go around advertising," the bard snapped.

"I know, but you want Pony to be your Regent or even Queen, shouldn't she know this?" Xena questioned.

"I don't know," Gabrielle admitted. "I don't want to find out. We just patched up our relationship and I don't want to risk rocking that boat right now."

"She'll accept this, it's not like you had a choice in the matter!" Xena urged.

"It's hard enough for some people to accept that my father is the god of the Sun, how are they supposed to accept the fact that I drink animal blood, your blood and sprout fangs?" the bard demanded.

"The Amazons accepted me with my past," Xena argued.

"That's because you were changing your future, this isn't something I can change. We've tried," Gabrielle countered, her jaw taking on that stubborn set the warrior knew so well.

Xena knew that any further argument would be hopeless that night and let it drop.

Xena found herself in the middle of three secrets and wasn't pleased with keeping any of them. The past she shared with Jaeger, Jaeger's secret nature, and now Gabrielle's bacchae side. The fact that the bard had been bitten and turned into a fledgling bacchae and had tasted Bacchus' blood. Only two drops but enough to change her when she had died at the hands of Caesar, ever since then the bard needed animal or human blood, usually once a month. Sometimes she also needed the sexual contact along with the blood. Fortunately, Xena had accepted that about her mate and because Xena was the daughter of deities herself, Gabrielle's bite didn't harm her.

It still wasn't something the bard wanted normal humans to know about and Xena could understand that but she felt Eponin should know.

The problem would be convincing Gabrielle to risk that trust so soon after Pony had wanted the bard's head.

The night suddenly felt long and somewhat lonely, even with Gabrielle in her arms.

Xena wasn't surprised when Gabrielle wanted some private time with her warrior away from the others the next night. Since Eponin and Jaeger knew they were mates they didn't have to explain. The bard wasn't about to explain to the two Amazons that, not only did she want some romantic time with Xena, she also needed the private time with Xena's blood.

The warrior also wasn't surprised when they had barely gotten away from the camp when Gabrielle turned and pulled Xena into a rough and passionate kiss that took the warrior's breath away and made her knees weak. The warrior found herself backed into a tree and fought to maintain her balance in the dense woods as her bard attacked her. Xena could tell this was not one of those times when her bard wanted nice, gentle and slow lovemaking and growled in return, pulling Gabrielle off her feet as Xena responded to the kiss, the bard wrapping her legs around the warrior.

Xena lowered her bard to the grass as Gabrielle continued to hold tightly to her warrior, both of them moaning, hands quickly pulling away clothing as their tongues dueled for dominance. The warrior felt her heart almost skip a beat with emotion as her body melded with the bards. Xena was always awed by the feelings and energy between the two of them, even after several years together the intensity didn't seem to ebb or grow stale. Touching Gabrielle was as close to a religious experience as Xena could hope for and she relished every touch, every sound, every scent, and every electric spark that tingled between them.

Neither one of them knew who had gotten what clothing off the other one nor was Xena aware when Gabrielle's fangs sank into her neck as Xena entered her mate, their bodies beginning to rock with the connection and building waves.

Ever since that first time Gabrielle bit into Xena's neck in the bacchae cave, the warrior understood how victims could keep coming back for more, even to the point of dying. The magic surrounding the bacchae bite ensured that, the eroticism behind the bite capturing the victim in waves of orgasm and desire until they would beg to be bitten again and again. Combined with the fear, the sexual energy created by a bacchae was beyond anything Xena had ever felt.

The fact that it was Gabrielle biting her that night only added to the intensity. Xena already knew she was more than attracted to her young traveling companion but didn't think Gabrielle was interested in her as a mate. The fear of falling to the bacchae bite, the sensuality of the bacchae, and having Gabrielle be the one to bite her, had given Xena such a rush through her body that she had never felt before. Xena still wasn't sure where she had found the strength to resist long enough to attack Bacchus and end the nightmare, except that she had to save Gabrielle.

Even though Gabrielle was still uncomfortable with being part bacchae, Xena didn't have a problem with it and welcomed the bite from her bard. Being the child of gods did have advantages, Xena thought whenever Gabrielle's fangs sank into her neck. The bite draining her of a small amount of blood and bringing about some of the best sex and connection Xena had ever felt with anyone.

Xena felt herself whimpering as her body trembled and approached that wave of total loss of control. Then shock hit the warrior like a physical blow as Gabrielle's fangs left her throat and the contact was broken.

"What?" she mumbled and then with her concentration on Gabrielle broken, she heard growls mixed with a sharp voice and shouting.

Without conscious thought, Xena was on her feet and running back to camp in an instant with Gabrielle on her heels.

Gabrielle slid to a stop and tried to mentally process the scene in front of her.

Xena was tackling a growling creature and Eponin and Sasha were in a tree, shouting and yelling. The full moon casting weird shadows through the tree branches adding to the strangeness of the scene of confusion..

Gabrielle rushed forward as Xena managed to stay behind the figure and lashed out with her hands, hitting several pressure points. The creature went limp just as Gabrielle reached them.

Xena, pushing the furry shadow off of her, looked up at her bard. "Get some ropes out of the saddle bags," the warrior instructed as she stood up and tried to rearrange what few clothes she had on.

As Gabrielle rummaged through the packs Xena picked up the large figure and threw it over her shoulder. The bard realizing that she wasn't wearing many clothes either and tried to pull her vest closed.

"Come on down, Pony, Sasha," she called and walked back towards the fire and gently lowered the creature down on Jaeger's bedding.

Gabrielle handed Xena the rope as Eponin and Sasha got down out of the tree and rushed up. The bard again found herself trying to process her thoughts as she realized that the furred creature was dressed in Jaeger's clothing and probably was Jaeger.

The Viking Amazon was now covered in fur and larger with muscles standing out under the fur. What stunned the bard was that the head was more like a wolf than human, complete with muzzle and a full set of teeth.

Xena quickly bound the werewolf's arms behind her and then her legs. Then the warrior released the nerve pinches. Instead of struggling against the ropes the werewolf turned away and whimpered.

"What in the name of Artemis is going on?" Eponin demanded loudly.

Xena gritted her teeth and quickly hugged Sasha and checked her daughter over head to toe. Finding the child okay the warrior smiled at her daughter and kissed the child's forehead with a hug.

"Want to do me a favor," the warrior asked the child who nodded enthusiastically. "Go and find our clothes?"

The child grinned and headed for the trees. Xena grinned a moment and then turned to Eponin and lost her smile.

"Jaeger suddenly grows fur and fangs," Eponin shouted. "Gabrielle has bloody lips and fangs and your neck is bleeding! What is going on?"

"Oh damn," Xena muttered as she took in Gabrielle's blushing face, yellow eyes and fangs. "Put some more wood on the fire, it's going to be a long night," she instructed as she pulled a blanket up over Jaeger's wolf-human body.

Half a candle-mark later Xena sat down next to the fire and pulled the blanket back from Jaeger's head. Eponin and Gabrielle gasped slightly at the sight of the Amazon Viking's normal self but Xena didn't seem surprised and merely untied Jaeger.

The Viking Amazon sat up slowly with her head down, not meeting anyone's eyes.

Gabrielle put more wood on the fire, raising the heat around the space and pulling more light out of the flames.

"Okay, I owe Pony an explanation," Gabrielle stated, sitting across the fire from Xena and Jaeger, next to Sasha, the child crawling into her lap. The bard wrapped one of the sleeping furs around the child and held her tight. Pony sat down in between Xena and Gabrielle. "It's also obvious that you know more about Jaeger's condition than you've let on," the bard growled at her mate.

"I promised I'd keep quiet until she was ready to tell everyone," Xena answered.

"You know her," Gabrielle stated, her eyes narrowing.

"For nearly twenty years," the warrior answered.

"What?" Pony demanded, "she can't be more than seventeen some winters."

"Actually I'm almost Xena's age," Jaeger finally spoke softly, her voice harsh and rough.

"Okay, who goes first?" Pony demanded.

"I will," Gabrielle said flatly and began the long explanation of how she was now a partial bacchae. After a candle-mark the bard had finally finished, her eyes downcast and blushing, waiting for Eponin's reaction.

"Well, that explains the fangs and blood," Eponin commented and then smiled slightly. "Gabrielle, if Artemis accepts you then why should I have a problem with it?"

Xena could almost see Gabrielle's muscles relaxing and the Amazon Queen smiled at her Regent. "Thank you, Eponin."

"With everything we've all been through, I have a feeling this is a small thing," Eponin commented.

"What happened tonight?" Xena asked the Amazon Regent.

"I was telling Sasha a story and we heard Jaeger thrashing in a nightmare. I got up to wake her up and calm her down and Sasha turned over to go to sleep. I shook Jaeger awake but she was still rattled so I laid down next to her and was holding her," Eponin answered.

"Let me guess, things heated up between you two and then got weird," Xena grinned a grim smile.

Eponin looked surprised and confused. "Yes, how did you know?"

"I've seen it before," Xena answered softly and gently nudged Jaeger. "Your turn Hallvor."

Jaeger/Hallvor shifted and looked uncomfortable. She unconsciously pulled at her clothes nervously.

"Many years ago I was a Viking warrior, a sword-maiden. Came my seventeenth year and my family was determined that I should finally marry. No one cared or had a problem with me being a warrior and dedicated to Odin but it was also expected that I would marry and provide children to a family in addition to fighting by my husband's side," Jaeger began, staring into the fire. "They also didn't care that I preferred females in my bed rather than males, family obligation was still strong and I agreed to a marriage with a minor Jarl, a lord of the region."

Jaeger glanced over at Eponin, "Hildgara was a lot like you," she said softly. "She was the sister to Thorkin, the Jarl. He suspected our relationship and forbid us to see each other after the wedding."

Gabrielle and Eponin noticed the Viking's hands beginning to shake.

"Night before the wedding he found us together and stabbed Hildgara with a dagger and then tried to force me sexually. Something happened…" Jaeger pulled the blanket over her shoulders and was surprised when Xena placed her hand on the Viking's shoulder, reassuringly.

"I knew I had werserker fury, I had gone battle mad a couple of times," Jaeger continued.

"Werserker, like a berserker only your totem animal is a wolf instead of a bear," Gabrielle commented.

"Yes, no one, including me, had any idea that I was a full werserker until that moment when I changed, like I was earlier. I killed Thorkin." Hallvor hesitated. "Because he had killed his sister and he and I weren't yet married when he tried to force me, I was spared a death sentence for his death. Instead I was exiled by my people, outlawed. My sister was given to his family as weregild payment for the two deaths."

"Blood price," Xena commented to Eponin, explaining weregild.

"As I was leaving the holding Thorkin's brother attacked me and broke my back with a war hammer and dragged me outside the gates. Because I was declared wolfs-head, outlaw, no one could help me or would. I remember crawling to the woods to the creek."

"I found her a day later," Xena continued the tale. "I had found a secluded hunting cabin and took her there. Hallvor told me what had happened and I was intrigued by her power, by her wolf side." Xena's face looked pained. "I had just come from Chin and through the Northern Amazon region, I was filled with power lust from Alti and the Vikings intrigued me."

Gabrielle knew her mate didn't like to talk about her past, being too ashamed of what she had done as the Conqueror and it seemed like they were always running into it.

"I nursed her back to health and began planning on how to use that power," Xena continued. "I couldn't totally heal her injured back, that's why the limp and why she can't climb trees like other Amazons. It was a long recovery."

"I was wounded and bitter and willing to do whatever Xena wanted." Hallvor commented.

"Which was?" Eponin asked.

"To gain power over the gods themselves," Xena admitted, lowering her eyes. "With Alti's power I was able to capture a Valkyrie and hold her."

Gabrielle felt a chill run over her body and saw Eponin frowning.

"One of the Choosers of the Slain? Odin and Freya's handmaidens?" Eponin questioned.

"Yes, I set about creating a monster that could bring down Asgard so I could get to the golden apples. The apples that can turn any mortal into a god," Xena said softly.

"By the gods, Xena, what did you do?" Eponin asked.

"I bound Hallvor with the Valkyrie and used Alti's magics to change both of them, merging their magic - Valkyrie and werewolf and centered it in the Valkyrie, Gerulda," Xena admitted, a tear escaping down her face.

"I don't remember much of the ceremony, I remember shaking my head and looking up at this monster. Gerulda was no longer Valkyrie or human," Hallvor/Jaeger continued. "She was seven feet tall and big as a giant and twice as strong. Her skin had hardened, almost like stone or bark and her face was distorted and uglier than your Medusa. There was no humanity left. Next thing I knew I was flying through the trees and landing hard."

"I couldn't control her, she attacked the two servants we had and ripped them apart, drinking their blood and smashing the body pieces under her foot. My sword was useless against her, it just bounced off her skin. She was too fast and strong, she almost killed me," Xena said.

"She got away and we went after her, trying to control her," Hallvor continued. "We finally caught up with her and had another battle, giant monster against a werewolf and warrior. We lost again."

"By this time Odin and some of the other gods had found out about my plans and joined in the attack against Gerulda. Odin, Thor, Tyr, Freya and Freyr joined forces with us and we were able to get Gerulda into an old mine of the dwarves. Odin used some of the same magical rope that the gods had used to bind Fenris the wolf to seal the gates of the mine," Xena explained.

"Doesn't Fenris break that chain sometime in the future?" Gabrielle, remembering her Viking tales, asked as a chill swept over her body. She glanced down and noticed Sasha was still awake and listening to the tale. Sometimes the bard worried that the child knew too much of the grownup world and of Xena's past and at other times the child seemed wise beyond her years.

"Someday, when the end of the world comes," Xena nodded.

"What happened after that?" Pony questioned.

"The gods were not amused with me," Xena conceded with a smile. "We ran."

"We also had help," Hallvor added. "Loki, the Trickster god, decided that we were amusing and he was irritated with the gods that week and hid us from them. He said the Norns had told him that Xena had a future in the north and should leave quickly."

"For once I decided to take the advice of the gods and left the north as fast as we could travel," Xena smiled slightly.

"When they decided to stop chasing us, Xena decided I was no longer useful," Hallvor stated and Gabrielle saw the pained expression on her mate's face.

"Hall…" Xena began.

"I told you, that was a long time ago and I don't hold any grudges." the Viking stated. "I like the way you've changed."

"Thanks, I had some help," the warrior smiled at her mate and Gabrielle smiled in return and nodded.

"I spent the next years roaming the known world, working mostly as a mercenary. I can control the wolf most of the time. Sometimes in battle it comes out," Hallvor continued.

"And during sex?" Eponin complained with a small smile.

Hallvor turned a bright red, "No, only when…. When I, uh…"

"Only when she's really aroused by someone she cares about," Xena answered.

"You two were together?" Eponin questioned and glanced at Gabrielle quickly, realizing too late that the question might hurt her queen.

"Yes, but no one had Xena's heart then," Hallvor answered quickly.

"No one ever did like Gabrielle," Xena confirmed.

"So that's what Odin meant when he said he didn't hold a grudge about the past," Gabrielle said thoughtfully, remembering the last time they were in the North and Xena had been approached by the AllFather, Supreme god of the North.

"Yes, and why he sent a Valkyrie to help me when Sasha was born and you were in trouble. He realizes that I've changed and he's changed as well. Not as headstrong and angry." Xena confirmed.

"So you can't ever have a lover?" Pony frowned as she asked Hallvor.

"Not like I want with you," Hallvor answered and quickly got to her feet and walked into the shadows of the woods.

"Oh sweet Artemis, what a strange crew we make," Pony muttered.

"Yeah, vampires, werewolves, Amazons and children of gods," Gabrielle agreed. "Can't anything be done for Hallvor?" she questioned her mate.

"I don't know, I don't have the power from Alti and wouldn't have the slightest idea how to reverse the spell that made it so easy for her to turn," Xena admitted.

"And I don't think Gerulda would cooperate either," Pony growled.

"Probably not. She was in a bad mood before I locked her away for so many years," Xena agreed.

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Gabrielle muttered.

To a stranger Xena appeared calm as ever as she settled into the sleeping blankets and furs that she shared with Gabrielle. Those who knew the Warrior Princess would have been able to tell just how nervous she was as she waited for Gabrielle.

Hallvor was still roaming around somewhere in the woods with her thoughts and Eponin was tossing restlessly in her bedroll. The only one sleeping soundly seemed to be Sasha.

The warrior bard approached slowly and crawled into Xena's arms without a word. She could feel Xena's tension and hugged the warrior.

"Gabrielle," Xena began, "About Hall and me those years ago…"

"Xena, that was years ago,' Gabrielle said simply. "I was, what? Thirteen? I know you had others before we met. Hades, we both had lovers before each other."

"What I did to Hall…."

"Xena, I know we seem fated to keep dealing with your past, but I accept that about our lives. Just like you accept my bacchae cravings." Gabrielle smiled into Xena's blue eyes and nuzzled her mate's neck. "I love you and accept you, including dealing with your past."

"I love you so much, Gabrielle," Xena voice cracked with emotion as she hugged Gabrielle tightly.

"What are we going to do about Hallvor?" the bard asked after a moment. "Pony is having a hard time dealing with this."

"That's what Hallvor was afraid of, like you were afraid of how Pony would react to your bacchae side," Xena agreed.

"Yes, I wish you had told me though."

"I know and I'm sorry," Xena said softly. "I know we've agreed there would be no secrets between us, I was hoping Hall would tell Pony and I could tell you. I was also ashamed, a lot of this is my fault."

"Why? You didn't make her a werserker, she had already changed and killed once," Gabrielle pointed out.

"Yes, but berserkers and werserkers usually only change because of anger, usually in battle, not in the heat of passion. My shaman working with the Valkyrie made Hall's werserker side more vicious and more unstable." Xena countered. "She's changed a bit, though, there was a time when a bad tasting ale could almost bring the wolf out. Hall's managed to gain quite a bit of control but because of my damned lust for power she can never be with anyone." Gabrielle flinched as Xena's hand smashed the ground in frustration.

"You've changed a lot too, Xena," Gabrielle pointed out.

The warrior shrugged and then kissed the top of her mate's head.

"You didn't get much tonight, love," Xena said softly.

The warrior could almost feel Gabrielle blushing. "No," the bard admitted softly.

Xena almost sighed aloud, no matter that Gabrielle's patron Goddess Artemis accepted the bard as bacchae, no matter that Xena accepted Gabrielle as bacchae, no matter that Eponin accepted the bacchae, or Hercules, Iolaus, or Yakut of the Northern Amazons. Gabrielle still was ashamed of her bacchae side.

The warrior knew that neither of them were up to the loud, rougher sex that the bacchae craving usually demanded, Xena hoped that what sexual connection they had earlier that night would be enough in addition to more blood now.

Xena held her wrist up to her bard. Gabrielle whimpered slightly and felt her eyes turned yellow and her fangs extend. The bard ran her tongue lightly over her mate's wrist and felt Xena shiver in reaction. Then the warrior cried out softly as Gabrielle's fangs sank into her wrist and her body jerked in sexual response against her bard.

"Oh Gods," she whispered as she felt the eroticism of the bacchae sweep over her. It seemed to go on forever and last but an instant and then Gabrielle was kissing her.

Xena whimpered as she held the bard tight to her, Gabrielle's hand roughly seeking between Xena's legs as the warrior felt her hips thrust against the bard. Xena could taste her own blood on Gabrielle's lips and crashed with the sexual waves.

Gabrielle felt herself avoiding Eponin's eyes the next morning as Sasha helped the Amazon prepare breakfast for the group. The bard looked around and saw Xena coming up the trail with a string of fish but Hallvor was nowhere in sight.

Xena grinned at her mate and felt herself blushing at the memory of the night before and shook her head. Even after years of marriage one look at Gabrielle could cause the warrior to blush like a lovesick teenager.

The bard finally looked at Pony and was relieved when the Amazon grinned at her. Gabrielle knelt down and began cutting some of the goat cheese.

"Where's Hallvor?" she finally asked.

Xena dropped the fish and knelt down to begin cleaning them. Eponin merely shrugged at Gabrielle's question

"She's around somewhere," Xena said simply. "I saw her before dawn. I thought we'd stay here today and regroup. She promised not to run away."

"Last night was a bit stressful for everyone," Gabrielle agreed.

Pony didn't comment and refused to look up. Xena and Gabrielle exchanged glances but left the Amazon to her thoughts.

Gabrielle spent the morning working with Sasha, working on the child's education while Xena was off hunting and fishing for the evening meal. The bard caught Pony's face as the Amazon watched Sasha and the bard working over scrolls and frowned.

"Sash, can you work on your numbers for a bit?" she asked the blue eyed child and Sasha nodded distractedly, determined to learn everything as quickly as possible. Gabrielle hesitated a moment, watching the child struggle with the numbers scratched in the dirt, Sasha's blue eyes intense like her mothers'.

Pony readjusted her eye-patch as Gabrielle sat down next to the Amazon and wouldn't look at the bard, her Queen.

"Talk to me, Pony," Gabrielle ordered.

"About what?" the Amazon asked in a sullen voice.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in frustration, she knew Pony was dodging the obvious question.

"You know what about," Gabrielle growled. "You just found out that your Queen is a partial bacchae who grows fangs and needs blood once a month and the woman you're head over heels about grows fur and fangs and is deadly. A bit to digest, don't you think?"

Eponin couldn't help but grin in agreement. "Yeah, I'll admit I don't know how to deal with Jaeger's problem."

"And your Queen?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"You've reassured me that it won't be my neck that you're munching on," Eponin grinned ruefully.

"That's Xenas' job," Gabrielle agreed with a smile.

"Sounded more like her pleasure last night," Pony casually looked away with a mischievous grin as Gabrielle blushed bright red. Then the Amazon's face grew serious again. "From the way I understand it, I can't have that with Jaeger without risking being killed by her."

"We'll work it out, Pony," Gabrielle said simply. "Just don't shut her out right now. Look at all Xena and I've been through. You might talk to Xena." Gabrielle suggested as she stood up and headed towards the woods.

"About what?"

"What it's like to have a lover who might rip your throat out during sex," Gabrielle said easily and then took to the trees.

With the ease of Amazon training, Gabrielle moved through the trees silently and quickly. While not as talented or as experienced as most Amazons born into a tribe, the bard was actually fairly good after a few years at traveling through the trees. Xena, she reflected, was almost a natural at anything she tried, including Amazon tree fighting and traveling.

The trees were still covered with leaves and lent more than adequate cover for the bard to travel in without being seen by anything or anyone on the ground. The bard took in the scent of the forest and trees with a sigh of pleasure as she stopped and looked around. She knew her senses had heightened with the increase of bacchae influence in her life and she could sense Xena was near without seeing or hearing the warrior.

The warrior herself was also known for her incredible hearing and Gabrielle wasn't surprised when she spotted Xena along the river fishing that Xena was watching her in turn. The bard grinned and waved at her mate and then moved on along the trees.

Xena smiled at Gabrielle's ease of movement in the trees. It had taken a bit of time, experience and training but the bard was now comfortable in the trees and was almost as quiet as an Amazon scout.

The warrior drew in her line and headed back towards camp. She knew where Gabrielle was heading and what the bard had planned. Xena figured it was a good time to get her talk in with Eponin.

Gabrielle spotted Hallvor further up the river, sitting on a boulder next to the water. The Viking was twirling her battle-axe in her hands, obviously lost in thought. The bard made sure to make noise as she dropped out of the tree, one sai held defensively as the werserker spun with war axe drawn back to throw or slash.

"Easy, Hallvor," Gabrielle said simply.

Hallvor slowly lowered the axe, her face flushed. Gabrielle sheathed her sai and walked casually towards the Viking. Hall sat back down on the rock and turned to watch the water. The bard sat down next to the warrior and leaned back against another rock.

The warrior bard let herself drift in the beauty of the land around them. They had reached the dark forested area of Germania and getting close to where the Amazons had settled after leaving Greece. The trees were so thick in places that the sun never reached the ground. The river was wide and deceptively calm and peaceful. The trees were of so many colors that it was almost overwhelming to look at, an artist pallet of reds, greens, yellows and oranges.

"You alright?" Gabrielle asked finally.

"I've been better," Hall admitted.

"You're trying to think of how to run but your oath to the Amazons is holding you up," Gabrielle commented.

"How do you know that and how in Hella's Halls did you sneak up on me?" Hall demanded.

"Well, I've been trained by Amazons and Xena," Gabrielle responded easily. "Add to that the fact you were deep in thought, I was able to get within throwing distance. To answer the first question, logical isn't it? Vikings are extremely loyal to family, tribe and friends. The Amazons are your sworn family now and you don't know how to run away from that oath."

"That is the truth, yes," Hall admitted, twirling the axe in her hands again.

"You're also attracted to Pony and you're afraid of how she's going to respond to this dangerous side of you," Gabrielle continued.

"How would you know?" Hall demanded in a sullen voice.

"You're forgetting that I also grow fangs," Gabrielle smiled ruefully.

"You don't try to kill your mate."

"True, I've had to learn control and not let the darkness control me," Gabrielle stated.

"I've learned a lot of control over the years but not total, I can't risk Pony's life for that," Hall glanced away but not before Gabrielle saw the Viking's eyes filling with tears.

"Xena and I seem to have a way of finding answers," Gabrielle said firmly. "I know Xena, she's not going to give up on you."

"She's feeling guilty about the past."

"Yes, she's feeling guilty and responsible," the bard admitted. "She also considers Eponin and the Amazons as family and you are now an Amazon. We'll find a way."

"Are you always so optimistic?" Hall asked with a smirk.

"Seems to be a fault of mine," Gabrielle admitted with a grin. "Xena never gives up and I've learned not to as well."

"Maybe I can learn some more from Xena and something from you," Hall smiled a tired smile.

"Let's go eat," Gabrielle suggested.

"Pony?"

Eponin turned and glanced at the warrior and then turned back to the repair work she was doing on some clothing.

"Going to tell me what it's like to have a dangerous bed mate?" Eponin asked with a smirk.

"Carefully, Eponin," Xena suddenly growled. "That's Gabrielle you're talking about."

"Come on, Xena," Pony snapped. "What do you want from me? Sleeping with a wolf is a little beyond me. You may get a kick out of fangs on Gabrielle but the thought of a Hallvor ripping my throat out in the middle of sex does not turn me on."

"She's not an animal," Xena snapped back.

"No?" Pony countered. "What I saw wasn't human and, unlike Gabrielle, wasn't thinking like a human either."

"Alright, a relationship between the two of you may be beyond you, but she is your Amazon sister. Try and remember that and treat her decently. It's not her fault, you know."

"She was this way before you cast that spell and she had already killed," Pony reminded the warrior.

"Yeah, I just made it worse," Xena commented.

Despite discussions between Xena and Eponin, Xena and Hallvor, Gabrielle and Hallvor, and Gabrielle and Pony; the tension was still thick among the four women and child and nothing seemed settled between Hall and Pony.

They were polite and cooperative after the first day of silence but it was strained and frustrating for everyone.

Gabrielle threw up her hands in exasperation at the end of the next evening and pulled Sasha aside to talk more about the Amazons customs and myths. Xena grinned at her mate's frustration and continued sharpening her sword while Eponin and Hall ignored everyone.

"We'll stop in the next village for the day, Hall's horse needs new shoes before we go much further," Xena announced to everyone in general.

Eponin nodded. "Do we stay the night?"

"Not if we can get the work done before nightfall."

"We should be at the Amazon camp by noon the next day then. It's hard travel though, it helps keep the locals from finding us," Eponin commented.

"Good, it'll be good to see the other Amazons and the new ones," Gabrielle said softly.

"Damn, aren't the portions a little small here?" Xena complained as she and Gabrielle sat in a crowded inn eating lunch.

"I'd have to agree," the bard commented, continuing to eat.

"You going to eat all of that?"

"You're not getting my food," Gabrielle growled and grinned at Xena's obvious frustration.

It was turning into a frustrating day for the small group. The blacksmith was out of the village until the next day, Pony and Hall were barely talking to each other and neither one of them wanted to interact with the villagers and had decided to wait outside the village, now the food was barely edible besides being very little of it.

The group was looking at a day in the village while the blacksmith did his work with villagers who weren't happy to see Romans, Greeks or any other outsiders. On top of that they served miserable food to travelers.

The tavern was crowded, noisy and smelled of miserable food and unwashed bodies. Gabrielle was sympathic to her warrior's frustration over the food, it was something she usually enjoyed on the road when stopping at an inn or tavern, now the bard was regretting not going back to camp and eating trail food with Eponin, Hallvor and Sasha, even if they weren't talking to each other.

Xena's eyes narrowed as she noticed a tall, large Viking warrior watching her closely, even more intently than any of the other curious travelers and villagers. He kept staring until Xena felt herself growling.

"I don't like being stared at when I'm eating," she snapped, blue eyes blazing at the bearded warrior.

The warrior, taking her warning as an invitation, stood up from his stool and walked over to their table. He glanced down at Gabrielle and noticed her left hand moving down under the table and knew that she had a hand on a weapon and smiled at her reassuringly before turning to Xena.

"Are you Xena?" he asked simply, keeping his voice low and speaking in Latin.

Xena was always cautious when people recognized her, given her past reputation and the way most people felt about the Warlord Xena. Even after years of leaving that past behind, it kept coming back and haunting her.

And the warrior was already in a bad mood.

"Yeah, what about it?" she snapped, chewing on her food.

Without saying a word the warrior reached into his vest and dropped something metal onto the table. Gabrielle flinched at the sound and looked at the twisted metal with a curious glance. She glanced up and was surprised when she saw Xena's face was pale as the warrior stared at the twisted gold rope chain and the gold raven that was torn in half.

Xena felt a roaring in her ears and she felt her hands gripping the table. "What are you called?" she asked softly.

"Beowulf," the warrior answered simply.

"Where can we talk?" Xena asked.

"Outside at the stable, out of the rain," Beowulf suggested.

"I'll be there in a few minutes," Xena responded.

The Viking nodded to both the warrior and bard and disappeared in the crowded room.

"What is this about?" Gabrielle asked, picking up the broken metal and examining it. Xena didn't answer but continued to frown as she watched the light dancing off the tarnished metal. Gabrielle's eyes suddenly went wide.

"Oh sweet Artemis," she whispered. "This is the metal rope holding Gerulda, isn't it?"

"It was," Xena said grimly.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered. "What do we do?"

"I don't know," Xena growled. "Fix my past screw ups again."

"Xena…" Gabrielle tried to begin but the warrior brushed her reassurances aside and stood up.

"Let's find out how bad it is."

A few minutes later and the warrior dashed across the village common with her mate into the stable, chakram out cautiously.

Beowulf stood in the center of the main area with his hands in plain sight, a golden helmet with a large boar figure on top tucked under one arm. Xena and Gabrielle, both aware of the potential for an ambush, separated just inside the door and approached the warrior with weapons drawn, quickly glancing around, senses alert for anything out of the ordinary.

"I give you my word as a warrior, there is no one else in here," Beowulf stated.

Xena eased up and walked up to the warrior with Gabrielle approaching from the other side.

Xena held up the chain rope and broken lock shaped like a raven. "What is this?" she asked, switching to Germanic.

"You probably know what it is better than I do," he responded. "I found that on a broken gate at the entrance to an old mine when I was looking for a monster. A man in a cloak appeared and told me to find you."

"Terrific," Gabrielle muttered. "You know who that sounds like."

"Yeah, I do," Xena nodded.

"AllFather?" Beowulf suggested. "I recognized him from the tales and he disappeared on an eight-legged horse. Pretty good clues, eh?"

"Pretty obvious, actually," Gabrielle agreed with a smile as the tall warrior towered over her.

Xena's sharp eyes noticed his face softening as he looked down at her mate and resisted growling.

"Yes," he agreed.

Like Eponin had once teased the bard herself, now Xena wondered if everyone who came in contact with Gabrielle fell in love with her. Then the warrior corrected herself, except Ares, Ulysses, and Caesar. "Terrific," she thought to herself, "I get the bad boys and she draws everyone else."

"Monster?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yes," Beowulf answered, breaking eye contact and looking back to Xena. "The local King, Jarl Healfdane sent a message to me, asking for my help. Something has been brutally killing warriors, sheep, cattle, women and children."

"Why did he send for you?" Xena asked.

"Because the skalds still sing of my adventure of five winters ago," Beowulf said proudly, almost puffing up his chest.

"Which was?" Xena questioned.

"We're aren't from around here, remember," Gabrielle quickly threw in before the warrior could be insulted that they didn't know of his reputation.

"Yes," he responded easily. "I killed a sea dragon that was killing the local fish and fishermen. Jarl Healfdane sent for me when his best warriors were killed, their bodies ripped apart and scattered. I found his main hall almost destroyed by something large and strong. After the last attack, the Jarl and his family have gone to his hunting hall further in the mountains. The countryside has become a wasteland, corpses of cattle and sheep litter the land."

"Any idea what is causing it?" Gabrielle asked, hoping it was something other than the probable monster that was once a Valkyrie.

"I haven't seen it but I managed to track it to an old mine where I found that chain rope," Beowulf responded. "Then something very large grabbed me from behind and threw me into a tree, grabbed me again and threw me over a cliff. Lucky for me there was a river at the bottom of the cliff."

"Good thing for you," Gabrielle grinned.

"Yeah, but four of my kinsmen that were with me weren't so lucky. I found them torn to pieces when I managed to get out of the water and back to the mine," the Viking warrior growled.

"I'm sorry, Beowulf," Gabrielle said softly, losing her grin. The sound of the rain hitting the wooden structure didn't help the moon any inside the stable, dimly lit by two lanterns.

"Then AllFather showed up and I figured I'd better find you and get more warriors," the Viking shrugged, reminding the bard of her own warrior mate.

"We have two others and our daughter with us, we'll meet you on the Northern end of town in the morning to go find Gerulda," Xena suggested.

"Grendel," Beowulf corrected.

"Her name was originally Gerulda," Xena said softly, her eyes going distant and her jaw tightening.

"Her? How would you know that?" the Viking demanded.

"I created her," Xena growled and headed for the door, Gabrielle following to catch up.

The bard decided it was probably better to remain quiet with the warrior until they reached camp. After years together, Gabrielle knew when Xena was upset.

It was late evening when Xena and Gabrielle arrived back at camp to find Sasha upset and the other two women at a loss on how to calm her.

Xena's frown deepened her daughter launched herself into the warrior's arms, tears beginning to flow again.

"What is it, Sasha?" she asked softly as Gabrielle dropped the travel packs, now refilled with food and supplies next to the campfire, silently thanking the Fates that the rain had stopped.

"I had a dream vision," the young girl whimpered.

"She got tired waiting for both of you and fell asleep," Eponin explained. "Next thing we knew she was screaming."

Xena sat down next to the fire, still holding her daughter close and welcomed Gabrielle into the hug as well. Both moms comforting the terrified child together.

"What did you see, little one?" Gabrielle questioned, "Do you want to talk about it?"

"I saw Mama hanging upside down from a tree and she was all bloody," Sasha said softly.

Both Gabrielle and Xena could tell how upset the youngster was, it was the only time she called Xena "mama." Hearing the description of her dream, they could understand why.

"You called it a dream vision," Xena said softly, wiping the tears from her daughter's face. "Was this different from a regular bad dream?"

"Yeah," the dark-haired, blue-eyed child responded, still sniffling but calming down.

"How was it different?" Gabrielle asked.

The other two Amazons began unrolling the bedding for the evening, listening but keeping quiet. Spreading the blankets and furs on pine boughs that had managed to stay dry in the thick forest.

"It was more like the pictures I get when I see future stuff," Sasha tried explaining.

"Okay, I understand," Xena said reassuringly.

"Xena," Gabrielle began, a frown on her face.

"We'd better tell Hall and Pony what's going on first," Xena suggested, cutting off the bard's obvious worry about the vision and the upcoming hunt for Grendel/Gerulda.

Xena continued to hold and rock Sasha as Gabrielle told the Amazons what had happened that evening in the village and about Beowulf. By the time the bard was finished, the child was calm once more and listening closely.

"So that means we go and find your old playmate and finish this?" Pony asked with a grin.

Both Hall and Xena frowned deeply but both nodded, looking at each other with their jaws clenched.

"You don't have to come along, Pony," Gabrielle said simply.

"Are you going, my Queen?" the Amazon responded.

"Where Xena goes, I go," the bard answered.

"Then I follow you, Gabrielle," Eponin stated firmly.

"I know Hall is going, this is unsettled business with the two of us," Xena said. "The question is now what to do with Sasha."

"I'm going with you, Mom," the young girl snapped.

"I don't think that would be smart, little one," Gabrielle said gently.

The child began pouting but listened as it turned into a major debate for the next candle-mark between the four women. The question really wasn't whether Sasha was going to go with them, it was what to do with her while they were gone. None of them wanted the child anywhere near Grendel. Gabrielle had pointed out that Beowulf had mentioned children being torn to pieces by the monster.

It was finally decided that Eponin would escort Sasha to Jarl Healfdane's hunting hall and then catch up with Xena and the others. Xena, Gabrielle and Hall would join Beowulf and the warriors he had gathered.

Eponin wasn't amused with the decision but agreed that it was the best one.

Sasha and Xena arguing about Xena going at all until the child fell asleep.

The four women and child settled in for a night of restless sleep.

Sasha woke up and immediately began arguing with Xena about going after Grendel until they were snapping at each other and Gabrielle put her foot down and told both of them to be quiet.

Eponin was still upset about being left out of the first part of the hunt and Hall was quiet and sullen, lost in her own memories of Grendel.

Somehow the beautiful dawn after the storm was lost on all of them as they trekked their horses through the mud around the village to meet Beowulf.

Gabrielle could tell that Beowulf was surprised that the other two warriors were females and Amazons but he didn't say anything and merely nodded when introduced to them. He also didn't say anything when they told him that the child and one warrior would be traveling to the Jarl's hall while they tracked Grendel.

Xena spent a few moments with Sasha while Beowulf relayed directions to Jarl Healfdane's Hall to Pony.

"Mom, this isn't good," Sasha said once again.

"I know, Sash, but I don't have a choice," Xena said, sitting next to her daughter.

Gabrielle stood behind them, wanting to be supportive but unsure how to help.

"I did something bad a long time ago and now I have to fix it," Xena tried to explain.

"Why now? You haven't done anything bad in a very long time," Sasha complained.

"Because the bad thing I did a long time ago escaped and is killing people," Xena said and Gabrielle could hear the pain in her voice.

"Why do you have to fix it? Can't someone else do it?" Sasha demanded.

"We have to take responsibility for what we do in life," Xena said with a sad smile. "Both good and bad. Others have been killed and more will be killed if I don't try and fix this, innocent people."

"I saw you dead," Sasha whispered.

"Your Gabby mum saw a vision like yours once," Xena commented. "Did you know that she sometimes has dreams like yours?"

The young child shook her head with a look of wonderment in her eyes.

"Yup, and she saw us, me and her, lying in a cold place and we looked dead. All torn up and bloody."

"But you didn't die," Sasha protested.

"We almost did. When your Uncle Hercules and Iolaus found us they thought we were dead, just like in Gabrielle's vision," Xena answered.

"So my picture might not happen?"

"I don't know," Xena admitted. "I might be hurt, I might even be killed. It may not happen for a very long time. I still have to try and stop this monster."

"You and Mum could be hurt," Sasha protested, throwing down a stick she had been twirling around in frustration.

"Yes, and we've talked about it," Xena smiled. "You know as a warrior it might happen to me someday."

Gabrielle could almost see the child pouting.

"I know, it's just hard seeing things," Sasha complained.

"I can imagine," Xena admitted. "Being the child of a god has advantages and it also has problems. I don't know how to help with this."

"Just don't die," Sasha reasoned simply.

Xena couldn't help but laugh and Gabrielle felt herself smiling. "The best I can do is promise to try and stay alive as long as possible."

"Okay," the child agreed. "Mom, it's like a voice that said something to me."

"What's that, Sash?" Xena asked.

"Beware of stag horns."

"Okay, I won't die and I'll avoid any deer," Xena grinned.

"Okay," Sasha grinned back.

Gabrielle leaned over and hugged both of them.

"Let's go!" Hall called out and the two moms hugged the child tightly and mounted their horses.

Xena tried not to let Sasha see the worry and sadness in her face as they rode off, leaving the child with Eponin.

Just outside the next village they picked up the six warriors Beowulf had recruited for the hunt.

Gabrielle was once again amused by the difference in cultures between the Vikings and Greeks she knew. Like heroes of myth and legends, these warriors were looking at the hunt for a monster that had killed countless warriors, women, children and animals as an adventure. Instead of worrying about coming back alive, these warriors laughed at the possibility of being killed in battle and being famous even if they were dead.

In fact, some of them looked forward to dying in a good fight rather than facing death by old age.

Another thing that surprised Gabrielle was how the warriors responded to Xena, they almost worshipped her.

Xena had run into such attitude before and hated it. These warriors worshipped her because of what she had been, the ruthless warrior. The woman warrior who would use anyone she could and kill or move anyone in her way.

They admired her warrior skills, her battle tactics and her policy of no mercy. They loved the warrior who could rack up a body count without a second thought. They loved the warrior who didn't care who was among that body count, innocent or villain and at the same time they were honorable men who would defend those same innocents with their lives.

Xena spent most of the day growling and waving away the warrior admirers.

Gabrielle also spent the day fending off advances but not because of her warriors' skills. All of the Vikings, including Beowulf, couldn't believe that the little bard could be deadly in a fight. Gabrielle didn't know if letting them know about her gladiator reputation would help or cause more disbelief from the group of huge warriors. The bard grumbled that even their horses were bigger than hers.

She also could tell that Xena was distracted with her own problems with the warriors or else more than one of them might have found himself sitting on the road with a broken arm after approaching Gabrielle too often.

By the end of the evening one warrior did have a bloody nose from Xena's fist when he demanded that she demonstrate some of her battle moves and another had a black eye when he insisted that the little Greek bard should really marry him and let him protect her. He had proposed marriage with his hand on Gabrielle's thigh and with each word it had gotten higher. The Viking had found himself sitting on the ground holding his eye and the side of his head from where a fist had connected with his eye and a sai with the side of his head.

Then he was trying to scramble backwards as Gabrielle was holding a very angry Xena back from hurting him even more.

The Greeks fell back behind the group after the afternoon break, for some space away from the Vikings.

"Xena, if I have one more proposal to share my bedding tonight I'm going to scream," Gabrielle declared.

"Trouble, little one?" Xena finally snapped out of her own thoughts and grinned at her mate.

"Nothing much," Gabrielle shrugged, letting her irritation drift away at the sight of her mate's blue eyes and smile. "Tell me, love of my life," she continued. "Are we best friends or mates on this trip?"

"Well, considering you've won over more than half the warriors and Beowulf himself would probably walk through fire for you already, I think we'd better be mates and get their minds elsewhere," Xena grinned.

Gabrielle growled and then threw her hands up in frustration. "What is it about me?" she demanded.

"Ever think it might be from your father?"

"My father?" Gabrielle suddenly became thoughtful.

"He is the God of the Sun and, if even half the tales are true, he does get around a lot and has no problems in the romance area," Xena pointed out.

"Sasha has visions, I get love-sick warriors," the bard complained.

"And I get the bad boys," Xena reminded her mate and was pleased when the bard playfully whacked Xena on the arm.

Then Gabrielle's face got serious. "This one is going to be bad, isn't it?"

"Yeah, I think so," Xena admitted.

Before the two Greeks could discuss it further a commotion ahead of them caught their attention. Xena kicked Argo into a trot in-between Hallvor's horse and one of the warriors. Gabrielle rode up the other side of the female Viking and grabbed the warrior's arm as she started to grab her sword.

The werserker turned with a growl, baring her fangs and then her eyes softened and her grip on her sword pommel relaxed and her fangs receeded.

Gabrielle looked over and saw Xena holding the male Viking warrior by his collar, her hand on his sword arm as well.

"What in Tartarus is going on?" Xena demanded.

All the other warriors had stopped and Beowulf rode up with a frown upon his face.

"What is going on?" he demanded.

"Trying to find out," Xena responded. "Now, one of you tell us what is going on."

"I was just being friendly," the male warrior said in a sullen voice. "I asked who her family was, she's obvious Norse."

"He wouldn't let it alone," Hallvor growled back.

"What is the problem?" Beowulf demanded.

"Ask her!" the Viking male warrior grumbled.

"My family is my business and no one else!" Hall snapped back.

Beowulf waved his hand impatiently to silence both Vikings and looked at Xena.

"Is her past as much of a problem as yours?" he asked.

"Yes, according to your customs," Xena admitted.

Gabrielle, knowing how serious the Vikings took their family ties, kept quiet.

"Is she a wolf's head?" Beowulf asked.

Xena and Gabrielle hesitated and both looked at Hall. The female Viking glared at Beowulf and then at the other male warrior. She finally looked back at Xena and nodded.

"Yes, she was also with me when I fought Grendel last time. We need her," Xena responded.

Beowulf seemed to think for a moment and held up his hand for silence as several of the male warriors grumbled and complained among themselves.

"Our best heroes have been wolf's heads and AllFather himself insisted on Xena. She vouches for the woman and that is good enough," he declared.

A couple of the men grumbled but the one warrior Hallvor had been arguing with stuck out his hand towards the female Viking. After a moment's hesitation, Hallvor grasped his forearm in a warrior's handshake and Xena smiled, relieved.

The small group broke for camp a couple of candle-marks later and Xena was pleased that some of the other male warriors were approaching Hallvor, comparing weapons and discussing axe throws with the seemingly young female Viking. A couple of the others were grumbling and ignoring the young outlaw but Beowulf and the others seemed to accept her at face value on Xena's word and the warrior was pleased. They didn't need friction in their new group, not when they were about to face Grendel.

Xena looked over with raised eyebrows as one of the male warriors went tumbling by her, having been flipped head over heels by her mate. Gabrielle's face was red and her green eyes were flashing brightly.

Xena quickly stood up and motioned for Gabrielle to stop and not follow through with hurting the male. The male Viking sat near the fire, looking up at the bard in surprise.

"How did a little thing like you do that?" he asked with a grin as his mates laughed at him.

"I told you all that she would surprise you," Xena grinned and moved behind Gabrielle and placed her hands on the bard's shoulders. She felt Gabrielle relax slightly and lean back into the warrior's chest. Xena spotted Beowulf's eyes narrow slightly.

"Now listen up, all of you," Xena continued. "Gabrielle is as much of a warrior as any of you and she might even have more kills than most of you."

Xena hated bragging about Gabrielle's kills, knowing how her mate felt about having to kill at all but it was something the Viking warriors would admire and would make them trust the bard's warrior skills more. She tightened her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders reassuringly as the bard stiffened.

"She's also spoken for," Xena growled. "That means paws off. Get your mind out of your trousers and think about facing Grendel."

"What kind of man would let a little and beautiful thing like Gabrielle go wandering around Germania looking for monsters?" one of the men demanded.

"Me," Xena answered simply and felt Gabrielle's head lift slightly as both of them challenged the others with their eyes to have a problem with their relationship.

"You are mated, not just travel mates?" Beowulf questioned, his eyes a little hurt.

"Yes," Gabrielle responded, showing her bracelet from under her bracer. "Our bonding bracelets."

"They are married and off limits," Beowulf declared to the men and ignored the smirk from Hall. The men grumbled but no one seemed too upset by the turn of events and Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle with a sigh of relief.

"I love you, Xena," the bard whispered.

"And I love you," Xena responded and turned the bard around in her arms. "No matter what happens I want you to know that you have been the best thing that ever happened in my life."

Gabrielle laid her head against her taller mate's chest and held the warrior close.

Both noticed the chill in the air and frowned.

Within two days they were close to the territory of Jarl Healfdane and the mine that once held Grendel captive. Gabrielle noticed that the usual bluster and carefree attitude of the Vikings sobered slightly as they entered a forest of winter-bare trees. They had gone so far north that there was still snow in patches on the ground where the sun never hit.

It wasn't so much the barrenness of the trees or the quiet of the woods that had sobered the group up, it was all the skeletons dotting the landscape. Some of the skeletons still had on broken armor or broken swords clutched in their bone hands, others were too small to be women or men. Gabrielle felt a shiver run up and down her spine at the sight of children's bones.

Animal bones were also among the human ones. Beowulf, himself went pale with the realization that the bones had been gnawed on and most hadn't lost their flesh to the elements or carrion but to something large stripping the flesh from the bone, probably to eat.

Xena felt her stomach doing backflips, knowing that she was ultimately the cause of the nightmare facing them.

Hall shivered as well, remembering her own encounter with the creature that could cause such destruction and how close she and Xena had been to dying.

"Xena," she said, riding up next to the bard and warrior. "Last time we fought her our swords were useless. What plan do you have this time?"

The warrior noticed Beowulf listening for the answer as well and held up her chakram. "This is a weapon that was forged by some lost god so many seasons ago it was almost forgotten. It can cut through the weapons of Hephaestus, our blacksmith god. I'm counting on it being able to cut through Grendel's skin," the warrior explained to the Vikings.

"Magical weapons against a monster is good," one man commented and the others nodded.

Gabrielle smiled as the men began to talk among themselves again and seemed more confident.

"You know, if you said Argo could fly and you were a Valkyrie, they would believe you," Gabrielle commented.

"Yeah," Xena grumbled. "I know. I've come across idiots wanting to be like what I was, the Warlord, but they were only a handful or already following a Warlord. Up here it's the entire culture almost but different at the same time."

"You mean like how they can worship your battle skills and slaughter and yet be so honorable in their own culture and lives?" Gabrielle asked.

"Exactly, they want to be brave in battle and actually die in a good fight. At the same time honor is everything to most of them," Xena smiled as they rode along.

Gabrielle noticed that even though everyone seemed more confident, the voices were still kept low and everyone's hands stayed close to their weapons. She looked over at Hall and wasn't surprised that the werserker's eyes kept darting back and forth as she leaned forward in her saddle, almost sniffing the wind.

Xena moved Argo up next to Beowulf as he raised his hand to stop the warriors. Both leaders looked around with frowns.

"We're close to the mine, we should see or hear something by now," Beowulf complained.

"I agree, something's not right," Xena muttered. "Wait here."

With a short cry Xena spurred Argo into a trot down the overgrown trail leading to the mine. The warrior knew that Grendel would have spotted them a long time before getting this close. She and Beowulf had decided on a direct approach rather than trying to sneak up on the monster. They were hoping that Grendel would be confident in her special protection against weapons and attack them without much thought to who she was attacking.

They were counting on the men keeping the monster busy while Xena got close enough to use the chakram. It was a risky plan, everything depended on Xena getting a killing shot in before too many of them died.

Argo skidded to a stop with a snort of protest at the entrance to the mine and Xena had to agree with the sentiments of the faithful and intelligent creature. The smell of decay almost made her gag and brought tears to her eyes.

Surrounding the mine entrance were great piles of bones and decaying bodies of both animals and humans. From the bones dotting the countryside and the bones here Xena estimated that the human victims of Grendel probably numbered close to a hundred. A huge number of victims for one creature.

Xena pulled her feet out of her stirrups and moved onto Argo's saddle. With her battle cry she vaulted off the horse and flipped onto her feet several yards away to the front of the mine, sword and chakram in hand.

Before her body had settled onto the ground the warrior rolled forward and came up with sword striking and chakram held up defensively.

Xena frowned, her brows furrowed in puzzlement as she stood upright. Her sense were on heightened alert and she sensed nothing, not even with her exceptional hearing. The gate was still there, bent and rusted but still there and nothing else seemed to be.

Still moving cautiously, Xena went back to Argo and mounted the horse. With her frown deepening she urged Argo back towards where the Vikings and Gabrielle waited.

After two candle-marks the mine had been mostly explored by the warriors with torches. They had found where the creature slept and ate and where it had been imprisoned and had tried to dig out all those years but they didn't find Grendel herself.

After two candle-marks inside the dank, dark and smelly mine everyone was more than anxious to be away from the place and quickly scurried outside. Gabrielle felt herself shivering and she wasn't sure if it was from the dampness or the atmosphere of the place. The bard had been to Tartarus on a couple of occasions and hadn't enjoyed it but it would be preferable to this, she thought. Even the rats seemed bigger and more vicious in this maze of darkened tunnels, some of them collapsed and blocked.

The group moved upwind a good distance from the mine, leaving two of their number to watch the mine, and settled in for the night.

Now that their relationship was clear to everyone, Gabrielle sat between Xena's legs and leaned back into her warrior as Xena's arms wrapped around her. Most of the Vikings were sharpening their weapons, arm wrestling or telling tales softly.

Xena knew that Gabrielle and most of the warriors had been affected by the sights outside and inside the mine and tried to block the pictures of the bodies and bones out of her mind, herself. She held the bard tight.

Both Gabrielle and Xena noticed that the warriors kept their voices low and their eyes were constantly darting around. The sight of so many skeletons had unnerved most of them. It was one thing to face a glorious death in battle, it was another to face a monster and end up being eaten. Most of the men and both Greeks had been in battle before, they had seen the wounds war could cause. This was different, this was more horrific than any of them could even comprehend.

"And I thought Cerebus was always in a bad mood," Xena muttered.

Hallvor sat down in front of the Greeks.

"Thank you for vouching for me," she said simply.

"No thanks, needed. You were a very good warrior then and I have no doubt you've improved. I also want to try and capture Grendel alive, I need you for that," Xena answered.

"Why alive?" Hall questioned.

"That's the only chance we have to figure out how to reverse that spell."

"Do you think you can cure Grendel?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"I don't know. After what she's become I'm not sure," Xena admitted. "I'm hoping to at least reverse Hall's condition."

"If it's a choice between Grendel killing more innocents or my wolf side, choose killing Grendel," Hall growled.

"I'm tired of losing choices," Xena growled back, remembering how Gabrielle had sacrificed her chance at being cured of her bacchae curse in order to save Xena and neutralize the god-killing powers of the chakram and so many other no-win choices in her past.

"You know those warriors aren't going to be happy trying to capture Grendel alive," Gabrielle pointed out.

"I know and I can't explain it to them either," Xena complained.

"Let's just face that when it comes," Gabrielle suggested.

"This place sends shivers up my spine, I admit it," the females overheard one of the Vikings raising his voice. They glanced over and saw three of the warriors huddled around the fire, sharpening their weapons and looking out into the dark every few seconds.

"Alright, I admit it as well," another one spoke up. "This is a cursed place of death, not of battle but of slaughter and death."

"I agree, I can't wait to get back to Jarl Healfdane's Stag Hall and drink mead and sit by the warm fire," the third spoke up.

Gabrielle sat upright as Xena jerked to her feet and rushed over to the men. They looked startled by the intensity in the warrior's eyes.

"What did you call Jarl Healfdane's Hall?" she questioned.

Beowulf rose and approached the men and Greek with a frown as Gabrielle and Hall walked over from the other side.

The Viking warrior, Hathgar, looked puzzled. "It is called Heorot, Stag's Hall because of all the stag horns mounted on the walls and above the doors. Jarl Healfdane is a great hunter."

"Xena?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Sasha's vision! Beware of Stag horns," Xena answered through gritted teeth.

"Oh sweet Artemis, that's where Grendel is!" the bard whispered.

"You mean Grendel is at Jarl Healfdane's hall?" Beowulf demanded.

"Yes, Sasha is gifted with sight and she saw danger, something about stag horns," Xena answered.

"Mount up! The Jarl and our friends are in danger!" Beowulf shouted and the Vikings scrambled to grab up their sleeping furs and pack their horses up for travel.

"Beowulf!" Gabrielle shouted, "We can't ride in the dark in this forest, one of the horses will break a leg!"

"We have to move!" Xena yelled back as she rolled up their bedding. "Sasha, Pony and the others can't stand against Grendel. We'll ride with torches."

"Damn!" the bard swore as she grabbed her cloak up.

It was close to dawn when the riders came into sight of Heorot, Stag's Hall.

"Xena?" the bard whispered as they approached the hunting hall of Jarl Healfdane. The place was dark with no sign of the ever-burning fire in the firepit. As the band drew closer and spread out they already had their weapons out. No dogs were barking and there were no guards at the main gate.

Both the gate and the main door to the halls were standing open and everything was dark.

Xena and Beowulf dismounted with Hallvor and Gabrielle right behind them. The four of them approached the hall slowly, weapons drawn and torches held high. Several of the men split to either side of the hall to approach from behind and from the roof.

Xena entered slowly with Gabrielle at her back and then Beowulf with Hallvor at his back.

Beowulf held his torch high, revealing the front half of the hall. Xena's eyes scanned quickly for movement and danger and then began to take in the scene. She wasn't surprised when she heard a strangled cry from Hallvor and Gabrielle muttered something to the gods and quickly dashed outside.

Xena felt her heart almost stop.

Beowulf turned and went to the door shouting for the men to bring more torches.

Xena uttered a desperate cry and began searching through the hall for any sign of Sasha, trying to identify anything familiar among the horror.

"Sasha!" she shouted, hoping against hope that something was still alive in the hall but received no answer or sound.

Beowulf and his men quickly joined her in searching for anything living.

Gabrielle stepped back into the hall, trying to choke down her fear and dinner. She was ashamed having gotten sick but the sight of the hall was worse than anything she had ever seen, even at the mine.

The hunting lodge was typical of a Viking hall - long and one large room with a smaller room at either end. Several fire pits ran down the center of the room and sleeping benches lined the walls. A cook area was at the far end of the building and a huge table near it.

Gabrielle knew from experience that the room at the end was probably Jarl Healfdane's room and the one at the main entrance was for shielding against weather and storage of furs and boots as people came and went out of the hall in winter.

The Hall looked as if it could hold fifty people easily and the bard reflected there might be that many here. She couldn't tell.

"Beowulf," Hallvor called out. "How many here?" she asked, echoing Gabrielle's thoughts.

"Twenty five, including the Jarl," he called back, moving a chair off another body.

The bard thought the only way they could count the victims would be to count the skulls.

Body parts were everywhere in the hall and the walls were red with blood and gore. Gabrielle tried to watch where she was stepping to avoid crunching down on a hand, arm or leg but it was difficult. What little furniture in the hall was also in pieces and scattered among the body pieces.

Gabrielle forced herself to look at the body parts, trying to see if one of them was Eponin or Sasha and fought back from gagging. One of the male Vikings lost his battle with his dinner and rushed for the main door, holding his bloody hands out in front of him. The bard sympathized greatly and none of the man's comrades laughed or teased him when he came back into the hall.

Bits of hair were left on table edges, blood was soaking into the firm packed ground and painting the log walls red.

"Xena!" Gabrielle finally called and spotted her mate at the far end. The warrior looked up towards the bards, her eyes frantic. The bard shook her head and began moving towards her mate. "Nothing, no Amazon clothing and no Sasha," she said, trying not to look at the head of a young woman staring up at her from the floor.

The bard looked up and found she had no way to escape it. The arm of a male was caught in the rafters.

"Sasha!" Xena screamed again, her hands bloody from the search and eyes still frantic.

Beowulf and Hallvor joined the bard next to Xena as her eyes darted around desperately.

"If anyone could get Sasha out of here during an attack it would have been Pony," Hallvor said, trying to encourage the warrior mother.

"Hall's right," Gabrielle agreed.

"Xena, there is no Amazon among the dead and no female child," Beowulf reported to the warrior. "They aren't here."

Xena closed her eyes and struggled for control. Her eyes were still bright with intensity but she was calmer in a moment when she opened them.

"Alright, Pony would try and leave a trail. We have a candle-mark until dawn, we can search then," Xena stated.

"Yes," Beowulf agreed. "We'll gather the dead and try to identify them and then we'll burn the hall with them in it. A good and honorable funeral for Healfdane and kin."

"We'll be outside looking for Grendel's tracks," Xena stated.

Beowulf turned to his men. "Alright, we don't have time to bury our kin and friends. Line up the heads and see if we can tell who is who and then we will burn the hall in honor of them."

The Vikings steeled themselves to the task and began sorting through the body parts.

Gabrielle moved quickly outside and waited for Hallvor and Xena to catch up.

Xena felt her hands clenching at her sides and tried to relax. The warrior felt her eyes soften as a tear escaped down her cheek and let Gabrielle hug her for a moment. She knew the little bard was terrified too for Sasha and Eponin.

Hallvor began searching around the Hall for tracks leading away while the couple tried to comfort each other

Just before dawn the Vikings raised their drinking horns in a salute and threw burning torches into and onto the hall.

Gabrielle felt her jaw tightening as the great logs began to catch. There were so many bodies inside. Far too many to try and bury, burning was a way of taking care of the bodies and honoring them in ancient Viking tradition at the same time.

Xena hummed the burial song as the timbers screamed in protest.

Gabrielle thought the only time she had been more chilled was when they had been forced into a snowstorm in Siberia for days but this chill was different. This was a chill of fear and horror.

It was late afternoon when the finally found the missing Amazon. It was Hallvor's howl of anguish that alerted the warriors as the female Viking Amazon scouted ahead. They had been following the Amazon trail signs in the trees left by Eponin. The signs occasionally told that Sasha was with her.

Then the trail signs ended and the blood trail began. Hallvor had whispered with Xena for a moment and the Warrior Princess turned and suggested to Beowulf that Hallvor scout ahead and the rest of the group fall back a little. The Viking agreed and fell back to ride with his men.

Gabrielle leaned over towards Xena on Argo.

"What's going on?"

"Hall can partly change to the wolf and it increases her senses, she can track Eponin even better than I can, she doesn't want the Vikings seeing her as a partial wolf," the warrior answered.

"Good idea," the bard agreed. Werserkers and berserkers weren't unknown in the north but they were uncommon and sometimes feared even by their Viking brother warriors.

At the sound of Hallvor's cry the entire group broke into a gallop over a field and into the woods and found the Amazons at the base of a tree in a densely wooded area. Eponin's head was in the lap of adopted Amazon and she appeared dead to the band of warriors approaching. Dried blood covered her face and most of her body. Her clothing was ripped and Xena could make out a large gash across Pony's left leg and another across her stomach.

"Is she…..?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"She lives," Hallvor answered, her voice harsh. The bard assumed it was from the werserker's transformation just moments earlier.

Everyone dismounted and Xena rushed forward to check and tend the Amazon's wounds.

"Gabrielle, Hallvor, look for signs of Sasha," Xena ordered as she cut away what was left of Pony's leathers and woven clothing. One of the Vikings rushed up with a pack filled with healing herbs and bandages.

Gabrielle and Hallvor returned a few minutes later and shook their head at Xena's questioning eyes. The warrior looked pained and turned back to tending to Eponin. The bard crouched in front of her mate.

"It's not good," Xena answered. "If that gash across her stomach is too deep nothing will help."

"Can you tell yet?" Hall asked.

"Not yet, we'll have to wait and see. I can stitch up the other gashes," Xena responded. "There's a good lump on her head and I don't know when or if she'll wake up."

"Oh gods, Eponin," Gabrielle whispered, gently stroking the forehead of her friend.

Hallvor and everyone waited impatiently. Xena tending to Pony's wounds, Hallvor sharpening her axe, Beowulf and the other Vikings trying to track Grendel.

It was a candle-mark before the wounded Amazon opened her eyes and was barely able to talk. Eponin managed to speak in short bits in Greek. When Gabrielle translated what she said chilled everyone.

Grendel was intelligent, could speak and demanded Xena in exchange for Sasha.

No one was surprised when this announcement led to one continuing argument between Xena and everyone, particularly Gabrielle. No one but Xena was in favor of the exchange and the bickering went on for over a candle-mark until Xena sent her chakram flying over everyone's head, causing most of them to duck and breaking up their arguments.

"Enough!" she shouted as she caught the chakram. "Listen, all of you! I don't know if you know the history of Grendel or not but I am responsible for this monster. I used magic to change a Valkyrie named Gerulda into Grendel the monster. I'm responsible for everyone she has killed. I'm the reason your Jarl, your kith and your kin are dead!"

Gabrielle felt tears flowing down her cheeks as Xena shouted her evil past to the men. The bard heard Hallvor growl as the Viking Amazon held Pony in her arms.

"Xena, your guilt over your past is your business," Beowulf finally spoke, removing his gleaming helmet. "AllFather Odin himself asked for you to set this right but I don't think even He is demanding your sacrifice at this point."

"How do you know, Beowulf?" Xena snapped. "He's notorious for demanding sacrifices."

"Yes, but would he want your life before we solve the problem with Grendel?" the large Viking reasoned and Gabrielle had to smile at that reasoning. Even Xena frowned, considering the logic.

"I say we finish this in the morning," he continued, "follow the trail and see if we can rescue Sasha. If we can't, then we consider trading you for your child."

Xena looked over into the fiery green eyes of her mate and felt her shoulders sag in weariness, worry and compromise. She nodded and lowered the chakram.

Gabrielle turned on her heel and stormed off into the trees.

Beowulf could see the pain in Xena's eyes as the rest of the men worked at setting up camp.

Gabrielle came back to camp but was quiet during the evening meal. The male Vikings were more subdued than usual, having burned their friends and families' bodies seemed to overwhelm them and dampen their normally rowdy spirits as well as the tension between the women. Even though it was a chilly evening Xena resisted wrapping her arms around Gabrielle at the campfire, the intensity was radiating from the bard and no one wanted to get close to the brooding little blond.

Xena was grateful when Gabrielle snuggled down into the warrior's arms in their bedding as usual. After brooding about Sasha being gone and the possibility of losing Xena all evening, the warrior wasn't sure Gabrielle would sleep with her that night.

The warrior held her close and kissed the top of the bard's head.

"I love you, Gabrielle," she whispered.

"I know and I love you, Xena," Gabrielle responded softly, "I just can't take the thought of losing you."

"We've always known that it would probably happen," Xena pointed out.

"Not like this," the bard countered. "I expected you to fall in battle, like these Vikings. Or to be saving someone, not giving yourself up without a fight to a monster."

"A monster I created," Xena reminded her.

"A monster who will continue to kill even if you sacrifice yourself for Sasha," Gabrielle countered angrily.

"At the cost of our daughter?" Xena asked in a whisper.

Gabrielle buried her face in Xena's chest. "No, you know that."

"I know, little one," the warrior said softly. "We'll figure it out."

Xena held the bard close, both crying quietly.

Gabrielle felt Xena turn over in their bedding and turned over herself. The bard felt herself drifting back into sleep when something sharp hit her in the back of the neck and then in her spine. Gabrielle tried to move and grab her weapons but realized with sudden fear that she couldn't move and couldn't speak.

"Gabrielle, it's me!" Xena's voice whispered in her ear.

'Okay, this is not funny!' the bard desperately wanted to say and found she could barely whimper.

"I'm sorry, little one," Xena continued and Gabrielle felt herself rolled over on her stomach. The bard wanted to scream as she felt her arms and wrists being tied behind her back and then her ankles.

Knowing Xena, it would take a long time to get out of those knots. The bard bit her lips in frustration and tried to scream again. When she opened her mouth a gag was quickly stuffed in her mouth, followed by a cloth tied around her mouth behind her head.

Then she felt Xena's body behind hers and the warrior's arms wrap around her.

"I'm so sorry, my love," Xena whispered, Gabrielle could hear the pain in the voice. "I don't have time to argue with all of you and I can't face leaving you in the daylight. I'm going to make sure Sasha is safe. I'll either rescue her or exchange myself."

The bard tried to scream, move, moan, do anything and couldn't.

"I'm leaving half of the chakram here, either you, Beowulf or Hallvor get close enough to Grendel to use it if I don't come back. Just make sure Sasha is safe," Xena's voice threatened to break. "Gods, little one, I love you so much. If I don't come back, wait until Sasha is grown before you follow me, please."

Gabrielle tried to blink back the tears streaming down her face.

"You were and are the best thing in my life, Gabrielle," the warrior whispered. "I can only get through this with your love. I'll try and come back."

Then the warrior hit Gabrielle again on the back of the neck and back and was gone, leaving the bard screaming quietly into her gag and struggling against the ropes.

It was Beowulf who was up before dawn in the cool air and noticed the squirming and whimpering coming from the bedrolls of the Greeks. He was about to leave them to their privacy but something didn't seem right to the Viking. Beowulf stopped for a moment and then approached the bedrolls slowly, knowing Xena reputation as a warrior. He didn't want her to wake up with her sword in hand at his throat because he startled them.

"Xena? Gabrielle?" he called softly and was puzzled when the small sounds increased slightly in volume and intensity. Sensing something was out of the ordinary he poked the furs cautiously with his foot and drew his sword.

Instead of hitting something solid, the foot sank into the furs and blankets.

The Viking knelt down with his sword at the ready and pulled back the furs to reveal more furs underneath on one side and Gabrielle on the other, tied up and gagged.

"Thor's Hammer!" he cried out and quickly cut the bard's bonds with the sword and attempted to help her sit up as Gabrielle ripped the gag from her mouth. She cried out slightly as she attempted to move her arms and legs after being tied up throughout the night. She was finally able to sit up and looked around the camp and back at Beowulf, her eyes frantic. "Xena!" she screamed, her voice harsh from struggling.

The entire camp was in an uproar in a moment.

Beowulf looked at the furs and the bard removing the cut ropes from her bloody wrists and ankles and his eyes narrowed.

"How long?" he demanded.

"About a candle-mark after we went to sleep, I think," she croaked out. "Hallvor!"

The male Vikings and Viking Amazon crowded around the bard, some of them puzzled but most figuring out what had happened quickly.

"Find her!" the Amazon Queen demanded from the Amazon.

"Pony?" Hallvor questioned.

"One of the men can stay behind with her, the rest of us get Xena and Sasha back," Gabrielle snapped.

"Yes, my Queen," Hallvor nodded and grabbed her weapons and was on her horse within moments without putting a saddle on.

Gabrielle knew that the Viking would use those wolf-senses to track the missing warrior and that Hallvor wanted a head-start ahead of the main group.

"Everyone mount up! Leave your bedding here, saddles and weapons only! Move!" Beowulf bellowed and helped Gabrielle to her feet and watched her wince as she started to put on her bracers. The tall Viking reached out and pulled the bard to him and started examining her wrists.

"Bandage those before putting the bracers on," he ordered and then frowned, noticing the massive scarring on both sides, just above the wrists on both arms. Beowulf looked at the smaller woman questioning.

"I was crucified by Caesar to get to Xena," she explained, pulling away and reaching into one of the packs she and Xena carried for bandages.

"You are a brave little thing, Gabrielle," Beowulf stated. "I am honored to ride and fight by your side."

Gabrielle stopped wrapping her wrists to look at the Viking and smiled slightly. "Thank you, Beowulf. I know what that means to you."

Then the bard's eyes filled with tears and she looked in the direction where Hallvor had gone riding off.

Beowulf reached out and began helping the bard with bandaging her wrists. After a moment Gabrielle relaxed and let the large Viking help her.

"We'll get them back, Gabrielle," the Viking reassured her. "You are her soul-mate, aren't you?"

Gabrielle brushed away the tears angrily and buckled on her bracers and grabbed her boots up. "Yes, we are."

"If she dies then you will die," it was more of a statement than a question and the bard nodded in agreement. "Then we must make sure your mate doesn't die," Beowulf declared simply.

As Beowulf turned to grab his equipment up the bard looked at the sky and screamed Xena's name again.

The band of Vikings and bard were on the move with saddles barely hitting the backs of their horses before they were riding away from the camp, the hooves of the horses crunching in the early morning frost.

Xena's sharp eyes took in the sight of her daughter and the warrior mother whimpered softly.

The child was almost at the top of a very tall pine tree, suspended from a branch by a rope tied around her waist and chest. At the bottom of the tree with the rope in hand was Grendel, waiting patiently.

The warrior quickly scanned the area and her options.

After a few minutes of scouting the area, both on land and through the trees, Xena sighed and steeled herself.

The warrior stepped into the daylight and into Grendel's view.

"Mommy, no!" Sasha screamed and Xena resisted looking at her child, knowing she might lose it if she did. The Greek didn't want to show any emotion in front of the monster she had helped create, emotions could be used against her.

Not that she expected to survive this encounter. Xena threw her sword at Grendel's feet and waited, watching the creature closely.

"Let the child go, I'm yours," Xena said simply.

The band of warriors rode hard and fast, catching up to Hallvor several times as the Viking tried to trail Xena.

Beowulf frowned. "How in Hella's Halls did Xena find Grendel?"

"I don't know," Gabrielle complained. "Maybe her connection with Sasha. The child is gifted."

"She would be a spae-woman here in the North," Beowulf commented.

"Spae woman?" Gabrielle questioned.

"A woman gifted with sight and knowledge of magic," the Viking answered.

"They are sometimes feared in the South," the bard commented.

"It depends on what magic they work here, some are feared for their powers for evil. Most are looked to for word of future or aid in healing," Beowulf grinned. "Do you not have the tie with Sasha?"

"No, my bonding at birth with her was denied me. I was a slave in Italia when she was born." Gabrielle answered, a touch of bitterness still in her voice.

"You love them very much," he commented.

"More than my own life," she responded.

It was late afternoon when they heard a hunting horn ahead of them and spurred their horses on even faster. Just up the trail they found Sasha on Argo with Hallvor.

Gabrielle leaped from her horse and grabbed the child into her arms as Sasha dashed to her.

"Mummy!" the child wailed.

"Sasha!" Gabrielle cried, holding the child tightly. "Where's your Mom? Where's Xena?"

"She stayed with the monster. The monster let me go and Mom told Argo to find you," the child choked out between her tears.

"When did you leave your Mom?"

"It was just after the sun came up," the child answered.

"Grendel has had her at least eight candle marks!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

"Then let's ride!" Hallvor shouted.

Gabrielle mounted Argo and Sasha mounted Gabrielle's horse. The bard leaned over Argo.

"Argo, find her," the bard whispered. "Find Xena!"

The Vikings and child spurred their horses quickly to try and catch up with the bard as the faithful Argo shot off as if the horse was well rested instead of having traveled hours.

Gabrielle leaped from Argo before the horse had skidded to a stop in the meadow and was climbing the tall pine tree before the rest of the group even entered the clear space. The Amazon scurried up the tree branches as the Vikings and little girl crowded around the base of the tree. Ignoring skinned palms and scratches on her arms and face from errant branches, Gabrielle climbed higher and higher.

The bard reached the rope and grabbed it, untying it carefully. She slowly began letting the rope lower it's weight. Gabrielle tried not to think about what was at the other end of the rope right then, trying to block out the sight and memory of Xena hanging by her feet, high above their heads.

The sight of Xena bruised, battered, bloody and appearing dead. Just like Sasha's vision.

At the base of the tree had been another body.

Beowulf and Hallvor carefully lowered Xena to the ground while one of the Vikings brought fresh water and bandages. The others ringed the area with swords drawn, in case the monster decided to return.

Gabrielle quickly descended the tree, fortunate not to lose her grip and fall in her rush to reach the ground.

"Oh gods," she cried at the sight of her mate, so pale and unmoving. "Is she?"

"She still lives but barely," Beowulf answered.

The bard glanced over at the warrior hovering over the other body at the base of the tree. Gabrielle couldn't make out anything except long blonde hair and lots of blood.

"Is she alive?" she asked.

"No, her chest is ripped apart," the Viking answered. "I don't know her."

Gabrielle dismissed the mysterious stranger and turned to Xena. "Hallvor, start stitching up some of the those wounds after cleaning them, try and stop the bleeding." She instructed.

The bard tried to ignore the fact that it was her mate she was checking over and working on and just do the work she had learned from Xena after so many years and too many fights.

The warrior was battered beyond recognition. Her blue eyes were swollen shut and bloody and her raven hair was caked with blood. Gabrielle did a quick inventory of injuries and bit back her tears.

The Greek turned Xena's head to the side to keep the warrior from choking on her own blood as it flowed from her mouth and nose. It was almost certain that the Warrior Princess' jaw was broken, a couple of teeth missing and a broken nose. Moving lower revealed to the bard that Xena's left shoulder was dislocated, right arm broken, and most ribs broken.

Xena's breathing was labored and shallow. Gabrielle quickly thrust a dagger into Xena's side as Beowulf held back one of the warriors. The Vikings looked on in disbelief as the bard inserted a hollow reed from one of the medical packs and held the reed in place. She looked up at the stunned warriors.

"Helps release the blood from the lung and it fills with air again," she explained, trying not to think of how she had learned that from her warrior. She had always prayed that she'd never have to use it on any of her family or friends and especially on Xena.

Gabrielle glanced at the blood flowing from Xena's mouth and choked back her fear and tears. The bruising on the warrior was intense at the base of the spine and stomach. Grendel had meant to kill the warrior slowly with internal bleeding and there was nothing Gabrielle could do about that.

"Gabrielle, I can't stop the bleeding in some of the wounds," Hallvor cried, frantically working on several injuries along Xena's stomach and thighs. "She's bleeding too quick."

"I know," Gabrielle said softly. "She's bleeding inside."

Hallvor stopped at the sound of defeat in the bard's voice and looked at her Amazon Queen.

"Mom's bleeding too fast to heal, isn't she?" Sasha asked.

"Yes, even with her god-healing gifts, it's too much," Gabrielle answered honestly, stroking Xena's hair out of the warriors closed eyes.

The bard remembered when an arrow had nicked Xena's heart and the warrior had survived but that had been with the help of the warrior's mother, the goddess Hecate. This time there were too many wounds, inside and out. Gabrielle had seen beatings like this on criminals in the arena of the Circus as a gladiator and none of the victims had lived long.

The bard watched her warrior as she heard Sasha beginning to cry beside her. Gabrielle looked at the half of the chakram Xena had left with her and the other half clipped to Xena's belt and began to frown.

Suddenly the bard leaped to her feet and raised her bloody hands to the sky, looking at the sun.

"Apollo!" she screamed. "Father!"

Beowulf tried to maintain his composure but the Viking next to him wasn't as successful and stumbled back several feet as a bright light filled the area near centered near the bard. As their eyes focused once again the Vikings were awed to see the Greek God of the Sun standing before them, looking down at the bard.

"Daughter," he said simply, glancing over at Xena. "You don't usually ask for help."

"Please, Father," she pleaded, going down to her knees. "Anything! Please save her!"

Apollo's face softened and he pulled the bard up by her hands. "Gabrielle, you've always been one of my favorites and I would help if I could."

"One of those non-interference things?" she questioned bitterly.

"Yes," he said simply.

The bard pulled out of his hug angrily and spun on her heel. When she turned back to look at him, Apollo wasn't surprised to see the bard's green eyes flashing angrily.

"Why?" she demanded. "The gods usually interfere all the time in human lives if it suits you! How many children do you have, Apollo? How many times has Hera chased some poor mortal woman almost to death because of Zeus' affairs?"

"What would you give to save your mate, daughter?" Apollo asked.

Gabrielle barely noticed Beowulf signaling the other Vikings to stay back and not say a word.

"Anything! You know that!" she responded angrily.

"Your life?"

"Yes!" she snapped.

"No hesitation in your answer, I like that. You've always have thought Xena was the warrior, Gabrielle, but your bravery goes beyond hers in some ways," the God the Sun and of Healing commented. "Only a deity or a demi-god could even hope to heal Xena now."

"Please, Apollo!" Gabrielle's eyes lost their anger as she begged for Xena's life.

"It's time you learned some things about yourself, Gabrielle," Apollo stated. "Most of the Olympians thought you both would have figured it out by now without being told. Oh well, it's done."

"What are you talking about?" Gabrielle snapped. "She's dying!"

"Gabrielle, Xena is the daughter of two gods and a human. She's not human and she's not god either but somewhere in between."

"We figured that with the god healing thing," Gabrielle responded.

"You were told that your god healing abilities were also a gift," Apollo continued. "That wasn't quite accurate. You already had them, they just became more pronounced after your death on that cross on the Ides of March."

"What are you saying, I'm a demi-god like Xena?" the bard questioned.

"Yes, you are my daughter and you have the blood of Bacchus running through you," he stated.

"Thanks for reminding me," she muttered.

"How old do you think Hercules is?" he suddenly questioned.

Gabrielle frowned. "Hercules? I don't know, he was at Troy."

Apollo surprised everyone by laughing. "You mortals! You haven't thought about it, have you?"

Gabrielle frowned, she was in no mood for riddles as Xena's life force slowly flowed from the warrior's mouth and numerous wounds.

"Okay, he's over two hundred years old, is that what you're getting at?" she demanded.

"Yes, a demi-god. Son of Zeus."

Gabrielle frowned. "Xena is the daughter of Zeus."

"Yes, and more demi-god than Hercules. His mother was human," Apollo grinned.

"Then she'll live?" Gabrielle asked hopefully.

"No, she's immortal, not invincible. She still is dying from her wounds," Apollo stated, losing his grin.

"Then why bring it up?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Gabrielle, you are the daughter of the God of Healing and Youth, look inside," Apollo instructed. "You can give her your energy and take her place, if you dare. Personally, I'd prefer to see you live but it is your choice."

"I can save her?" the bard whispered, looking down at her mate.

"Yes, you have healing abilities but it's at the expense of your own energy," Apollo revealed.

"How?" she demanded.

"Think carefully, Gabrielle!" Apollo begged. "She's dead in but moments, you have an eternity of life ahead of you."

"Eternity?"

"God of Healing AND Eternal Youth," he pointed out.

"When I died I become a demi-god and eternally young?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yes, you stopped aging the day you died."

"And Xena?" she asked.

"She died on that spiritual journey she took for Hecate, she stopped aging on that day," he answered.

"Eternity without Xena?" the bard frowned.

"And if you change places with her, she'll spend eternity roaming the earth without you," Apollo pointed out.

"She has Solan and Sasha," Gabrielle stated simply. She turned her bright green eyes to her father. "How?"

Apollo closed his eyes with a heavy sigh and when he opened them again they were saddened. "You are blood bound to her, reach out and find her spirit and send it back here. Give your energy to her body."

Gabrielle nodded and knelt beside her warrior. She looked up and wasn't surprised to find Apollo gone and Beowulf with his hand on her shoulder.

"Please don't do this," he asked. "I don't know what you were saying with that God of yours but I can tell the look on your face. You're going to trade places, yes?"

"Yes," she answered simply, realizing that all the Vikings except Hallvor hadn't been able to understand the Greek she and Apollo had been speaking.

"This isn't what Xena would want," he pointed out. "She knew what she was doing when she gave herself to the monster."

"No, she didn't," the bard countered. "She was a mother saving her child. I'm trying to save this part of the world. Something Xena taught me a long time ago, sometimes you have to give into the Greater Good. Xena has a better chance at killing Grendel than I do. She's also Sasha's mother and a better warrior. If it's a choice between me and Xena, then Xena is the better choice in this situation."

"You'd say that no matter what the situation," Hallvor snapped.

"Probably, but you know I'm right," Gabrielle stated simply.

"There has to be another way!" Hallvor protested.

"There isn't and there's no time," Gabrielle snapped and sat down next to her warrior and looked at Xena, tears beginning to well up in her eyes.

Gabrielle looked at the sun and at Sasha. She quickly drew the child into her arms and held her close for a moment.

"Sasha, I love you very much but I need to save your mom," she tried to explain.

"You're going to die instead of her?" Sasha questioned, tears streaming down her cheeks as she looked between her mom and her mum.

"Yes," the bard said truthfully.

"Like the time you made Mom fight the Persians instead of saving you?" Sasha asked.

Gabrielle was surprised, she didn't know that Xena had told their daughter that story and found herself nodding.

"Yes, like that," she agreed. "You and Solan need her and she can beat the monster better than I can."

"No!" Sasha cried and flung herself into the bard's arms again. Gabrielle felt herself about to break down.

"Beowulf, please," she begged and the large Viking took the child from her arms and the bard tried to ignore the child's wails.

"Tell Xena I love her," she said softly to Beowulf and Hallvor and then closed her eyes, slipping into the trance the Amazons and Xena had taught her, her spirit reaching out for the well-known connection between her and Xena.

The warrior groaned and tried to open her eyes slowly. Her body felt like it had been stomped on by two Cyclops and then thrown over a cliff. Years of experience told Xena that she had been through a really good fight and had been on the losing end.

"Xena," a voice got through the fuzziness. "Can you hear me?"

The warrior opened her eyes and attempted a smile as she took in Hallvor's face.

"How bad?" Xena questioned.

"You'll be fine," Hallvor said simply.

Xena frowned and gauged her own body damage. She felt battered and bruised but couldn't feel anything broken. The warrior began to feel a chill sweep over her body; Xena remembered her jaw breaking under Grendel's fists. She also remembered choking on her own blood from shattered ribs. Now the ribs weren't broken and neither was her jaw.

Xena's jaw tightened and she sat up abruptly. "Gabrielle!"

The warrior looked around frantically and took in Beowulf and the male warriors, Sasha sitting next to her, holding Xena's hand and Hallvor. Then Xena felt tears beginning to fill her eyes as she glanced down at the covered figure next to her. Hallvor wouldn't meet her eyes. Sasha had tears streaming down her cheeks and was sobbing softly.

"No, please," Xena begged quietly. Beowulf turned away with his head held low.

The warrior pulled back the bard's cloak and stifled a sob as she took in the peaceful face of her mate lying on the ground. Xena quickly checked for a pulse and spun to Hallvor when she found none and realized Gabrielle was already cool to the touch.

"How!" she demanded.

"She yelled for Apollo and he told her how to use her healing abilities to exchange herself for you," Hallvor tried to explain.

"Healing abilities?" Xena questioned.

"Mum had abilities from being a demi-god like you," Sasha sobbed.

"Demi-god?"

"Apollo said that you two quit aging the day you both died and you'll live forever," Hallvor said through clenched teeth, watching Gabrielle's body.

"No," Xena whispered and struggled to her feet. "No! Apollo!" she screamed.

This time the Vikings weren't as surprised when the Greek God appeared in their midst as they set about lighting two camp fires.

Apollo's eyes were red and his face was sorrowful.

"Undo this!" Xena demanded, pointing at Gabrielle.

"No, as much as I want her alive, Xena," Apollo shook his head. "She made the choice and gave her energy to you. I can't undo that."

"Damnit!" Xena shouted, "If you can't then who can?"

"None of the Olympians, Xena," Apollo shook his head and began fading from her sight.

"I didn't ask for this!" the warrior protested.

"I know, but she did. Take care of the monster and raise your daughter, that's what she wanted," Apollo said and faded out of sight.

Xena looked at the stars making their appearance in the sky and screamed Gabrielle's name.

Beowulf waited for a candle-mark before approaching the warrior. He knew it was going to be a long night for everyone but especially Xena. They had left their gear at their campsite with the warrior and Eponin so the group was huddled in their cloaks around two fires. The body of Gabrielle covered nearby, casting a quiet spell over the group.

"Xena?" the Viking questioned softly.

The warrior sat on a log sharpening her sword and glanced over her shoulder.

"What happened, Beowulf?" Xena asked finally.

"She closed her eyes and went into another space. Your body began to jerk and hers began to glow with a light. When the light cleared she was laying next to you. She reached out and held your hand, said your name and stopped breathing," the Viking explained simply.

Xena felt the tears beginning to flow again.

"I knew what I was doing, she shouldn't have done this," she muttered.

"She told us that you had the best chance to stop Grendel and raise Sasha, that you were the better choice." Beowulf said.

"Never!" Xena snapped as Beowulf sat down on the ground in front of her. "Gabrielle is the light of the world, she keeps me out of the darkness. I can't live without her."

"You have to until Grendel is dead if you wish to honor Gabrielle's memory," he stated simply.

Xena's eyes narrowed in anger and then softened. "You're right. Tomorrow we track Grendel, kill the bitch and figure everything else out later."

"Your god said that you are forever young but not invincible, like Hercules," Beowulf commented. "What will you do without Gabrielle?"

"I don't know," Xena admitted, tears falling. "I have to take care of Sasha until she's grown."

"What happened to you?" Beowulf asked.

"I gave myself up to Grendel," Xena began. "She let Sasha go and then we fought. I managed to get in a few good strikes but it wasn't enough."

The warrior continued sharpening her sword, trying to distance herself from the memory of her encounter with Grendel as she told it.

"I remember her hoisting me up into the air and she began really beating me," Xena's jaw tightened. "Then I heard Grimhild's voice."

The warrior slowed her sharpening, deep in thought. "She was a Valkyrie, Beowulf. Sent by Odin to help me several times when I've been in the North."

Xena didn't look up at the Viking but knew his face was one of surprise. Most Vikings never saw their deities or Valkyries and Xena knew that this was part of the source of their admiration of her. It seemed to the warrior that she couldn't seem to escape dealing with the gods no matter where she went.

The night seemed colder to the warrior as she thought about Gabrielle and she fought off a shiver.

"I saw her fighting Grendel," Xena continued. "Of course she fought better than any human I've ever seen. Only Ares was better. It still wasn't enough."

Beowulf saw a fresh tear fall down Xena's cheek.

"Grendel put both fists through Grimhild's chest," she whispered, sharpening her sword forgotten. "Then I heard horses and Grendel disappeared."

"Must have been us," Beowulf reasoned. "Your Valkyrie kept you from being killed immediately."

"Yes, so that Gabrielle could die!"

Beowulf tumbled over on his backside as Xena jumped to her feet.

"Damnit!" she screamed, slashing at the nearest tree with her sword. "Gabrielle!"

"Xena."

Beowulf barely turned his head but the warrior had already spun around, launching her chakram at the sound within a moment.

Both Viking and Greek warrior were surprised to see a cloaked figure holding her chakram, having caught it in mid-air. The cloaked one pulled back his hood to reveal a handsome Viking male of middle age with an eye patch over one blue eye.

Xena and Beowulf glanced over at a pine tree as two ravens cawed at them.

"Odin," Xena said simply and caught the chakram as the supreme Nordic deity launched back at her.

"Xena, Beowulf," Odin responded, moving closer to the two warriors.

"Can you help Gabrielle?" Xena demanded.

"And what price would you pay?" Odin smirked.

"Any!" she snapped.

"Strange, that's exactly what she answered in order to save you," he commented, his face still hard.

"Odin, please," the warrior whispered.

"Begging, Xena?" Odin questioned. "I never thought I'd see that day."

"Whatever you want!" she snapped. "Yes, this is my fault, all of it. I know that and I'll pay any price you ask, just bring her back!"

"Not that simple, Xena," the god stated.

"What do you want from me?" the warrior asked.

"To end Grendel's reign of terror. Too many have fallen already," Odin said simply. "Take your band to Hrothgar's Hall, he's Healfdane's son. Gather as many warriors from all around that you can. Send them against Grendel in five days, it'll take many to wear her down enough to capture."

"Capture?" Beowulf questioned.

"Yes, Freya has a plan to aid Xena in reversing the spell that turned one of her Valkyries into Grendel and possibly help Hallvor, at the end of the battle I and several others will be there. Bring your child and Hallvor as well," the god instructed.

"Gabrielle?"

"I'm sorry, Xena," Odin finally looked sympathetic. "The Norns won't reveal their plan to me, she is your price tag for Grendel."

"Take me instead, please! Isn't that a better sacrifice?" she begged.

"I don't know," he admitted. "Take her body home to Greece or to her Amazons, her spirit will have a choice of one of our halls, her Amazon land or the Elysian Fields. She has earned any place of her liking."

Xena's head hung in defeat as the god of the Vikings walked away, followed by his ravens and wolves. Her tears flowing freely.

For the next few days Beowulf found himself in charge as Xena wandered aimlessly around the steading of Hrothgar. Not even Sasha could break her out of her depression. The warrior spent many candle-marks on top of the wooden log fence, staring into the dark forest and sky.

The weather was turning colder and the warrior didn't seem to notice, forgetting her leather coat or fur cloak half the time she went outside. Hallvor and Beowulf were consistently aware of ensuring Xena didn't freeze in the cold of a Northern night.

Only Queen Wealththeow, wife of Hrothgar, was able to get the warrior to eat or catch moments of sleep.

Eponin leaned heavily on her crutch and watched Wealththeow approach the Warrior Princess slowly with a plate of food on the third evening. The Amazon Regent had recovered fairly quickly except for a broken leg that required her to use crutches to get around the well fortified steading of Hrothgar.

Hallvor walked up beside her Amazon sister and followed Eponin's gaze as the Viking Queen tried to encourage the Greek warrior Xena to eat something.

One advantage the adventure seemed to have was that Eponin and Hallvor were talking again and acting as if everything was as before Pony found out that Hallvor was a werserker.

Wealththeow was beautiful, generous and kind. As tall as Xena with reddish golden hair that reminded Eponin of Gabrielle's hair when she had first met the little bard and blue eyes.

"Maybe it's her resemblance to Gabrielle and her kindness that gets through to Xena," Eponin commented.

"She is a lot like Gabrielle in the younger days, then?" Hallvor questioned.

"Yes, there was an innocence about Gabrielle that was almost irresistible or annoying, depending on the person," Eponin smiled a sad smile. "I never thought anything could break that. She never really lost it, she just became experienced."

"A Roman slave, gladiator, Amazon Queen, bard and warrior," Hallvor commented. "That's experienced." She grinned.

"Yes, and mate to Xena," Pony said simply. "Quite a list."

"What will happen to Xena once Grendel is dead?" Hallvor questioned.

"If Gabrielle were alive, I'd say they'd go back to their lives of raising Sasha and saving the world," Pony said, sitting down on a bench to relieve the pressure on her legs. "Without Gabrielle I have no idea what Xena will do or become."

"She couldn't go back to being the Warlord, could she?" Hallvor frowned.

"I don't think so," Pony joined in her frowning. "I hope not, anyway. She has a lot of years since she fell into that darkness and Gabrielle said that Xena has faced a lot of that darkness and won."

"I remember the Warlord, she almost had enough power to take on the gods themselves," Hallvor stated. "Now that she's a demi-god and knows it, what could stand in her way?"

"Not much. It was Gabrielle's light that kept her from ever falling into that darkness. I just hope that focusing on raising Sasha and the light that Gabrielle left with all of us will be enough." Pony prayed.

They watched as Wealththeow slowly led the warrior towards the bathing hut after Xena had finished eating most of the food the Queen had brought her.

"Gods, when she explodes we'd all better take cover," Eponin commented.

"Ja," Hallvor agreed.

Xena found herself letting Wealththeow bath her once they had gotten into the bathing hut and steam room. It seemed to the Greek that she had no energy for anything, not even the basics of living. Feeling Wealththeow's touch in the bath brought back a flood of memories of Gabrielle doing the same for the warrior, scrubbing her back, comforting Xena, just being there.

Wealththeow, softly rubbing Xena's back, saw the tear hit the water as the warrior's head fell forward but continued with her administrations until Xena's body was shaking with sobbing. The Viking Queen drew the warrior into her arms from behind and Xena felt her control break as she clung to the gentle and loving arms holding her as she wailed.

Xena was barely aware of the gentle arms and hands helping her out of the bath later and into the cooling down room. The soft but firm hands toweling her down and letting her body adjust to the coolness of the land once again.

The warrior was asleep before Wealththeow pulled the sleeping furs over Xena a short time later in the main hall.

It was still early in the evening, barely after dusk but the warrior was sound asleep in moments. Warriors, servants, wives and common wives were filling the hall for the evening meal along with the noise that usually followed a Viking meal in the cheerful hall of Hrothgar. Most of the occupants ignored the sleeping figure on the bench but a handful would stop for a moment and look down at the warrior. Most had looks of sympathy, very few curiosity for the legendary Warrior Princess.

Pony and Hallvor approached Queen Wealththeow as she took up a seat next to her husband at the table, both Greek and Viking Amazon glancing over at the sleeping Warrior Princess.

"Thank you, Queen Wealththeow, for your kindness to Xena," Pony began.

"No thanks are necessary, Amazon," Queen Wealththeow smiled, taking her husband's hand in her own as he brought it to his lips and kissed it. The love between the couple was very apparent. "She is so wounded in the spirit."

"Yes, Queen," Hallvor agreed as they took seats at the table.

"I have heard stories of the great Xena and of her battles here in the North," King Hrothgar commented, stroking his red beard. "Of how she took on the gods themselves. Now to see her like this is a shock."

"She loves the little Greek very much," Beowulf commented, sitting down next to Hallvor.

"Yes, I've heard the recent tales of them in the North and some from traveling skalds from the south. They were an amazing team. A shame about the little one's death," Hrothgar stated.

"She was remarkable, King Hrothgar," Eponin stated.

A commotion at the entrance to the Hall turned all eyes to the main doors and brought several warriors to their feet with swords in hand as shouting filled the hall. At the doors several riders on horseback forced their way through the servants, spurring their horses into the hall to the foot of the table.

The lead rider glanced around among the warriors and glared at Beowulf. With a Viking shout he drew his sword.

"Quiet!" Hrothgar shouted, jumping onto the table with his own war axe drawn. Everyone grew silent as they waited to see what would happen.

Eponin noticed that Xena was now sitting up on her fur bed with chakram in hand, appearing groggy.

"Heatholaf!" Hrothgar shouted at the rider. "How dare you draw iron in my hall! What is the meaning of this?" he demanded.

The Viking being addressed, Heatholaf, was short for a Viking but imposing in his apparent strength of stocky body and rage. His blond beard was almost overshadowed by his red face as he took in the sight of Beowulf.

"There are many heroes in this hall, great Hrothgar," Heatholaf responded. "I have seen your own brother Heorogar, Hrethel, Wulfgar of the Wendles, Ecglaf and his son Unforth, Beanstan and his son Breca, Folewald and others, but among you is the son of a lowly base coward who killed my father!" the Viking yelled, striking his fist against his chainmail shirt with sword in hand.

Beowulf, already on his feet, stepped out from the bench and held his hand on his war axe.

"Yes, there are many heroes here," Hrothgar agreed. "All having answered my call to face the monster known as Grendel. Also among them are Finn, leader of the Frisians; and Hnaef, Hildeburgh, Guthlaf, Hrothulf, Oslaf and others. Some of them, such as Finn, are in a blood feud with my family and myself. I have ordered a truce for the common good of destroying Grendel. You will honor that truce and swear by the sacred Thor's Hammer that you will not raise a blade or fist against Beowulf or anyone else you have quarrel with or you will leave my steading in shame as a headstrong puppy!"

Heatholaf's face grew even more red and everyone in the hall weren't sure if the Viking would turn his anger onto Hrothgar at his harsh words and scolding. Heatholaf finally lowered his sword and nodded at Hrothgar.

"I agree to the truce you have asked, King Hrothgar," he said in an even voice. "I will do nothing against Beowulf or his kin during this adventure and I will treat him as a brother in arms."

Hrothgar turned to Beowulf. The tall Viking removed his hand from his war axe and nodded to the Viking Jarl.

"I will treat Heatholaf and his kin as my brothers in arms during this adventure against Grendel and we will honor the truce while in your service, great Hrothgar," he stated. "I swear by Thor's Hammer, Mjollnir."

"I swear as well," Heatholaf responded.

"Good, now give your horses over to the servants and come and eat," Hrothgar demanded and everyone returned to whatever they had been doing.

Pony watched Xena replace the chakram under her pillow and close her eyes again and the Amazon breathed a sigh of relief that the warrior was returning to sleep. Pony prayed to Artemis that it be a restful sleep, Xena hadn't slept well since Gabrielle's death.

Just before dawn on the fifth day, scouts reported seeing the monster approaching the main steading. Seemed that everyone had the same idea on the same day, a confrontation in the woods.

Xena knelt beside the tightly wrapped body in the snow and pulled back the material covering the bard's face.

The warrior held back a whimper. The bard looked so pale, like she had on the cross when Gabrielle had died. The body had been placed in the stable and servants had kept snow piled around it. Xena planned on returning the Amazon Queen to the remainder of her tribe for proper Amazon ritual funeral rites.

"Gods, Gabrielle," Xena whispered, stroking the bard's cheek. "I never believed that it would be you to go first, not after surviving that stupid war and coming back to me, surviving the cross, living through Ares' attacks."

The warrior felt the tears beginning to flow down her cheeks.

"Guess I've never accepted the fact that you could die without me. I've managed to get you back before but it feels different this time, little one," Xena whispered. "Maybe it's because you've always been a fighter, sometimes even stronger than I've been. You gave up this time, is that what's different?"

Xena heard the crunch of someone entering the stable and her hand went instinctively to her chakram.

"Xena," Hallvor's voice called softly and the warrior relaxed.

"Yes?" the warrior responded.

"It's time, the warriors are mounting up in a few minutes," Hallvor said softly and left the stable.

"Gabrielle, I know you can hear me," Xena said as she covered the bard's face again. "I don't know if I'll make it out of this, if I don't, wait for me."

The warrior was pleased to find Wealththeow waiting outside the stable. The Viking hugged the Greek and smiled at Xena.

"Thank you, Queen Wealththeow, for your kindness," Xena said simply.

"You are very welcome," Weal smiled. "You needed strength to face this monster and I need you strong to protect my husband, kin and warriors."

Xena smiled at that logic and knew the Viking cared beyond just those ulterior motives. Wealththeow was one of those rare humans who genuinely cared about others, like Gabrielle.

"I'll do my best to protect them and end this nightmare," Xena promised.

It was still dark when they left the steading.

The battle was one that the skalds would sing about for decades to come. The band of Vikings spotted the large creature just at dawn in the dense forest near Hrothgar's steading and rode forth with so many Viking war cries that the trees themselves shook from the sound.

Grendel answered with a roar that scattered any animals remaining in the area.

Xena had told the warriors about Grendel's protection against swords and spears so each warrior carried a torch, hoping that this would prove to be one of the monster's few weaknesses. The warrior had been right; the creature shrank back from the flames but with her longer reach, easily overcame her fear and began ripping the mighty Viking warriors to shreds.

Xena sent her chakram flying again and again that day but it barely seemed to cut the giant creature's armored skin. Still, it was the only thing that was getting through the creature's defenses.

Hallvor had joined the fight from the moment it had ensued and after an unknown time, fell back breathing heavily. Nothing seemed to be working against the monster and the Viking heroes were falling in bloody heaps around the creature.

One warrior grabbing at his torn armor and ripped out stomach, another looking confused as the life left his eyes, blood pouring out of his throat.

The Viking Amazon growled deep in her throat and felt herself beginning to shift from human to part wolf as she saw Xena thrown backwards into a tree by a back hand from Grendel.

At the sound of the growl the creature turned and looked at the werserker.

Xena shook her head and watched the two creatures launch themselves at the other. The two supernatural beings met in the middle of the space with a mighty crash that send two warriors falling backwards as they had approached Grendel.

Xena's eyes widened at the sight of the werewolf-like werserker and the giant Grendel battling. Hallvor had practically leaped into Grendel's arms, under the long reach of the monster and had one clawed hand around Grendel's throat and the other drawn back to slash at the monster's face. Grendel had the wolfling raised up off the ground and was attempting to grab the wolfling to smash her to the ground.

Before Grendel could get a good grip on the wolfling, two ravens dove out of the air and began harassing the creature, trying for Grendel's eyes. The monster yowled in anger and threw Hallvor away from her into a tree.

Xena and the other Vikings still standing winced in sympathy as the werewolf fell out of the tree to land heavily on the ground with a growl.

The ravens were followed by two wolves rushing the giant armored creature and taking her legs out from under her. Before Grendel could regain her feet, Xena sent her chakram sailing again, cutting Grendel across the throat.

Grendel howled, holding her bleeding throat and slashing out with her claws at the ravens, wolves and any Viking foolish enough to get close to her again.

"She's becoming weak!" someone yelled and in response a figure appeared out of the woods with a gleaming golden sword and golden helmet with a boar figure atop. He rushed forward and slashed at the monster and dashed back into the woods before Grendel could slash at him.

"Freyr!" Xena heard someone whisper in awe near her. The sword had cut through Grendel's armor scaled skin across her stomach. The monster regained her feet with a roar of anger and grabbed a Viking warrior up and tore him in half.

Xena vaguely recognized the Viking as Finn, leader of the Frisians.

Hallvor, crouched low, launched herself at the monster again and, once again, they met claw to claw until Grendel threw the wolfling into another tree. This time Hallvor landed even harder and grabbed at her back with a howl of pain.

Xena and Beowulf stopped in their tracks as they watched Grendel grab at her back, seeming to be in pain as well.

"They're connected!" Xena cried, seeing an answer. "When I cast that spell on both of them it connected them!"

"What do we do?" Beowulf demanded as Grendel killed another one of his friends.

"When Hallvor is injured then Grendel is injured," Xena explained.

"Are you asking us to kill Hallvor?" Beowulf demanded.

"No," Xena whispered, realizing the full extent of the connection between monster and werserker.

"We can't defeat it!" Beowulf cried.

"I won't sacrifice another innocent for something I've done!" Xena snapped back and threw her chakram at Grendel again and cursed as it came back to her, barely cutting the monster's skin along an amr. The warrior could almost swear Grendel was laughing at them.

"Xena!"

The warrior turned to see Hallvor trying to pull herself upright.

"Do it! It's the only way!" the Viking Amazon demanded.

"No, damnit! We'll find another way!" Xena protested.

Both turned at the sound of a high pitched scream in time to see another warrior go down under Grendel's claws.

"Odin! How do we do this?" Xena screamed.

"You have the answer, warrior," a voice sounded back.

"Damn you and your sacrifices!" Xena shouted back. "You turn on your best heroes and have them killed. How many do you want, damn you?"

"You know the battle we face in the future, I take warriors in their prime," Odin's familiar voice carried to her.

"I don't give a damn about your Ragnarok!" Xena shouted back. "I'm not going to kill another innocent!"

"Then all will die, including your daughter," the response came.

"Xena, do it!" Hallvor shouted and Xena screamed, sending the chakram at Hallvor with a deadly backhand aim.

Xena and Beowulf rushed forward and grabbed the Viking Amazon before she could fall forward on her face, the chakram sticking out of her chest. Blood began flowing from the young woman's mouth as she changed back to human in Xena's arms.

"Now!" they heard someone shouting, more screams, roars and commotion but they didn't even glance over.

"Hallvor?" Xena questioned. The Viking Amazon opened her blue eyes and coughed on her blood but attempted to smile.

"Look, it worked!" Hallvor muttered and attempted to point past the warriors.

The warriors glanced over and saw Odin, Freyr and the remaining Viking warriors throwing a golden net over the creature as Grendel struggled around a gaping wound in her chest. The creature howled in rage as Odin wrapped a golden rope around her hands for a quick restraint.

Xena's eyes widened once more as Odin raised his spear and Freyr raised his spear. "No!" she screamed as the weapons came down, the spear going through Grendel's chest and Freyr's sword severing the monster's head from her body.

"What?" Xena demanded. "What about Hallvor?"

"Easy, warrior," a gentle voice ordered.

Xena looked up into the most beautiful face she had ever seen in her life. The tales of Helen, Cleopatra and Aphrodite didn't compare to the overwhelming beauty and sensuality.

The woman wasn't dressed in typical female Viking clothing but in something close to what Gabrielle normally wore - leather top leaving nothing to the imagination but with a long leather skirt split up to the hip. A beautiful necklace of gold, amber and jet rested comfortable at her breasts.

"Freya," Xena stated simply.

"The original spell was one of selfishness and greed," Freya stated as she knelt by the wounded Viking Amazon. "This time you and your friends and family have sacrificed everything to end Grendel's reign of terror."

"Don't take Hallvor too, it's not her fault!" Xena pleaded.

Freya smiled as she brushed a strand of her black hair from her face. "I don't intend to. Your mate gave her life for you and Hallvor was willing to give hers to stop Grendel and now Grendel is dead. Enough sacrifices."

Xena looked around at the destruction surrounding them and sighed heavily. She had no idea how many had fallen to Grendel but it was more than half of the number they had started out with. Several Vikings knelt next to their friends or kin in sorrow and tribute. Two were kicking the lifeless body of the monster in anger and a couple were sitting with their backs to trees, obvious exhausted.

Freya nodded. "Yes, there was a time when you wouldn't have even noticed the dead surrounding your victory," the goddess commented.

"Now I do and it hurts," Xena agreed. "How many died today? How many died because of Grendel, because of me?"

"Too many, I agree," Freya stated. "And now this part of it is over."

Freya looked around at the gathering warriors and the child running towards her mother. Xena grabbed Sasha into her arms and hugged the child tightly.

Sasha drew back and quickly began examining her mother's injuries. Xena smiled at the child's concern.

"I'm okay," Xena reassured her daughter. "Just scratches."

"Sasha, are you ready to help?" Freya asked the child and Xena frowned.

"What are you talking about?" Xena demanded.

"Sasha is gifted because of who her parents are, you know this, Xena," Freya began as the child left Xena's arms and sat next across from Freya, Hallvor between them. "It's time she learned some of those giftings. Beowulf, take the warriors and return to the Steading of Hrothgar and celebrate. The end of Grendel was at your hands, no mention is to be made of Xena or the gods."

"Yes, goddess," the Viking said simply with a bow and began herding the Vikings toward what remained of their comrades, gathering their dead for burial.

Xena continued to frown as Sasha and Freya joined hands across Hallvor's wounded body and closed their eyes. The warrior was also gifted with shaman abilities and recognized the goddess and child going into a trance.

Xena had no idea how long the child and goddess of love, sensuality, and earth magic sat like that over the wounded Viking Amazon but she knew it was long by the aches settling in her body from the battle with Grendel and the lowering of the sun past it's zenith in the sky.

Finally Hallvor coughed and blinked her eyes open and looked down at her chest, pulling her torn tunic aside to reveal a chest undamaged by the chakram.

She looked up into the serene faces of the child and goddess with an amazed look on her face. Xena grinned as Sasha and Freya broke contact and smiled back at Hallvor.

The goddess turned to Xena as she rose from her sitting position on the forest floor and Sasha helped Hallvor to her feet.

"Thank you, goddess," Xena said simply.

"My pleasure," Freya smiled. "She's fine and will mostly have control over her wolf-self. She still will probably turn into the wolfling during battle but she won't turn during sex anymore."

Xena breathed a sigh of relief and she heard Hallvor choke back a sob of gratitude.

"You friend will be fine and Grendel is dead," Odin said as he walked up and stood beside Freya. "The Norns are partly pleased."

Xena lost her smile and she heard Hallvor growl as well.

"Partly?" Xena demanded. "What more do you want? Gabrielle is dead, more than thirty warriors are dead just today, women and children, and Grendel was lost as well."

"Your child has a destiny here in the North," Odin continued.

"I've been told that, what about it?" Xena demanded.

"Both Freya and I have lost a Valkyrie because of your dealings with Gerulda and Grimhild," Odin stated.

"You're not taking Sasha!" Xena growled, suddenly wishing that Beowulf or Eponin were with her and Hallvor.

"She needs training in her shaman gift and who better than a goddess?" Freya asked gently.

"If I want that I'll call on my mother Hecate!" Xena stated, pulling Sasha behind her.

"Xena, her powers are going to go insane when she hits her first blood cycle," Freya informed the warrior. "I can protect her and everyone around her and train her. You're not losing her forever."

"I missed out watching my son grow up, I'm not giving up my daughter!" Xena snapped, drawing her chakram. "Something that's changed since I was here all those years ago, Odin, I can hurt gods!"

"Not any more, Xena," Odin shook his head, almost sadly. "You would make a magnificent opponent but you no longer have that ability. Your Fates and our Norns revoked that after your fight with Grendel. You were given that ability because of Ares and he is gone."

Xena felt her heart racing as she absorbed this knowledge. She had no leverage against the gods without that ability. The warrior's eyes narrowed.

"You're not known for your honesty at times, Odin," she declared.

"I swear by my spear that it's true, you can't hurt us or kill us," the supreme deity stated and Xena knew he was telling the truth.

"Mom?" Xena turned and looked down at her child with worried eyes. "It's okay, I want to stay."

"What?" the warrior whispered and knelt down by her child.

"You told me once that Gabby Mum almost let herself die so that you could fight the Persians, for the greater good," Sasha reminded her daughter.

"And what greater good does this serve, Sash? I can't give you up!"

"I've seen two different future visions, if I don't stay and learn then I'll be worse than you ever were," Sasha explained, sounding older than her years.

"We can fight that together!" Xena begged. "I fought against the darkness, I can help you get through it."

"I know you want to, Mom," Sasha smiled. "But it won't work and Gabby mum will need you soon."

"Gabrielle?"

"She's going to face doubt and darkness worse than anything you've been through," Sasha stated. "Not outside but inside."

"How?" Xena questioned.

"Xena?"

The warrior closed her eyes, hoping and praying that she had heard the familiar voice and at the same time wanting to reject it. She opened her eyes after a moment and turned to find her mate standing where the body of Grendel had been before the Vikings had removed it.

Gabrielle looked back at her mate with a confused look on her face, dressed just the same as when Xena last saw her alive, complete with sais at her boots.

The warrior turned to the gods angrily.

"Not even with that price!" she hissed. "Gabrielle wouldn't want that!"

"It was a choice made by many deities, the Fates, the Norns, your bard and child, Xena," Odin said gently. "She'll stay with us for several seasons, be trained and then return to you."

Xena felt Gabrielle walk up to mother and daughter slowly and resisted the urge to reach out and pull the bard into a massive hug.

"Gabrielle would never agree to losing Sasha in exchange for her life!" Xena protested.

"Sasha?" the bard questioned and turned her eyes to the two Viking deities. "You want Sasha?"

"I want to take and train her to use her powers when they blossom at her first moon cycle," Freya explained.

"When will her cycle come?" Gabrielle asked.

"In two winters," Freya answered.

"Then why are we deciding this now?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Because now is the time to decide it," Odin snapped.

"What if we return in two winters and let you train her while we stay here in the North?" Gabrielle attempted a compromise.

"Xena is known for her stubbornness," Odin pointed out, "Would you bring her back?"

Xena grabbed at the hand as it rested on her shoulder, realizing that Gabrielle was indeed flesh and bone and alive. The warrior looked deep in her daughter's eyes and finally lowered her head.

"Yes, if it is Sasha's wish," she agreed.

"Then I am satisfied," Odin declared. "Xena, this isn't a punishment, I swear."

"She will learn much and will be a hero in our land and history," Freya put in.

"Would you give up your child?" Xena snapped back at the deities.

"Xena, I swear that you'll see her frequently," Odin stated and Xena finally nodded, pulling Sasha in for a tight hug.

"Keep well, warrior," Odin said and Xena wasn't surprised to find him gone when she looked up.

"I swear, Xena, that she will be happy," Freya tried reassuring the Greek warrior. "Now that you're immortal, you'll have the rest of her life to enjoy time with her. It'll be no worse than sending her to school in Athens."

"You're probably right, Freya," Xena stated, standing up and wrapping her arm around her mate. "But I'm still not happy about it right now."

"Understood," Freya smiled. "Be well and enjoy your life with Gabrielle."

Xena turned to face her mate, her mind still refusing to accept that the bard was once again in her arms.

"Gods, little one," she whispered as Sasha jumped up and began hugging them both. "Is it really you?"

"Yes," the bard answered simply and pulled back a little to look Xena in the eyes and glanced down at Sasha with a smile. "I found out after I crossed that the Norns were willing to send me back if Grendel was defeated. They didn't want to risk you returning to the darkness."

"Gods, I am so tired of dealing with gods and goddesses and monsters," the warrior complained.

"Me too, my love," Gabrielle agreed, hugging both mother and daughter again.

"Let's get back to the Hall and get warm," Xena suggested.

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed as Xena picked up someone's fallen cloak and wrapped it around her bard. Gabrielle wasn't dressed in her Northern clothes and it was getting dark in the cold North.

The celebrating was well under way when the Greeks entered the steading, Gabrielle blushing at the stunned look on most of the servants, warriors and women of the village.

"They all know I died, don't they?" she questioned as she walked alongside Argo.

"Yes, your body was in the stable, kept in snow," Xena answered, shaking her head.

"What, my love?"

"Gabrielle, it's been five days and nights without you," Xena complained. "I'm trying to adjust here."

"Me too," the bard stated.

A shout of glee broke their concentration and the bard found herself lifted high in the air and then crushed against a very large, fur covered chest.

"Beowulf!" she gasped. "Don't kill me now that I'm alive again!"

The Viking put her gently back onto her feet with a blush and looked her up and down in disbelief.

"It is really you?" he demanded.

"Yes, the Norns let me come back," she stated with a grin as Xena and Sasha dismounted.

It was just before dawn before the two Greeks were able to break away from the celebrating to crawl into their sleeping furs along the hall's walls. Xena brushed away a tear from her eyes as the bard settled into her usual spot in Xena's arms, head resting on the warrior's chest.

"What is it, Xena?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"I missed you so much," Xena whispered back, breaking into tears as Gabrielle shifted to hold her warrior.

"Me too," the bard smiled and held Xena tightly. "It was so hard watching you suffer because I was gone."

"What was it like? Where did you go?" Xena asked.

"Can we talk about that later?" Gabrielle asked softly. "I'm still adjusting to the fact I was dead and now I'm not. It's not like the other times when I didn't know I was dead and came back almost immediately. I had time to think about it."

"I can't give up Sasha, not after losing you, even for that short time," Xena stated.

"We'll handle it, lover," Gabrielle said reassuringly. "We'll be here in the North with her and I trust Freya to let us see her. She is the daughter of the God of War, grand-daughter of Zeus, and daughter of the most feared Warlord in Greece."

"I know and I look around us now," Xena said bitterly. "I see how many more have died because of something I did when I was drawn to the darkness and I never want that for Sasha. I just don't want to lose her either."

"I know, my love," Gabrielle whispered, letting Xena begin to drift off to sleep. "We'll face everything together."


	21. 21 Nightstalkers

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** about typical of an episode.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Xena, Gabrielle, Sasha, Eponin and Hallvor answer a psychic call for help from the Northern Amazons with winter approaching. The tribe is under attack by something very terrifying and close to the bard.

* * *

"Well, little one," Xena said softly as Gabrielle crawled into her arms late one evening. "The Vikings are about celebrated out and most of them are leaving tomorrow, back to their own Halls and lands to prepare for winter. Which way do you want to go? Greece or the Black Forest with Pony and Hallvor?"

"The Black Forest, I think," Gabrielle whispered, her hands roaming under Xena's tunic and across the warrior's ribs. With a soft moan, she began nuzzling the warrior's neck.

"I agree, but we either should settle in with the Black Forest Amazons for winter or make it a short stay," the warrior commented, her own hands removing Gabrielle's sleeping shirt under the furs.

"We'll decide when we get there," Gabrielle mumbled, her head disappearing under the furs, a moment later her lips began suckling one of Xena's nipples and the warrior suddenly was no longer interested in talking about leaving in the next couple of days.

It had been two weeks since the death of Grendel, the monster and the return of Gabrielle from the dead. During that time the Vikings who survived the battle and their families had been celebrating in the great hall of Hrothgar, the local jarl, or king.

Now everyone was tired, happy and contemplating facing the typically harsh winter of the Northern lands and thinking of their own homes, family and kith left behind. Eponin's broken leg was healing fine but it would still be a couple more weeks before she could put weight on the splinted limb. She was forced to get around with crutches on the ice and patches of snow on the ground.

Hallvor, her sister Viking Amazon, was faring better after her battle with Grendel. Xena, Beowulf and Hallvor had been forced to sacrifice the young Viking female when they realized that she was physically connected to the monster. Xena had sunk her chakram deep in the young werserker's chest. It had been the skills and gifts of the Norse goddess Freya and Sasha's developing powers that had brought the Amazon back whole and in better control of her wolf-side.

Then Freya had made a demand of Xena that the warrior hadn't been willing to pay: the Northern gods wanted Freya to train Sasha in her god-skills when they blossomed at the young girls' first menstrual cycle. Xena had refused to let her daughter go. Gabrielle had sacrificed her life for Xena's. Too many warriors had fallen to Grendel's claws and teeth, and Hallvor had nearly died. Xena wasn't about to lose her daughter as well. The Norns brought Gabrielle back in gratitude for the death of Grendel but Freya and Odin still insisted on Sasha being trained in the North or the child faced becoming worse than Xena ever was as the warlord; a ruthless child of darkness with the powers of gods.

Xena had finally compromised with the return of Gabrielle and the promise that they would return to the north for Sasha's training in a year and a half, before her first blood cycle. The warrior wasn't happy but the gods had reassured the bard and warrior that it was training, they weren't permanently taking the child and she would see both her moms often.

After that had been decided, Xena and Gabrielle settled into celebrating with the Vikings and adjusting to the fact that Gabrielle was alive once again and in Xena's arms. Both Gabrielle and Xena found they were a little insecure and didn't want the other one out of their sight for long and needed to touch each other frequently, as if to reassure themselves that the other was real and alive.

Hrothgar had made the band of female warriors feel very welcome in his hall and had invited them to stay for the winter months if they wished but Xena and Gabrielle were anxious to move on. They also knew that Hallvor and Pony wanted to get back to their small Amazon band to help out in the winter.

The next morning found the warriors sleepy but doing better. Xena went off to help around the steading while Gabrielle went to talk with Eponin and Hallvor about traveling before the first real winter storm hit.

Before she found the Amazons, Sasha asked to talk with her. Bard and child sat down near one of the pit fires.

"What is it Sasha?" Gabrielle asked.

Instead of answering right away the child shuffled her feet, looked down and refused to meet Gabrielle's eyes. The bard raised the child's chin up until blue eyes met green ones.

"It's okay," the bard encouraged. "Tell me."

"I've been seeing and hearing things," the child said softly, her eyes downcast. Gabrielle understood, the last vision Sasha had seen was of Xena hanging from a tree, battered beyond recognition and almost dead. The vision had happened at the claws and fists of Grendel. Only Gabrielle exchanging her life for Xena's had saved the warrior.

"What have you seen and heard, Sash?" the bard asked gently.

"I see the Northern Amazons, some of them are being attacked by dark women," Sasha tried explaining, becoming frustrated.

Gabrielle also understood the problem; she sometimes had difficulty describing whatever she had seen in a vision on the rare occasions when they happened.

"Dark women?" Gabrielle frowned. "Close your eyes," she instructed. "Now, can you see the vision you saw?" The child nodded and Gabrielle smiled slightly. "Now, what do you see, tell me very slowly?"

"I see Otere fighting with two women," Sasha began.

Gabrielle spotted Xena heading their way and she placed a finger on her lips and the warrior approached quietly and stood behind Sasha, listening in.

"Can you see the women she's fighting?" the bard questioned. "What kind of clothing do they have on?"

"Furs and leathers, like Amazons only dark painted. They wear hoods up over their heads, like Odin," Sasha spoke softly. "Their fingernails are very long and they use them like claws, they're not using any weapons but Otere is."

"Is her sword working?" Gabrielle asked, glancing up at her worried mate.

"No, it slashes their clothes and skin but they only bleed a little, not enough." Gabrielle immediately sensed the child becoming anxious.

"It's okay, Sasha, it's just pictures right now. Anything else about the women?"

"They have fangs like a wolf," the child whispered. Gabrielle thought she was going to fall off the stool she was sitting on. Sasha had seen her bacchae fangs and eyes before, was this the same thing?

"Are they like me, Sash?" Gabrielle forced herself to ask.

"No, they're hurting the Amazons and Yakut is yelling for me to help them, to bring you and Mom," Sasha answered.

"Oh gods," Xena muttered, noticing Gabrielle's hands shaking. "Sasha," the warrior said gently, squatting down beside her daughter. Sasha kept her eyes closed but smiled at the sound of her mom's voice. "Do you see Mattita, the Amazon who hurt us when we left the Northern sisters?"

"Yes, she's fighting Otere too, everyone is fighting everyone," the child responded.

"Oh gods, Xena," Gabrielle growled. "A civil war and an attack from the outside by bacchae?"

"Sounds something like it, doesn't it?" Xena commented as Sasha opened her eyes and hugged her mom. "It's probably not bacchae though but vampiir. That's what they call them up here, vampiir or upir. Women and men who have been killed by one vampiir and they become vampiir themselves."

"Different than bacchae?" Gabrielle frowned. She knew that there were many different types of blood-sucking creatures, including once-human ones. She knew about the Greek ones and some of the Baltic area ones as well.

"Yes, sunlight hurts them when they're young and can kill them," Xena answered. "The only real way to kill them is either stake them with wood or decapitate them."

"How do you know about them?" the bard asked as Sasha sat back down on her stool, listening to the two adults.

"Yakut told me about them when we fought Alti," Xena responded. "She figured out that you were a partial bacchae from Alti's spell. That's why you didn't have to explain when we needed her to help get us blood in the winter."

"Now they're in trouble from vampiir, my kin, it would seem," Gabrielle said bitterly.

"They aren't your kin, Gabrielle," Xena growled. She hated the fact that the bard still looked at her bacchae cravings as a curse. Xena had accepted it a long time ago, why couldn't Gabrielle.

Then the warrior mentally scolded herself. How many times had Gabrielle asked Xena to forgive herself for the warlord's past?

Xena had always resisted, not feeling that forgiveness was for her. She knew that Gabrielle hated having some of Bacchus' blood in her veins, even if Xena didn't mind most of the time. Only when it caused her mate pain did Xena object. Like the time Gabrielle almost starved to death from blood cravings, or when an Arabic sorcerer working for a Viking Jarl had held the bard and starved her until her craving for blood was maddening. Her bard had resisted hurting anyone innocent though.

Gabrielle watched the thoughts running through Xena's mind and could almost follow them. They had argued enough about Gabrielle's shame about being a partial bacchae. The bard knew that Xena actually enjoyed the time when Gabrielle needed her blood, when she needed the connection and the sex. The bard had to admit that she enjoyed that as well but not the fact that she NEEDED the blood and sex and that it wasn't a choice.

The warrior glanced up and smiled at her daughter and mate. "You'll find Hallvor and Eponin and see if they want to go with us?" Xena questioned.

"We'll risk Mattita trying to take Sasha again?" Gabrielle questioned.

Xena's smile became a look of intense anger, remembering the Law Speaker of the Northern Amazons trying to keep Gabrielle and Sasha in the North while exiling Solan and his would-be wife, Reija. It had come down to the small band escaping in the night and Mattita trying to kill them, her archers almost succeeding with both Gabrielle and Xena.

The power mad Amazon had wanted the child because she had overheard that Sasha was the child of gods and would probably have powers when she was older.

"I'll rip Mattita's heart out before she takes one step towards Sasha and face whatever consequences there might be," Xena growled.

"Let's hope it doesn't come to that, my love," Gabrielle smiled slightly. "I don't think the Amazons need a civil war, attacks by vampiir and a war with the Warrior Princess all at the same time."

Xena finally smiled at Gabrielle's smirk. "We'll work it out," she said, a little calmer.

"I'll find Hallvor and Pony and see if they'll go with us," Gabrielle said as she rose from her stool.

Sasha turned towards her mom. "You're not mad at me?"

"For what, Sash?" Xena asked, pulling the child into her arms for another hug.

"For seeing bad things?"

"No, not at all," Xena said gently. "You don't cause the bad things, you just see them. It might even save lives, little one."

"Really?" Sasha questioned, her eyebrows furrowed, looking almost like a small twin of Xena.

"Yes, you didn't see if Otere was okay or not, we might get there in time to make sure she's okay when those vampiir attack," Xena pointed out.

"Okay," the child said brightly. "I'll go pack!"

Xena smiled as she watched the child scamper away and then began to frown, thinking about the trip and what they might be facing. One thing she and Gabrielle hadn't discussed, it was coming on full winter and they probably wouldn't make it back before the snow hit.

They were looking at spending the long winter months with the Northern Amazons. The last time they had been there they had nearly died and lost Sasha.

As both Xena and Gabrielle thought, both Hallvor and Eponin wanted to travel further North with the Greeks. The female warriors and child packed their things and began making their goodbyes to the Vikings.

As expected, Hrothgar insisted on another feast to thank the women for their aid in defeating Grendel. Xena drew the Viking Jarl aside and quietly protested that she was the reason for Grendel in the first place. Hrothgar merely laughed and hugged the surprised warrior and called for a feast anyway.

Xena tried to ignore Gabrielle's smirk of amusement at Xena's discomfort, the bard shrugging at her mate. Both knew that nothing now would stop the Vikings from celebrating yet another night.

Xena hoped they had enough supplies to last the winter with all this feasting.

Early the next morning at dawn the females took in the goodbye hugs, hand-shakes and giftings from the Vikings.

Gabrielle walked over to Beowulf and looked up at the huge Viking and grinned. Beowulf smiled down at the little blond in turn.

"Little bard," he said softly. "If you ever need anything, anywhere, anytime, I will be there."

"Thank you, Beowulf," Gabrielle smiled and hugged the Viking. "You have our friendship as well."

"You mean more to me than that, Little Greek," he smiled as he put the smaller woman down. "I also like your mate. Be happy with her."

The small group finally made their way out of the steading and began a quick pace towards the North. A feeling of urgency hitting them once they were away from the now cheerful Vikings.

Gabrielle pulled up close to Xena and Argo.

"How long will it take?" the bard questioned.

"At this pace a couple of days, but we'll probably have to slow up with snow," the warrior answered, looking up at the sky.

"Xena, if Sasha is right then we're walking into a hornet's nest," the bard commented.

"We usually are, we just don't know it half the time," the warrior grinned.

"Why isn't anything ever easy for us?" the bard grinned back

"I don't know," Xena admitted.

The bard wished they had more time to travel at a slower pace as they moved further and further North. The land always fascinated the writer in her. At times it seemed so bleak that she had to wonder how anyone could survive and at other times it was so beautiful that it was breath-taking, especially the fjords along the coast and the meadows hidden in the mountains.

It took a rough breed of people to live in this climate and the Vikings and Northern Amazons were such breeds. Strong and cold hardened but with an undying sense of humor. Maybe it was the rough life, the bard thought to herself, that raised people that could laugh in the face of death and welcome it with a roar and a smile.

The one that worried Gabrielle was Mattita, Law Speaker of the Northern Amazons. The bard thought that Mattita was one that truly reflected her surroundings; cold, harsh, and unbending. One of the qualities that this Amazon didn't share in common with most of the Amazons and Vikings Gabrielle knew; Mattita was a coward.

Gabrielle knew that there were thieves, liars, cowards and other such low-life among the Amazons and Vikings but they were usually dealt with harshly when discovered. Unfortunately for everyone, Mattita hadn't been fully discovered before she had gathered enough power to hold almost half the Amazons in her power or way of thinking.

Xena was also worried and not only about Mattita, she was also worried about Sasha's vision. If the "dark women" were vampiir then they were facing supernatural creatures again, much like the bacchae. When they had faced the bacchae Xena had almost lost Gabrielle to the dark side and the bard had been cursed with being a partial bacchae. Xena was worried how her bard would handle dealing with other creatures who needed blood to survive. And why were the Amazons being targeted by these creatures?

The trip turned into three days, the small band of women and child beating the first harsh storms of the winter in the Siberian north.

As they approached Amazon territory, every one of them had a weapon in hand and was on high alert. Gabrielle and Xena began frowning after a candle-mark.

"What is it?" Eponin questioned as they stopped the horses by a stream. She looked over at Xena, the warrior was with sword in hand and bouncing lightly on her toes.

"We're already in Amazon territory, have been for a while," Gabrielle answered, keeping one sai in hand as she held the reins of the horses. "We should have been challenged long before this."

"I thought so, their signs aren't much different than ours in the South," Pony commented and Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes, there should be scouts around and guards this far in," the bard muttered, getting even more worried than they had been when they heard Sasha's vision.

"Will we make it to the village before dark, the sun is already set?" Hallvor asked as she joined the two.

Gabrielle looked at the sky and the surrounding land and continued to frown.

"I don't know, it'll be close," she responded.

The warrior turned and trotted over to the others. "Let's ride! I don't want to be out here too long after it gets dark," she said, echoing the thoughts of the others.

A candle-mark later the bard leaned over towards her mate.

"Xena, we have to camp soon or the horses are going to break a leg in this darkness," she suggested.

"I know, it's just this place is as eerie as the Bacchae Forest," Xena muttered.

Gabrielle, looking around at the weird shadows being cast by strangely bent tree limbs and lurking darkness, nodded in agreement.

"Let's camp and light a fire then," Eponin suggested in a soft voice behind Xena and Gabrielle.

"Alright," the warrior agreed.

The small group was about to dismount when screeches filled the air and figures seemed to detach themselves from the shadows of the trees and launch themselves at the women and child.

Gabrielle yelled out in surprise as two different figures hit her from almost opposite sides. The bard was a mass of flying arms and legs as she tumbled off the horse with the two figures holding tight.

The bard managed to get her sai from her right boot as clawed hands sought her face and throat and began smashing back against the two monstrous women attacking her. A good smack on the side of one of the creature's head would have been enough to knock a normal human unconscious but the human-appearing creature shook her head and dived for Gabrielle's neck with fangs bared and yellow eyes shining.

Xena turned towards Sasha at the sound of the first screech and was tackled off Argo along with the rest of the party. Unlike the others, however, Xena's horse wasn't a normal travel animal but a respected friend and ally. The horse screamed, her ears laid back alongside her head as she spun and knocked one figure off of Xena and slashed out with her fore-hooves at the other, distracting the creature.

The warrior was able to grab her chakram and slashed out as the creature attempted to turn its attention to her. A moment later and the creature was nothing but dust as its head became separated from her body. Both Argo and Xena scrambled to reach the child as she screamed in terror, flailing away at the creature picking her up and raising her to the it's chest.

Xena screamed in rage and launched her chakram as the creature started to bend its head to her child's neck. The creature turned with a roar of rage, dropping Sasha, as Xena caught the chakram. The vampiir reached behind her and felt along her lower back at the slash. The second strike from the chakram decapitated the vampiir now that Sasha wasn't in the way.

"Their heads!" Xena screamed as she took in the sight of the other three women fighting vampiirs. "Take their heads!"

The warrior turned to her faithful horse, "Argo, protect Sasha!" she ordered and the mare turned and stood by the crying child, her hooves slashing out at anything that got close to her charge.

Xena was about to work her way towards Gabrielle when three more vampiir tackled her, forcing her to the ground with their blows and body weight. The warrior screamed a war cry and kept slashing at anything grabbing for her, she fought her way to her knees when she felt hands grab her shoulders and throw her to the hard ground, her head bouncing from the impact. Xena tried to shake off the blackness threatening to take her consciousness as she weakly slashed with the chakram.

Eponin, with a broken leg, found herself at a distinct disadvantage as she fought two vampiir attempting to sink their fangs in her throat. Somehow the Amazon weapons-master crawled to a tree and placed her back to it and kept slashing with her sword at anything trying to get close to her. Sasha scrambled to her feet and ran over to the Amazon with her own small knife drawn and Argo followed, protecting both the woman and child.

Hallvor growled under the weight of three vampiir and fought to reach her sax, her long Viking knife. The werserker howled in rage as a set of claw-like fingernails slashed across her lower back and she felt herself shift. Hallvor turned and slashed back with her own set of claws and let the change and battle lust hit her.

The remaining vampiir turned and stared at the werewolf in their midst. Gabrielle and the others were stunned when the vampiir screamed in apparent rage and launched themselves at Hallvor, all en masse. The werserker went down under a pile of dark clothed women vampires.

Gabrielle struggled to her knees and wanted to throw her hands over her ears at the noises that followed. The screams, howls, and screeches from the vampiir and werserker were ear-shattering and raised the hackles on the humans.

With a howl Hallvor stood up, shaking off the vampiir for a moment. When they attacked again the wereling grabbed one by the throat and slashed out with her other hand, decapitating the vampiir with her claws. She quickly dropped the vampiir before it even had a chance to turn to dust and thrust an elbow into the face of a vampiir coming up behind her. Hall then grabbed another and ripped an arm off and threw it back at the startled vampiir.

The bard fought back a gag reflex and the vampiir scattered and melted into the shadows.

The women looked over at the wereling as the creature glared back, eyes battle maddened, blood dripping from her claws. Gabrielle went into a defensive position with her sais as the creature growled deep in her throat. Then the werserker looked to the sky and howled a long wolf-howl.

Hallvor then sank to her knees and weakly pulled at her cloak.

"Sasha," Eponin said softly, "pull her cloak over her," she instructed, instinctively realizing what the wereling was trying to do.

The child quickly grabbed the cloak from behind Hallvor and threw it over the werserker's head and Hallvor fell forward heavily.

Gabrielle turned her attention to Xena and the others as the figure under the cloak whimpered and twitched.

Xena was shaking her head and holding the back of it, eyes still slightly unfocused as Gabrielle approached.

"You okay, lover?" the bard asked, voice heavy with concern.

"Yeah, just knocked my brains around a little," the warrior joked as she looked over and saw Sasha helping Pony to her feet and Argo prancing proudly. "I'm okay."

Gabrielle frowned as Xena reached down for her sword. "Xena, your hand," she pointed and Xena tried to comprehend. "Is your head bleeding?"

The warrior reached to the back of her head again and brought it back around to find it covered with fresh blood.

"Terrific!" she complained and swayed slightly on her feet. Gabrielle reached out and steadied her mate.

"Hallvor!" Gabrielle called. "Are you back with us under there yet?"

A muttered response met the bard's question.

"You're from the North, what protects us from these things?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Fire, only fire," came a muttered reply.

"Are you alright under there?" Eponin called out.

When only a mutter came from under the cloak Eponin turned to Xena and Gabrielle with a frown.

"She'll be okay, after a werserker rage she needs to sleep. Makes them vulnerable after a battle," Xena commented as Gabrielle led her over to the tree which Eponin was leaning against.

Sasha ran up with Pony's crutches and handed them to the Amazon with a grin.

"Come on, Sasha," the bard suggested. "Let's gather some wood really fast and light some fires."

Pony decided to give up standing and slid down to sit next to Xena as the warrior pressed a piece of her tunic against her head. Both of them were covered in blood and neither was sure which blood belonged to whom at that moment. They knew some of it was from the vampiir and they figured some of it was theirs from scratches and the head wound.

Xena watched Gabrielle and Sasha closely as they quickly gathered wood for several small fires, neither one of them getting out of sight. The warrior kept the chakram at the ready and Pony kept her sword in her hand until the band had a small ring of fires surrounding them. Only then did they let down their guard but then only slightly.

Xena kept trying to focus her eyes as they constantly darted around, trying to look in the shadows just beyond the fire ring as Gabrielle slowly cleaned the blood and dust from her warrior mate. She found that the warrior had gashed her head slightly when thrown to the ground and had numerous cuts and slashes, including a matching pair of slashes on the left side of the warrior's neck.

The bard quickly wrapped a bandage around Xena's head and cleaned the other wounds and then turned her attention to Pony. Gabrielle found the Amazon had actually faired better than she and Xena had, with fewer slashes and scratches but she had twisted the broken leg and it was throbbing. Gabrielle frowned as Eponin gritted her teeth in pain, sweat beginning to stand out on her brow from the pain.

"Xena, could she have re-broken it?" Gabrielle questioned.

"I don't think so," the warrior muttered, touching the slashes at her neck with a frown. "It'll probably be better in the morning, elevate it for a bit."

The bard discovered Hallvor groggy and fine except for a few scratches. Gabrielle looked at Xena in confusion but the warrior merely shrugged.

"Most of the wounds seem to heal when the berserker or werserker change back into human. She'll sleep heavily tonight," Xena commented.

"She's the only one who will, I think," Gabrielle muttered.

The tired and battered group approached the village of the Northern Amazons a little after dawn. They were surprised and pleased to find the village in its normal early morning buzz of activity. After the night before the small band was worried they'd find an empty village.

They were also surprised when a group of Amazon warriors rushed forward with drawn swords, arrows notched and spears pointed at them.

Gabrielle frowned, in the lead was Svetlana, Scout Captain and well known to both Xena and Gabrielle.

"Halt!" the Captain called.

"Greetings, sister," Gabrielle responded. "We seek welcome to the village, these are Amazon sisters and you know my Consort."

"You spent the night in the forest?" Svetlana demanded, looking closely at their bandages and scratches.

"Yes, we found no guards, no scouts and couldn't make it here before dark last night," Gabrielle answered, her frown back again.

"Then you are denied entrance to the village, you've obviously have been attacked by the upir!" The Captain snapped, keeping her spear raised.

The Southern Amazon Queen heard a growl from Xena and Hallvor but was relieved when Queen Otere stepped out of a hut and quickly hurried over to the warriors.

"What is it, Svetlana? You know them!" she snapped.

"They were in the forest last night and were attacked," the Captain answered.

Otere turned and carefully looked over the group. "You were attacked by the vampiir?" she asked.

"Yes, and we killed a few of them!" Xena snapped back.

"Were any of you bitten?" Otere asked.

"No, why?" Gabrielle answered with a curious frown.

"Are you sure?" Otere pressed. "Sometimes the victim doesn't know they've been bitten, the vampiir clouds their memory."

"We were in the middle of a fight, we got scratched and slashed but no one got bit," Xena growled.

"Then welcome them in, Svetlana," Otere ordered.

"Yes, my Queen," the Captain said and pulled her spear back in a salute and the rest of the Amazon warriors followed her example.

Gabrielle grinned and dismounted quickly as Otere trotted forward and hugged her sister queen.

Hallvor and Sasha followed Xena in dismounting, while Eponin, with her broken leg, stayed on her horse.

Otere pulled back and hugged Xena and then carefully looked them over.

"You two look great! A little battered on the edges but good!" the Queen beamed as Svetlana came forward to greet Xena with a warrior handshake. "This is Sasha?" Otere questioned, looking over the growing child.

"Yup, she's getting taller," Xena grinned.

"Taller? By the gods, Xena," Otere grinned and hugged the child, "She's going to be as tall as you."

"Probably," the warrior agreed.

"And these are Amazons? You're rebuilding the tribe?" Otere questioned, taking in the sight of Pony and Hallvor.

"Yes, some of the tribe survived and they're beginning to rebuild their numbers in the Black Forest. The Southern Amazon tribe is alive," Gabrielle said proudly and nodded towards Eponin. "This is Eponin, weapons master and my Regent. She'll probably end up Queen since I can't be there all the time. This is Hallvor, an adopted Amazon from the Vikings. She is their Scout and weapons master as well."

Queen Otere and the other Amazons gave an Amazon salute to their sisters with smiles.

"Now, come sisters!" Otere ordered. "Take their horses and put them up, put their gear in one of the winter huts. Someone help Eponin down with those crutches and everyone meet in the food hall and we'll hear tell of their adventures from our sister bard and queen!"

Hallvor stayed behind to help Eponin down from the horse as Xena, Gabrielle and Sasha walked with Otere and Svetlana towards the largest wooden hall.

"What is happening, Otere?" Gabrielle questioned as they approached the familiar building.

"You mean since you left or last night?" the small and young queen countered.

"Okay, we'll wait until we've eaten," the bard grinned.

The Amazons, Sasha, bard and the Warrior Princess dived into their food, especially the visitors. They hadn't fixed a warm dinner or breakfast after fighting off vampiir and spending the night in the forest. They had only eaten cold trail food and were hungry.

During breakfast it seemed to the visitors that every Amazon had come up to greet and welcome them. Finally, Otere stood up and raised her hand for attention and the hall fell quiet.

"Sisters, we welcome our sisters from the Black Forest. We are pleased and will celebrate in the future with the news that our sister tribe has survived and is rebuilding. Queen Gabrielle and the others have asked what has happened since they last visited us. I call upon Terje, our skald, to tell the tale."

A small Amazon stood up and went to the head of the Hall as two Amazons placed a chair near the fireplace. Terje was old and moved slowly and once she was settled into the chair one of the Amazon placed a hearthrug blanket over the elder's legs.

"Queen Gabrielle, her Consort Xena and their child were with us in the winter months after the defeat of Alti," Terje began. "Their son broke Amazon law and fell in love with an Amazon and ignored the courting rules. It was decided that they would be exiled into the snow. Our friends from the South protested that this decision was one of death in the winter months, especially as the boy was blind."

Several Amazons shifted in their seats. Everyone knew what an exile during the winter months meant in the Siberian north. They remembered the battles with the Elder Council and the visiting Greeks to keep the two teenagers alive.

"It was decided that the sentence would be delayed for three moons," Terje continued. "This was still close to a death sentence, it still being too much into the winter months but it was decided. It was also the decision of the Law Maker that Queen Gabrielle and the child Sasha would not be allowed to leave in the snow, both of them being too important to the tribe to risk their deaths."

Gabrielle saw Xena and Otere both gritting their teeth in memory.

"Our visitors fought this decision of being separated," the old Amazon smiled as she watched the fire dance. "Queen Gabrielle and her Consort could not stand to be separated from each other and their family split apart. It is said that they suspected the Law Speaker Mattita of conspiring against them to claim the child Sasha and kill the adults. The group of Gabrielle, Xena, Solan, Reija and the child disappeared into the night of the solstice, the coldest and longest night."

Terja paused and drank some of the hot tea an Amazon handed her.

"Law Speaker Mattita reported that she had attempted to invoke Amazon law preventing anyone from traveling in the winter months but the Greeks attacked her and her small band of Amazon scouts and disappeared down river in the night. We weren't sure if the Greeks lived or not until we heard tales from a passing skald of their adventures with the Vikings in the land south."

Gabrielle felt her hands clenching into fists at the description of their escape from the Amazon village. It wasn't quite like Mattita had reported to the tribe but Gabrielle kept quiet for the moment.

"It was decreed that Queen Gabrielle and Xena were outlaws to our tribe and were to be arrested and their child taken in as an Amazon sister if they should return to our village," Terje continued.

The bard wasn't surprised when she felt Xena's hand fall to her chakram, her own hand was resting on her right sai.

Otere quickly motioned for them to be calm and stay still.

"It was then that our own Queen Otere brought charges against our Law Speaker, accusing her of planning the kidnapping of the child of Xena and Queen Gabrielle and of cowardice during battle," Terje said simply. "Yakut performed a most difficult spell working and brought forth the spirit of her mother who testified against the Law Speaker. She told of the battle with Xena and Alti, years before. Yakut's mother told of how Mattita was her battle partner and that Mattita turned and ran, leaving the Scout lieutenant open to one of Xena's traps and her death."

Xena closed her eyes against the memory of that day, of Amazons flying through the trees to land on sharpened branches, of spiked logs flying through the air on ropes to smash Amazons into trees and impaling them, of Queen Cyrane's death at her hands. She felt Gabrielle reach out and hold her hand reassuringly.

"Law Speaker Mattita was exiled and several Amazons went with her. They began attacking the scouts and isolated Amazons they found, either killing or maiming our sisters, or kidnapping them. Our exiled sisters haven't been seen since," Terje said, her voice heavy with emotion.

Xena glanced across the table at Otere and wasn't surprised to find the young Amazon was gritting her teeth and her face was red with anger.

"Thus began the civil war we find ourselves in now, Sisters," Terje continued. "Amazon against Amazon. Law Speaker against Queen. Then the attacks of the vampiir women began. They come in the night with screeches and wails to grab anyone who isn't inside. We found the villages to the east and south of us have been wiped out by these demons. Our scouts can no longer venture out and guard our village at night and we huddle in our halls like frightened children."

"The attacks began about a three moons ago," Otere continued, talking directly to the visitors. "You've seen them, the only thing that stops them is fire and decapitation."

"Do they attack in the daylight?" Gabrielle questioned.

"No, we managed to hold onto one that attacked the village one night. We managed to chain her down. When the sun came and hit her body she screamed and burst into flame and exploded into dust," Otere answered.

"Did you recognize her?" Xena asked softly.

Otere dropped her head as tears began flowing down her cheeks. "Yes, it was my mate."

"Oh sweet Artemis," Gabrielle muttered and got up from the bench and around the table to hug the young Amazon, wrapping her arms around Otere as the young woman began to cry. The bard looked over at her mate. "How did you know?"

"When we fought the vampiir I ripped a necklace off one of them, it was an Amazon necklace," Xena explained. "The vampiirs are turning the Amazons into vampires, that's how it spreads."

"Yes," Otere agreed, raising her head slowly. "No one has seen Mattita or the rebel Amazons but we assume they fell to the vampiirs and are among those stalking us."

"What about the villagers?" Pony questioned.

"Among the vampiirs, we've seen some men and children as well as women," one of the Amazon scouts answered in the Germanic language common to the Greeks and Northern Amazons. Very few had learned the native Slavic language so out of courtesy the Northern Amazons spoke Germanic around Xena, Gabrielle and the others.

"Oh gods," Hallvor muttered. "Usually the vampiir just take adults."

"How do we fight them?" Gabrielle asked. "It's coming up on winter when the sun rarely makes an appearance."

"Yes, we are not in good shape," Otere agreed. "We haven't been able to hunt enough game, most of it was either taken by the vampiir or driven away. We can't send out hunting parties that would be gone overnight and the nearby villages were destroyed."

"If we don't get some supplies in it'll be a lean winter," Treje commented.

"I have a question," Xena stated and waited until Otere looked up. "Where is Yakut?"

Xena's sinking feeling grew worse when Otere dropped her eyes again.

"She disappeared when the vampiir first struck us," the Queen answered softly.

Xena looked up at her mate to see Gabrielle with her hands on Otere's shoulders with her eyes closed, fighting back tears.

"So we might be fighting Yakut as a vampire?" the warrior questioned.

"Yes," Otere whispered.

Otere jumped visibly when Xena's hand slammed down on the table in anger. Gabrielle walked around and sat back down next to her mate and leaned her head on the warrior's shoulder. The bard wrapped an arm around the bard, trying to comfort the warrior.

After a moment Xena looked around and realized that most of the Amazons seemed to be waiting to see if the Greeks had any answers. She remembered with shame that most of them had grown up with only a couple of leaders barely older than themselves. Xena had killed the elders that day among the trees, leaving children and a couple of teens to lead and rebuild the Northern Amazons.

"Alright, let's start thinking this thing out," she ordered and Gabrielle sat up with her eyebrows raised. She could feel the energy building in her mate and almost smiled.

One thing about Xena, she always enjoyed a challenging fight.

"Let's clear the tables, get out the maps and figure how to fight, track and kill these things," she ordered and young Amazons quickly scrambled to obey her.

Otere looked over with a grateful expression.

"Thank you, I've been a little out of it since my mate died," she commented.

"It's alright," Xena smiled as she stood up. "When we thought Gabrielle was dead for five days, I wasn't much use to anyone either."

Gabrielle felt herself blushing and smacked Xena on the leg as the warrior started to move away from the table with their dishes. That had only been the partial truth, the bard reflected. She had been dead for those five days, having given up her life willingly to save Xena.

"Okay, first and foremost, what do we know about these creatures?" Gabrielle asked as a small group of Amazons and her Consort sat down around the meeting hall's firepit.

"They drink blood to survive, they can live on animal blood but prefer human," Svetlana answered.

"Yes, how often do they need the blood, do we know that?" the bard and queen questioned.

"Young ones seem to need it every other night, there are tales of older vampires needing it only once a week," Hallvor responded.

"It is also said among your Viking people that they hate werserkers and berserkers, is that true?" Treje asked from her chair near the fire.

Xena glanced over and found Hallvor blushing a bright red as the Viking stared into the fire.

"Ja, it is true," she admitted. "Something about the animal walkers drives the blood drinkers crazy. They'll leave easy prey to attack a skin-shirt."

"That's just myth!" one of the Amazons complained. "Berserkers and werserkers don't even exist!"

Both Xena and Gabrielle glanced over at Hallvor to gauge her reaction. Eponin decided to keep quiet and see how this developed.

Hallvor seemed deep in thought for a moment and then raised her eyes to look at the young Amazon scout and then at the Northern Amazons around the fire.

"I am a Viking warrior, dedicated to AllFather Odin," Hallvor said softly, her eyes shining with intensity. "I am also a werserker, the wolf is my totem, my skin and my other self. We do exist."

Natalka, the young Amazon began blushing at being countered and glared at Hallvor, trying to judge the Viking's statement.

"Full wolf?" she demanded.

"No, partial wolf," Hallvor answered. "I fall to blood lust, turn into a partial wolf and rip apart anything in my way. Want to see my fangs?" the Viking challenged.

"Enough!" Xena snapped. "We've got enough problems without arguing among ourselves."

"Hallvor is a werserker, the four of us have seen her in full werserker form and it is deadly," Gabrielle responded. "We also saw the vampiir change targets from all of us to attack her when she changed last night. The myths are in fact truth."

"Next?" Xena suggested.

"Okay, that might help or not," Otere commented, dismissing the strangeness of their Amazon guest and returning to the topic at hand. "Sunlight kills them, so does decapitation."

"I've heard running water can but I'm not sure I trust that one," Hallvor commented.

"Me either, besides, the water would be too cold for us to lure them into without getting ourselves killed," Xena mentioned looking over the maps of the area.

"Since sunlight kills them, why not track them during the day?" Pony suggested.

"Yes, exactly," Xena grinned but Otere shook her head.

"We've tried it, we lose their tracks in the trees and several tracking parties never came back," the Queen explained.

"They weren't Xena," Gabrielle grinned, knowing her mate's reputation for tracking and stealth.

"Some of them seem to have mental powers," one Amazon mentioned and the Greeks turned to her with questioning expressions. "I am Yulya, village guard. Some of them can just call our Amazons to them and their fangs."

Otere nodded sadly. "Yes, we've watched some of our sisters drop their weapons and walk right to the vampiir."

"Were the victim and vampiir close before the one turned into a vampire?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yes, usually best friends, family or mates," Treja answered.

The bard nodded slightly. "The bacchae of our lands tend to first seek out their family and friends when they turn into bacchae."

"Bacchae?" one of the Amazons questioned.

"A form of Greek vampiir, a little different but they still drink blood," the bard responded.

"Okay, I suggest that hunting parties go out at night and make a ring of fires around the camp, that seemed to keep the damned things out of our camp last night," Xena offered.

"I'll ask for volunteers," Otere nodded.

"I'm going to try and track these things back to their nest, if we know where they sleep during the day maybe we can burn them out or kill them a little easier," Xena added.

"I suggest that Pony take a wagon, a couple of Amazons and head for the next village over and trade for supplies," Gabrielle suggested. "Stay in the wagon at night with a fire ring around you."

"You're just sending me because of my leg," Pony complained.

"Yes, also the vampiir can't seduce you because none of them know you and they'll probably be speaking Slavic," Gabrielle smirked.

"Yes, my Queen," Eponin grinned at the bard's logic.

"Alright, sisters," Otere stood up. "You heard the suggestions, consider them orders. I want six Amazons to accompany Eponin for supplies. Arm yourselves well with oil for fires and torches and carry extra axes and swords to decapitate these things if you're attacked."

She turned to Svetlana, the Scout Captain. "Gather a group of your best trackers, try and pick Amazons with no one lost to the vampiir. Go hunting for fresh meat but be back here within three days. Carry extra axes and always build a large fire ring at night."

"How have you kept the vampires from the cattle and pigs?" Gabrielle asked.

"We bring them in with us at night," Otere grinned. "We've got enough walking on the hoof around to get through a couple of months but we need more."

"Why don't they knock down the doors and attack at night?" Pony questioned.

"Some kind of strange magic," Treje answered. "They can't come in a home unless someone inside invites them."

"Very weird," Pony agreed.

"The spirits of the threshold protect us and hold them back," an Amazon responded.

"That's the only reason we've survived so far," Otere commented. "We gather at night in the food hall and play drums, rattles, flutes, whatever will make noise to drown out their calls."

Gabrielle looked over and knew the look on her warrior mate's face, Xena meant to go out that night after the creatures.

"Alright, let's get moving and get ready for nightfall," the warrior suggested. "The days are getting shorter already."

The Amazons scurried around the village, happy to have goals and something to do after more than a month of terror. Gabrielle wasn't sure how much help her small group could be but her Northern sisters were looking to the Greeks for new ideas and suggestions. Fortunately, she thought, Xena was usually up to that task.

Xena looked over the village common area and spotted Gabrielle watching the scouts forming up and grinned. Even after years together, just looking at her mate could make Xena's heart skip a beat. The bard was looking serious as everyone went about their tasks and the warrior could understand that. The small band of Greeks had very few choices and they needed to be made quickly.

The first real winter storm was on its way, everyone could feel the pressure in the air changing and they knew if they stayed more than a week with the Northern Amazons then they were probably going to end up staying the entire winter. Facing a winter fighting off vampiirs and possible starvation was not Xena's idea of a good time.

They needed to resolve the crisis and soon.

Basics: shelter, food, protection. All of that was in danger.

Xena grabbed one of the village keepers and set up another group of Amazons to start gathering more wood for the winter. If they were going to have to hold off vampires then they would need more fires to keep everyone safe.

Xena turned her attention to the scouts forming up for the hunting party. She started towards Svetlana as the hunters moved out into the woods with their heavy backpacks of supplies.

She nodded slightly as Otere joined her.

"Aren't you one of the best trackers?" Xena asked as they approached Svetlana. The warrior was confused when the Scout Captain dropped her eyes and began blushing.

"She is but she can't go out of the village," Otere answered.

"Why not?" Xena asked.

"She was bitten by a friend a few nights ago," Otere said softly and Svetlana pulled back her hair to reveal the fang marks and dropped her eyes again. "Ever since then the vampire has had control over her at night. We have to lock her in the cell to keep Svetlana from going to the vampire."

"I wake up in the morning and don't remember trying to get out, just that I had bad dreams," Svetlana explained.

"Once bitten they control you?" Xena questioned and saw Gabrielle's ears pick up as the bard joined them.

"Yes, at night they call and the victim can't resist and will fight to go to them, even if it means their death," Otere continued.

"The victims don't turn into vampiir within a day?" the bard questioned.

"No, if the vampiir drains them slowly it can take two weeks," Svetlana answered.

"Sometimes they kill their victims right away and feed them their vampire blood, turning them," Otere continued.

"They exchange blood?" Gabrielle questioned. "That's different than bacchae," she muttered.

"How so?" Otere questioned, knowing Gabrielle's past.

"You can be a partial bacchae and change other women into partial bacchae but there's still a chance to be saved. If you drink some of the blood of Bacchus, the bacchae god, then there's no chance and the women are full bacchae." The bard explained.

"It seems that these vampiir must exchange blood with the victim to turn them," Otere commented. "Or when the victim dies they become vampiir."

"If the vampiir is killed before the victim dies or is turned?" Xena questioned.

"Then the victim is saved," Svetlana said, rubbing her neck where the fang marks were hidden by her hair.

"How many times have you been bitten?" Gabrielle asked gently.

"Twice, only a few more times and I'm lost to the darkness," the Amazon Captain whispered.

"Don't worry, Svetlana," Gabrielle said firmly. "We have a talent for getting people out of the darkness."

Xena grinned at her mate's strong voice, she knew Gabrielle wasn't revealing her bacchae nature to the Amazons at this point and why. Dealing with one set of vampires was making the Amazons paranoid and skittish enough without trying to explain that Gabrielle was only a partial bacchae and drank Xena's blood once a month. Some terrified Amazon might decide it wasn't worth the risk and try to kill her mate.

Xena blinked and looked up as Gabrielle snapped her fingers in front of the warrior's face.

"Reality to Xena!" Gabrielle teased. "Let's lay you down for a bit," the bard suggested. "I know we didn't sleep last night and you're planning on being up all night again. Sasha's already napping with some of the younger kids."

The warrior didn't protest as the bard took her hand and led her to one of the huts. Within minutes they were curled up on sleeping furs, Xena behind her mate with arm and leg thrown over the bard.

It seemed like they had just closed their eyes when someone was knocking on the door and calling for them. Gabrielle muttered in her sleep and pulled the sleeping fur up over their heads with a growl.

Xena grinned and pulled it back down.

"What is it?" she called.

"Sunset in a candle-mark, Queen Otere is asking for you," a voice called back.

"Thank you, we'll be there in a few minutes."

"Yes, Consort," the voice responded and Xena's sharp ears heard the guard leaving and bent over Gabrielle's body. She began lightly kissing the bard's lips and then moving to the lovely neck and then couldn't resist nibbling on the bard's earlobe.

Gabrielle responded with a purr of delight and wrapped her arms around her mate, green eyes opening to look into blue ones.

"Hi," she said simply and met Xena's lips for another kiss.

"We need to get up," Xena said after a few moments.

"Wake me up like that and you want to get up?" Gabrielle teased but released her hold from Xena's neck and the warrior sat up on the furs.

"Yeah, Otere wants us," Xena grinned, wishing she could stay the rest of the afternoon and night in bed with her mate. "Would be nice to have some privacy though."

She was pleased when the bard blushed but nodded in agreement. The one major different between the Greeks and Vikings, the bard thought, was their sleeping arrangements. The Vikings prefer a long hall with everyone sleeping along the walls on sleeping benches and occasionally a bed. No rooms except for the head of the family. Gabrielle knew most young couples would sneak off to barns, woods, meadows or wherever they could to find privacy and others just learned to make very little noise under the sleeping furs.

The Greeks didn't mind sharing their space with others but definitely wanted privacy at times. Xena often teased Gabrielle that the little bard couldn't keep quiet during love making even if it meant their lives. Gabrielle always countered that Xena could rattle a few rafters herself, usually getting a blushing warrior on her hands for that one.

Gabrielle grinned and grabbed for her tunic anyway.

"Later, my love," she promised.

"Gods, I hope so," Xena said softly, watching her mate dress, absently reaching for her own clothes. "You know I'm going out tonight."

"I know," the bard responded, losing her smile but continuing to lace up her boots. "I'd argue with you but I'd lose, so I'm not going to bother."

"And you're not going to follow me, right?" Xena growled.

"Years ago I probably would but Otere and the others need me here," Gabrielle smiled ruefully at her mate. "Can you feel it? It's like they're teenagers left on their own."

"They were, Otere wasn't even Sasha's age when I slaughtered the elders of the village," Xena commented, looking away from Gabrielle's gaze. "Most of them were on their own as Amazons. They're looking to you for leadership."

"They've forgiven you for that, Xena. Right now they're tired, frazzled, and scared," the bard commented. "Do you really think you can track the vampiir? Can't they fly like bacchae?"

"I don't know, but I have to try," Xena growled.

As the sun sank lower in the sky, so did the spirits of the Amazons. Xena joined Gabrielle as she sat talking with Otere and Hallvor by the main fire in the food hall. The Greek was dressed as she normally was in the North in leathers with one addition that Gabrielle nodded in approval over, a leather collar around her neck over the bandage covering the slashes.

Would be difficult to bite through, the bard thought with a smile and noticed Otere's grin as well.

As they talked over the previous attacks two guards approached the small group next to them. Both Xena and Gabrielle raised their heads in curiosity.

"Svetlana," one of them said. "It's time."

"What's going on?" Gabrielle asked Otere.

"It's time to lock her in the holding hut, before darkness hits," Otere stated simply, the sadness reflecting in her eyes.

"Can't she stay here, you and I could watch her," Gabrielle suggested.

"We can keep those creatures out only because no one has invited them into the hall," Otere explained as Svetlana stood up and followed the guards. "All it would take is one person to invite them in and it would be a slaughter."

"Like a pack of wolves," Xena commented.

"It's going to be dark enough in a few minutes," Otere mentioned.

"I'm going to go out in the trees and wait, I'll see if I can follow them," Xena declared, standing up.

Gabrielle stood up and quickly hugged her mate, biting back all the arguments she wanted to launch into.

The warrior looked down into her mate's green eyes and smiled.

"I love you, little one," she whispered.

"I love you, my warrior," Gabrielle whispered back and turned as Xena slipped out the door. The bard bit back her tears and worry. "What do we do now?" she asked.

"Fires are lit outside and everyone huddles inside. We try and keep up noise most of the night to drown out the sounds of the vampiir outside." Otere explained.

"Does not sound like fun," Gabrielle muttered.

"It isn't," Otere admitted.

A few moments later a young Amazon child yelped in fear as pounding began on the door, the shuttered windows and the walls themselves. A moment later and the pounding continued on the roof, surrounding the women inside with terrible banging.

Otere raised her hand and the Amazons began banging on the tables in front of them as some of them passed out drums, clappers, flutes and such. The noise the Amazons made was rhythmic while the pounding surrounding them was sporadic and manic. At the sound of the banging and flutes the creatures outside began to screech like night owls.

Gabrielle badly wanted to cover her ears and she noticed Hallvor wincing at the incredible sound. The bard wondered how any of them had stayed sane night after night of this. Otere looked over at her sister Queen and nodded, understanding what the bard was thinking.

"Any other solution than this?" Gabrielle yelled over the noise.

"None that have worked. They settle down after about two candle-marks and get loud again before dawn," Otere shouted back.

"Oh gods," the bard muttered and saw Hallvor slide under a table with her cloak thrown over her, trying to cover her ears.

The night was long and endless. Just when it seemed that everything had settled down and most of the Amazons were lulled into sleep from exhaustion, the banging and screeching would start again.

To the bard it sounded like four giants on each side of them, kicking the walls and pounding on the roof. Dust scattered from the rafters and pegs began creaking in the walls under the constant pressure of the violence.

The Amazons also showed signs of breaking under the pressure. Women huddled in small groups, trying to keep each other calm. Holding the ones who would snap and start crying or shouting, restraining them if necessary.

Gabrielle, who was part bacchae and had spent an evening among bacchae, had heard nothing like this before. The screams coming from the outside were enough to drive anyone mad.

Then the worst of it came just before dawn. The pounding, screaming and screeching stopped for a quarter of a candle-mark. Then someone knocked on the door and a female voice called out for Katja to open the door.

Otere quickly jumped up from the furs she was sitting on and began running down the length of the hall with Gabrielle right behind her.

The bard spotted an Amazon near the door with her head raised up and a shocked expression on her face. The Amazons around her were talking rapidly but the young woman shook her head and continued to listen to the voice on the other side of the door.

She fought to stand up while her friends kept her sitting on the furs. Otere ran up as others joined the friends in restraining the young woman.

The voice outside sounded weak and cold and very human. Gabrielle herself felt a tugging to open the door and almost took a step forward when Otere called out for her to stop and help with the young woman.

"That's Tata!" the girl Katja screamed, "I know her voice! She's alive! Let her in!"

"No!" Otere yelled back, "You know we can't open that door until dawn!"

"But she's cold, let her in!" Katja protested. "Tata….."

One of the Amazons quickly shoved a piece of cloth in the girl's mouth and another wrapped a gag around her head as the others restrained her.

Otere turned to a troubled Gabrielle. "That's how they got into the villagers homes, all it takes is one person to invite them in."

"How did you figure it out?" Gabrielle asked as the young girl screamed for her sister through the gag.

"We found a couple of the villagers alive but dying. They managed to tell us what they went through when the vampires seized the village," the Queen explained.

"We can't keep this up all winter, everyone will go mad and someone will eventually open that door," Gabrielle complained.

"I know, we need to figure out how to defeat them or flee," Otere commented.

"They'd pick us off on the road at night and merely follow, like wolves following a herd of reindeer," one of the other Amazons complained.

"She's right," Gabrielle nodded in agreement. She realized that the voice at the door had stopped and looked around; the other Amazons were rising from their furs on the floor or their seats on the benches and beginning to stretch and look around. "It's dawn, isn't it?" she asked.

"Yes, a few will stay on guard but most of us will sleep for a few hours," Otere said simply. "We take shifts sleeping during the day because we don't get much sleep at night."

"Xena says the first mistake a warrior can make is not eating or sleeping," Gabrielle muttered.

"Yes, and you can see why none of us are sleeping long hours and the nights are getting longer."

"Oh gods, we need to settle this quickly," the bard muttered.

The bard found Sasha in tears with the other children, who weren't in much better shape. Gabrielle gathered the child up on her feet and wrapped a blanket around her. In a few moments they were snuggled down in a bed in the hut assigned to Xena, Gabrielle and Sasha.

"I know, Sash," Gabrielle said gently as the child cried tired tears until she fell asleep. The bard closed her eyes after saying a silent prayer that Xena was alright.

Gabrielle woke up and sighed with relief when she realized that she was being held from behind by familiar strong arms. Sasha was already up and gone somewhere and the smoke hole at the top of the roof told the bard it was still daylight.

Deciding to let the warrior sleep a little longer, the bard wandered over to the meeting hall and found Otere barely awake herself.

"Xena still sleeping?" the Northern Queen asked.

"Yes, when did she get in?"

"About two candle-marks ago, she said she lost the vampiir among the rocks to the east," Otere answered simply. "She said she'd go out again tonight until we track them."

"Gods, that is so dangerous," the bard muttered, sitting down by the fire.

"Yes, but so is everything around here right now. Let's get something to eat," Otere suggested.

"Okay," the bard agreed, getting back on her feet. "I feel helpless against these things. Are any of them intelligent, can they be reasoned with?"

"Can your bacchae be reasoned with?" Otere countered. "They are intelligent but very focused on only one thing, getting blood."

"The bacchae won't listen to reason either, especially when just turned," Gabrielle muttered. "The older bacchae can interact normally with everyone else but are at Bacchus' call and they need blood to survive."

"Maybe the older vampiir grow in mental clarity but I don't think we can wait around to reason with them," Otere complained.

"I know, I don't know how all of you have managed after going through it last night," Gabrielle admitted.

After a decent breakfast Gabrielle checked in on Xena. She found the warrior sleeping restlessly. The bard crawled into the sleeping furs and the warrior calmed down into a deeper sleep as Gabrielle took her into her arms.

That night was a repeat of the night before, this time Hallvor choosing to stay in the isolation hut away from the other Amazons during the night. Otere had frowned but Gabrielle and Xena had supported the Viking Amazon's decision. The night had been rough on the wereling and she had struggled with the noise, the heightened fear of the Northern Amazons around her and the thick hatred of the vampiir seeping through the walls for anything that moved with blood in it.

Xena felt her muscles tensing up as she escorted Hallvor to the isolation hut. It was a unique fixture in the Amazon village, made of very thick stone and the only windows were high set in the walls. They were also so narrow and small that a child couldn't squeeze through. The door was of thick wood and could only be opened from the outside.

It was meant to keep Amazons calm and safe if someone went a little insane from cabin fever in the deep winter. Months spent indoors day after day with no hint of the sun shining through was enough to drive even the most sane person a little off at times. The Northern Amazons had a law that anyone who was hit with the snow fever could be held against their will until they were recovered or Spring came.

It was the same law that Mattita had intended to use to hold Gabrielle and Sasha hostage in the village while Xena, Solan and Reija were exiled.

Xena hated to see Hallvor locked away alone for the night but knew it was probably the best decision. There wouldn't be any guards outside because of the attacks and Hallvor would be totally alone. Both warriors were hoping that the lock on the door would hold and keep one battle crazed werewolf inside and all the blood crazed vampiirs outside.

"Hall," Xena began to speak but the werserker held up her hand, cutting the warrior off.

"It's okay," the werserker reassured the warrior. "I had a hard time not changing last night. If I change in here, no one gets hurt."

"I know, I just hate this," Xena grumbled.

"Go, it's getting dark," Hallvor insisted and shut the door on the warrior.

Xena was frowning as she turned away from the hut, after locking the door. She absently handed the key to one of the guards, knowing the Amazon would open the door in the morning after sunrise.

The warrior looked at the sky and knew they only had a few days before the first real storm hit. Already the ground was already lightly covered with snow. Xena cursed under her breath as she kicked at a rock sticking out of the snow. It should be easy to track something in the snow but she had still managed to lose the band of vampires the night before. She was also more tired than she was admitting to anyone. So tired that she was actually fuzzy about the events here the night before.

Xena remembered tracking the vampiir once they left harassing the village and had gotten as far as the rocky terrain to the east and then lost the tracks but still heard the vampires calling and hunting. The warrior next remembered resting among the rocks, feeling tired and weak.

Xena grinned at the sight of Gabrielle sitting next to Otere at the food hall. She didn't have long before the vampiir would return and she wanted a couple of minutes with her mate.

Gabrielle caught Xena's smile and grinned in return. The bard leaned her head on Xena's shoulder as the warrior sat down next to her on the bench.

"I have an idea," the warrior stated as she reached for a mug of ale sitting on the table.

"I'd welcome most any idea about anything," Otere stated, her voice reflecting her weariness.

"These creatures hate fire, how about setting up archers on the roof and around the food hall and shoot fire arrows at anything that moves," Xena suggested. "Might keep them away from the hall and let everyone get some sleep."

"That might work, one archer and one warrior with an axe or sword to protect both of them if the vampires get past the arrows," Otere said thoughtfully and quickly rose to set it up for the next night.

Gabrielle sighed, "I don't know how they've managed to get through all these nights, I almost went crazy after only one night."

"I know, I heard them while I was in the trees," the warrior commented, wrapping an arm around her bard. "I've got to go soon."

"I know. Did you get close?" the bard asked.

"Maybe, I'm going to circle around and wait for them where I lost them last night and see if I can track them further this time," Xena answered, "Maybe even back to their lair after the sun rises."

"Just be careful, okay?"

"You bet, little one," the warrior grinned.

Gabrielle rubbed her eyes as dawn finally made its appearance in the sky and the vampires were gone along with their screeching and howling. The bard looked around the food hall and wasn't surprised to see everyone was frazzled almost to the breaking point.

She had only been with them four days and nights now; they had been going through this for over a month.

The bard walked up to Eponin and smiled at her Regent.

"Gods, Gabrielle," Pony grimaced as she stood up. "How in Tartarus can you stand that night after night? I thought it was bad on the road when we were getting those supplies."

"I'm glad you're back," Gabrielle said simply. "It's not fun but we don't have any choice. Have you seen Queen Otere?"

"She was over by the north end fire pit, last I saw her," Pony smiled.

"Did you get a good stock of supplies?"

"Yes, they were more than willing to do business since the other two villages haven't been around to trade," Pony lost her smile. "We didn't tell them why the villagers wouldn't be needing supplies from them."

"Probably best, they might panic," the bard agreed. "The vampires haven't hit that far?"

"No, not a sign of them outside a day's range," the Amazon weapons-master answered.

"That means they're staying local and their lair is nearby," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Then why hasn't Xena been able to find it?"

"Good question," the bard muttered and moved off to find Otere.

The bard found Otere asleep on a bench near the fire and lightly shook the other Queen awake. Otere rubbed her eyes and sat up blinking, trying to focus her eyes and mind together.

"Sorry to wake you but I need some help," Gabrielle stated as she sat down on the bench next to the other Amazon. "Take me to the sacred grove," she said softly.

"We can't go there, only Yakut can enter the grove," Otere hissed back softly.

"Yakut's not here and Xena is exhausted," Gabrielle reasoned.

Otere frowned and then nodded. "Meet you in the sauna in a quarter mark."

The bard nodded and went to the hut assigned to Xena, Sasha and Gabrielle and frowned as she realized that Xena wasn't back yet. It seemed to take longer and longer each day past dawn for the exhausted warrior to return. Xena wouldn't say much but would just shake her head that she hadn't found the vampire's lair and then crawl into bed.

Gabrielle narrowed her eyes and grabbed some clean clothes.

Gabrielle had been in a trance for more than a half candle-mark and Otere had been keeping the steady beat on a shamans' drum. Offerings of fresh flowers and spring water stood on the stone that acted as an altar in the small clearing in the forest.

Otere had been in the clearing before with Yakut and always the shaman had lead the small group of Amazons in their workings, now she and Gabrielle were working

from memory, instinct, and luck.

The Amazon Queen of the North closed her eyes and kept drumming and chanting lightly, not wanting to lose her concentration. She had seen the movement of

trees but didn't want to drop the beat and break Gabrielle's concentration.

The bard kept her eyes closed as she swayed and chanted, even when she felt the light touch on her hair and then on her arm. She was attempting to contact nature spirits and they could be startled easily, at least she knew the Greek ones could.

Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly and smiled gently at the figure in front of her, the bard's face showing no surprise even though inside her heart was pounding wildly.

The figure was a young girl squatting in front of the bard and lightly touching her clothes and hair with an air of curiosity. The figure had green skin with patches that shifted depending on whatever background she was against, like a lizard. Her hair was wild and standing in every direction, black and filled with leaves and twigs and her eyes were brown and cat shaped. Gabrielle took in the fact that the girl's loin-cloth seemed to be made of moss and she wore nothing else.

Gabrielle saw movement to her left and shifted her eyes only slightly and saw a man emerge from the trunk of a tree. At least that's what it looked like. It appeared that his skin was bark, then shifted to leaves and then grasses as he approached the bard and

squatted down next to the girl. The bard kept her smile simple, honest and open. With the little training she had from Xena and Yakut, she knew to keep her thoughts open and calm and to show no fear.

The man had a dark beard, his reddish hair under a hat of fir tree branches and a long cloak and loin-cloth made of moss. His skin was the same basic green as the girl's.

Then another movement caught the bard's eyes and two more figures came into sight. A woman about the man's age and a teenage boy.

Gabrielle knew the Family deities of the Forest had answered her call. Now the question would be whether they would listen and then if they would help.

"I am Tapio, my wife Mielikki, daughter Tuulikki and son Nyrrikki," Tapio stated. "You have honored us with offerings of sweet scent and pure water, stranger to the north."

"And you honor me with your names, great Tapio," Gabrielle responded. The bard knew that the deities, even minor ones, could be very protective of their names. Many of them thought that a person's very name contained power and it could be caught and used by someone else.

The man grinned and sat down cross-legged in front of the bard and the rest of the family followed.

"You are not the usual human that approaches us," he stated.

"No, she has disappeared after the dark women came to the land," Gabrielle responded.

"Yes, the upirs," the woman, Mielikki, stated. "They hurt the land. They drive away the game and upset the balance of the land and nature."

"Yes, great Mielikki," Gabrielle agreed.

"These umpir are not natural," Tuulikki added. "The origin of their strain is not of the natural order."

"Can you explain a little more clearly, young one?" Gabrielle asked.

"Umpirs are natural creatures, part of the darkness that must balance the light," Mielikki answered for her daughter. "These creatures came into being because of evil, not because of nature."

"They are killing my people, can you help me in stopping them?" the bard questioned.

"Yes, we considered your request before showing ourselves," Tapio answered. From his cloak he pulled a sack and placed it in front of the bard. "Take those, they have been blessed by us and are of holy wood of the Ash, Hawthorne and other trees. Put it

through the creatures' hearts and break the spine, it ends their lives."

"Do they all have to die?" Gabrielle asked with a sinking feeling, almost all of the vampires were Amazons who had been turned.

"No, but there isn't one strong enough to assume leadership and turn them from the dark path of murder," Mielikki commented. "One must be of the blood and only one can lead."

"They have a leader?" the bard asked with furrowed brows.

"Yes, the one who called on the dark side for power over her Amazon tribe. She gladly took on this darkness and spread it among your people," Tuulikki answered.

"Oh sweet Artemis, Mattita," Gabrielle muttered. It answered a lot of questions, including why the main target of the vampires were the Amazons. The power mad Law Speaker had brought this plague of evil down on her sisters voluntarily.

The bard raised her head and looked into the cat like eyes of the forest family. "What do you mean, of the blood?"

"One touched by the darkness, one who needs blood," Tuulikki explained. "But none of the upir can stand against the leader, she is the first of the strain and the strongest."

"If someone were a upir or vampire but not from Mattita's fangs, they could challenge her?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes," Tapio answered.

"You have helped me, gracious spirit," the bard continued. "How may I repay you?"

Gabrielle held her breath, this was the tricky part. Lower deities could be quite mischievous and their price could be anything from wanting Gabrielle to stand on her head and singing to offering her life to them.

The forest gods were quiet for a moment and seemed to be sharing their thoughts with each other. Then Tapio smiled.

"We agree," he stated simply. "Restoring the balance to the woods is enough for now. A future price will be asked later. It won't require anyone being hurt, agreed?"

Gabrielle knew that she really didn't have a choice, if she refused, they'd probably take back the weapons and kill her and maybe even Otere.

"I agree," Gabrielle agreed simply.

With a smile each disappeared back into the trees. The bard waited a moment and then stretched.

"Okay, Otere," she said softly and the drumming beside her slowed and then stopped.

The Northern Amazon Queen slowly opened her eyes and looked over at the Southern Amazon Queen.

"You intend to take on Mattita in a challenge?" she whispered.

"We don't have a choice," Gabrielle stated simply. "They are like bacchae and can fly short distances, we'll never track them."

"Then what has Xena being doing these nights?" Otere frowned.

"Being bitten," the bard said bitterly.

"Xena? Wouldn't she have said something?" Otere protested.

"The victims don't know it," the bard explained as she stood up and stretched. "She's getting weaker, she's gone longer each night and she can't remember most of the night."

"Gabrielle," Otere said softly but the bard shook off the Amazon's sympathy.

"We will kill Mattita and get Xena back," Gabrielle said firmly.

Otere stood up and started following the bard, the confusion evident on the young Queen's face. The bard hadn't explained how they were going to do that.

The warrior tried to focus as she sat up, something told her that it was close to dark and she needed to get moving. Stumbling back onto the sleeping fur, she frowned deeply. She felt as weak as a newborn puppy and she was puzzled how she had gotten this way. Xena knew that she couldn't get sick but she sure felt like it. She remembered tracking the vampires and then nothing.

Xena groaned, it felt like her boots had weights in them and her arms were mush.

The warrior tried a small smile as Gabrielle and Otere entered the hut but then something about her mate's body language took Xena's smile away and suddenly made her cautious.

"Going out again tonight?" Gabrielle questioned, standing near the door and not moving forward and hugging Xena as she normally would.

Xena's eyes narrowed slightly. "Yeah, only option I can think of to stop these things."

"How can you track them when they can fly short distances and one of them is feeding on you every night?" Gabrielle demanded, her green eyes beginning to flash.

Xena felt her ears roaring and she sat heavily back onto the sleeping furs. She wanted to deny it; to demand what in Tartarus Gabrielle was talking about but something was tripping up her tongue. The warrior looked up at her mate with a confused expression.

"Try and think through the fog, Xena," Gabrielle insisted. "The best tracker in the known world can't track something close by? The vampires aren't attacking outside of a one-night travel range and you can't find them?"

Xena looked down at her boots.

"Remove your bandage, Xena," Gabrielle said softly.

"What?" the warrior questioned with a grimace.

"Those gashes were deep but not that deep and with your rapid healing those should have been healed by now. Why the bandage?" Gabrielle pressed, her voice becoming harsh with tenseness. "Is that to cover the bite marks?"

Xena felt her hands beginning to shake. Everything her mate was saying made sense but she still couldn't remember anything about the vampires, especially being bitten. What if Gabrielle was right and she was being bitten every night and controlled by the creatures?

When Xena looked up at the two Amazon Queens her blue eyes were scared and filled with tears.

"Gabrielle…." She began softly.

"No, Xena," Gabrielle shook her head angrily. "I know they've messed with your mind but I can't believe that much. You need someone else's fangs now?"

The warrior felt her heart sinking and her fists clenching. She gritted her teeth in rage and she wanted to howl in despair.

"What would you do if we tried to lock you up with Svetlana?" Gabrielle asked.

Without thinking Xena grabbed the chakram from her belt.

Gabrielle didn't look surprised but merely nodded.

"Go, Xena, just go," Gabrielle said sadly and moved away from the door. Otere followed her example and moved aside.

With a cry not unlike a wounded animal, Xena cried out and grabbed her cloak. The warrior dashed through the door and disappeared into the twilight.

The bard closed the door softly.

"Gabrielle?" Otere said softly. "You didn't mean all of that, did you?"

"No," the bard admitted, tears filling her green eyes. "But Xena's now distraught, she'll go straight to the vampire lair and we can track her."

"May the gods prove you right," Otere said softly and took the Southern Amazon Queen into her arms as Gabrielle broke down crying.

It took the combined efforts of Hallvor's keen senses and the best scout the Amazons had to track the warrior when the sun came up but they finally managed a candle-mark before sunset.

Gabrielle, Otere and several Amazon scouts looked down over the small cliff, down into a clearing that led into a cave. They all frowned at the sight of three Amazons and two men obviously guarding the place.

Hallvor's sharp eyes pointed out the bite marks on their necks.

"Then the vampires are controlling them, like they tried with Svetlana," Otere frowned.

"Yes, and they'll fight to protect them while they sleep," Hallvor agreed.

"I don't see Xena among them," Gabrielle frowned.

"She's probably inside, either already turned or sleeping after the feeding," Hallvor commented bluntly, ignoring Otere's glare and Gabrielle's pained eyes.

"Then we take out the guards, go inside, rescue Xena and torch the place," one of the scouts said simply.

Gabrielle and Otere looked at the sky and then each other. Otere shook her head, echoing the bard's thoughts.

"We don't have time," Gabrielle commented. "We'll be caught inside before we could kill all of them, even with fire."

"Then what do we do? We'll be caught in the open before we can get back to the village," the scout questioned.

"The only thing an Amazon can do," Gabrielle said cryptically.

"I wish you could think of another way," Otere complained.

"So do I," the bard agreed.

Otere turned to Hallvor and the scouts. "I want Hallvor to lead you back to the river, cross over and wait on the other side. Build a fire ring to protect yourselves from any vampires. Hopefully, they'll be too busy with us."

"With you?" Hallvor demanded but Otere continued, ignoring the Viking Amazon.

"If we don't come back shortly after dawn, return here, kill all the vampires and any victim too far gone to be saved. Decapitate them and burn the bodies," Otere ordered. "Burn out the cave."

"Yes, my Queen," the lead scout agreed.

"Gabrielle, I'm not letting you go in there alone," Hallvor protested. "Xena would kill me and so would Pony."

"Otere is going in with me to stand as my sister and witness," the bard responded.

"Witness?" Hallvor questioned.

"Just do it, Hallvor," the bard insisted. "The vampires will sense you, the wolf inside. Take care of the scouts."

"Yes, my Queen," Hallvor responded and led the scouts back the way they had come.

Otere turned to Gabrielle. "Are you sure about this?"

"If we wait until dawn to attack them, Xena will be dead," Gabrielle said simply.

"She might be dead already," Otere said softly.

"No," the bard frowned. "I would know if she were dead. Let's do this."

The two Amazon Queens moved down the hill, over the rocks and around the barren trees and approached the clearing in the open, walking confidently over the light snow.

They weren't surprised when the guards scrambled to rush at them with weapons drawn, moving slowly and stumbling over each other. Gabrielle and Otere noticed the dazed look in the eyes of the men and women approaching them.

Both Queens raised their hands and maintained their confident stances.

"I am Gabrielle, Queen of the Southern Amazons and I claim right of challenge to your Vampire Queen Mattita," Gabrielle said firmly.

Xena opened her eyes slowly and groaned as her muscles protested even the thought of moving. Input from her senses started telling that she wasn't in the hut with Gabrielle.

Fragments of leaving Gabrielle started flashing across Xena's mind and she sat up with a moan. She frowned and tried to focus. In her immediate sight was the chains on her wrists leading to a large iron ring imbedded in the stone wall; beyond that was a cave. The warrior growled at the sight of several Amazons also chained to the walls around the large cave as well as a couple of men, survivors from the vampire attacks on the nearby villages. One of them was Yakut and she seemed unconscious.

Xena felt a chill run down her spine as vampires began to enter the cave from a darkened back area. The warrior felt a growl escape her throat as she recognized Mattita, the former Law Speaker of the Northern Amazons.

Mattita laughed around her fangs as Xena moved back as close to the cold stone wall as she could as the Vampire Queen approached her.

"Beginning to remember, Xena?"

The memories hit the warrior like a tidal wave. The night of the fight in the forest and one of the vampires sinking her fangs into Xena's neck. It was only for a moment but apparently enough to erase her memory of it and to render her helpless against them. The following nights of attempting to track the vampires only to fall to Mattita's fangs before dawn each time.

Xena's body shook with the memory of the fangs entering her neck and the eroticism that accompanied the bite. The warrior fought back the urge to be sick at the memory of Mattita's touch and bite.

"Gabrielle, I'm sorry," the warrior whispered. Now she knew how Gabrielle could have been bitten by bacchae and not remember it and how she was helpless against the call of Bacchus.

"Don't worry about it, Xena," Mattita laughed. "You'll join us and then you can turn her. Won't that be my ultimate revenge against you? You'll either turn her or she'll kill you."

Xena growled and then whimpered slightly as the Vampire Queen bent towards her neck, fangs extending even longer.

"Mattita!" a shout stopped the vampire and caused both the vampire and Xena's heads to snap around towards the front of the cave.

Standing in front of several of the guards was Gabrielle and Otere. The Southern Amazon's green eyes were flashing angrily.

"Ah, Gabrielle," Mattita purred and turned away from Xena to face the bard. "Perfect! You can watch me feed from Xena again and turn her into one of us; then she can turn you."

"I challenge you to the right of Queenship over the vampires," the bard said firmly, ignoring the vampire's taunts.

"Nice try, human," Mattita grinned. "You can only lead vampires if you are a vampire."

The Amazon Vampire turned towards the Warrior Princess again.

"Mattita! I challenge you for right of Queenship," Gabrielle shouted again.

Xena couldn't help but grin slightly at the astonished face of the vampire when she looked back at the bard.

Gabrielle now had yellow eyes rimmed in red and her fangs were prominent and flashing.

"I am a vampire and have been one longer than you, Mattita," Gabrielle growled. "I challenge you."

Mattita's brown eyes flashed angrily and she clenched her fists tightly. "You can't be vampire!" she protested. "You walk in the sun and don't drink blood!"

"But I am and that just shows that I'm stronger than you," Gabrielle smiled, her yellow eyes dancing. "I do drink blood, animal and human. I just don't kill humans for it."

"Then you are weak, not strong," Mattita grinned and ran a long claw-like fingernail across Xena's chest, leaving a red streak beginning to well up with blood. Gabrielle resisted licking her lips at the sight of blood, especially Xena's blood.

"You cannot refuse the challenge, Queen Mattita," one of the Amazon vampires stated.

"I accept, battle to the death," Mattita growled. "Now."

"Excellent," Gabrielle grinned a grim smile that worried Otere. The Northern Amazon Queen found it disturbing when she glanced at the bard to see the yellow eyes and fangs. "You have choice of weapons."

"I don't need weapons but you can have your choice," Mattita smirked.

"I'll take my sais," Gabrielle pulled the weapons into her hands, the handles in her hands and the long prongs along the inside of her arms.

"Gabrielle! No!" Xena yelled, suddenly struggling against her chains. "Your sais can't hurt her!"

"I'm comfortable with these," the bard said in a stubborn voice.

"Good, then both Amazon queens can fall to my fangs in one night!" Mattita growled and then screamed as she launched herself across the small space, straight for the bard.

Gabrielle rolled over backwards, letting Mattita fly right over her. The bard snapped her arm up and smashed the blunt end of her sai against Mattita's jaw. Gabrielle flipped up to her feet and bared her teeth as Mattita landed and spun to face her.

The bard quickly discovered that, while she may have been vampiric longer, Mattita had more experience at using the vampiric abilities. Gabrielle was only part bacchae and without the power of flight.

Mattita again launched herself with her claws extended.

Xena struggled against her chains, she always hated feeling helpless and this was the worst. She had let Gabrielle and the Amazons down and now Gabrielle was fighting for all their lives and Xena couldn't help. She screamed in frustration.

Gabrielle twisted to one side but not enough and hissed as Mattita's claws raked across her ribs. In turn the bard brought down her elbow hard into the small of Mattita's back as the vampire passed her, causing the Vampire Queen to smash into the stone floor. The bard attempted to jump onto Mattita's back but the Northern Amazon was faster and flipped over, catching Gabrielle's wrists with her hands. Gabrielle screamed in anger as Mattita flipped her over, the bard landing hard on the stone.

Both Amazons leaped to the feet but Mattita was faster and flipped over Gabrielle and grabbed the bard from behind.

Both Otere and Xena screamed as Mattita sank her fangs into Gabrielle's neck.

"No! Gabrielle!" Xena felt her wrists becoming bloody from fighting against the chains and struggled even harder.

"Gabrielle, now!" Otere shouted.

The bard's head began to drop forward but she seemed to struggle. Gabrielle felt her body giving over and shouted at herself. She felt an answering growl and she lifted both hands up with her sais and thrust them backwards.

Mattita released her hold on the bard and Gabrielle dropped forward onto her knees. After a moment she turned and looked at the Vampire Queen as Mattita struggled to comprehend the wooden objects sticking out of her ribs.

"Something you didn't know about vampires, Mattita," Gabrielle said as she stood up, unsteady on her feet. "Your strain of vampirism isn't natural and can be destroyed by natural wood. These were made for me by the spirits of the forest."

The bard walked up to the Vampire Queen as Mattita fell to her knees, still trying to remove the sais. Gabrielle grabbed one of them and yanked it out roughly, sending Mattita falling backwards onto the floor. The Vampire Queen screamed as the bard grabbed her wrist and bit into it.

"Gabrielle!" Xena screamed in horror as the bard drank for a moment from the other vampire. Then Gabrielle shifted on her heels and thrust the wooden sai into the vampire's chest, through the heart and breaking the spine.

Mattita managed to scream once before turning to dust under the bard.

The bard hesitated a moment, trying to absorb the fact that part of the nightmare was over.

Gabrielle grabbed up the sais and turned to face the other vampires, her eyes still yellow and fangs plainly showing.

Xena resisted the urge to whimper at the sight of her beloved mate. Gabrielle didn't only have upper fangs as usual; this time she had the full set of Bacchae teeth, including two sets of lower fangs. The bard had let her full Bacchae blood come to the surface and Xena felt a twinge of fear and worry. She had never seen Gabrielle go this far before.

"Queen Gabrielle has defeated Mattita and is now your Queen," Otere shouted.

The female vampires looked confused and then one of them went to a bended knee and the others followed.

"As your Queen," Gabrielle began firmly, "I order you to release the prisoners and your mental control over the guards."

"But who will we feed on and who will guard us during the day?" one of the vampires protested.

"There is a peaceful way of doing things," Gabrielle's voice softened. "Trust me and release them."

Two of the vampires rushed to obey their new Queen as Otere joined them, releasing the handful of prisoners, including Yakut and Xena. The warrior moved over to her bard slowly, as if gauging her and possibly seeing her in a new light as Otere rushed to take Yakut into her arms.

"Gabrielle?"

The bard's face softened and she touched the warrior's arm lovingly and Xena felt a surge of relief.

"I'm sorry about earlier," Gabrielle said softly. "We needed to follow you."

"We'll talk about it later, okay? Why did you drink Mattita's blood?"

"A gesture of victory and supremacy. Unfortunately it was the only way I could think of right at that moment to show the other vampires their queen was truly defeated by another vampire," Gabrielle stated, unable to meet her mates' eyes.

"It's okay, I understand," Xena said softly. "What are you going to do with the vampires?" the warrior questioned and they both looked over at Otere tending Yakut.

"I have plans for them and no one gets hurt," Gabrielle smiled. "Take Yakut and the others to the river, the Amazons are waiting for you."

Xena frowned and looked down at her mate. "What about you?"

"I need to stay with them for a little bit," Gabrielle tried smiling a reassuring smile. "I will meet you back at the Village tomorrow night, in the common ground. If things go right some of the vampires will be with me."

"And if they don't go right?" Xena whispered.

"Then come back during the day and burn them out," the bard said simply.

Xena bit back any protests she might have. She knew either her mate would succeed or would die trying with whatever she had in mind. The warrior also knew arguing with her wife would be useless.

"I'm sorry about Mattita," Xena said softly and was relieved when Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her.

"I didn't mean what I said last night," Gabrielle responded softly. "I knew you weren't aware of what was happening. I love you, Xena."

"I love you, Little One," the warrior whispered.

"Take Yakut and the others and go, please."

"Don't you dare leave me, Gabrielle," Xena growled and quickly turned away and went over to help Otere pick up Yakut.

As the one time food source for the vampires hurried out of the cave, Gabrielle turned to her new Amazons, vampire Amazons.

The new Queen of the Vampires was trying not to show how nervous she was.

Xena was unapproachable the entire next day as she sharpened her sword, paced the common grounds and talked with Sasha, trying to reassure the child when the warrior wasn't too sure herself if Gabrielle was coming back.

The only one that managed to talk to the warrior was Otere and just long enough to tell Xena that Yakut and the others were recovering and awake. If they weren't bitten again they would be fine, Xena included.

The warrior nodded and continued sharpening her sword.

Xena had let Otere explain to the other Amazons what had happened in the cave with the vampires. She also left it to Otere to explain how Gabrielle was a vampire but not a vampire.

The warrior again cursed her weakness for giving into the vampire Mattita and for letting Gabrielle try whatever it was she was doing without her. She must have been insane to leave Gabrielle!

The warrior did manage to smile when Otere stepped out of the food hall with Yakut leaning on the Queen's arm for support. They approached the warrior slowly, Yakut blinking against the winter sun and still very weak.

"It'll be dark soon," Otere commented.

"Yes, how are you doing, Yakut?"

"Tired, but okay," the shaman responded. "We need to talk about Mattita."

"After Gabrielle gets back," Xena insisted.

"Of course," Yakut smiled.

"That's why Mattita took you immediately, you knew how to stop them," Xena realized.

"Yes, and I know the cause of Mattita's seduction into the darkness," Yakut stated.

"Gods, I hope Gabrielle has figured some of this out," Otere complained.

"I think she's figured out some of it but not all of it," Xena commented.

"They'll be here soon, come inside, Xena," Yakut urged.

"Alright," Xena frowned and looked at the sun just setting down behind the trees. The warrior growled as they closed the doors, she hated not knowing if Gabrielle was alright or not.

The Amazons settled into an uneasy wait. They had no idea what to expect that night. Everyone knew Gabrielle was attempting something with the vampires and most didn't understand how the bard could be part vampire and part human and now Queen of the Vampire Amazons.

Xena knew a lot of them weren't sure whether they could trust the Southern Amazon or not.

It was two candle-marks before Gabrielle's voice sent the warrior flying for the door but discovered Otere blocking her way. The warrior's eyes narrowed and Otere hoped that this wasn't her last moment as she held the warrior back.

"Wait a moment, Xena," she urged, "Don't rush into a possible trap."

Xena growled but nodded and drew her chakram. Otere opened the door slowly and they looked out onto the common ground of the village. Torches had been placed around the village for light and protection and the bard was spotted easily with several of the vampire Amazons behind her.

Gabrielle held up the wooden sais and grinned at her mate.

"I'm fine, everyone," she called. "I ask for a meeting of the Elder Council."

Xena and the remaining leaders of the Northern Amazons slowly left the food hall and approached the bard and the vampires.

Xena and Svetlana's eyes constantly danced around, watchful of any figures that might come out of the dark. The warrior heard Svetlana gasp slightly and looked over at the Amazon Scout Captain. Svetlana's face was pained and Xena saw one of the vampires step forward slightly and then hesitate.

The Warrior Princess wanted to grab the bard up in her arms, especially now that Xena was thinking a little more clearly. She almost shook her head, wondering how in Tartarus she would have ever agreed to leave the bard in a den of vampires alone for a night and a day. Xena held back, letting Gabrielle control the situation.

Gabrielle felt a twinge of regret as the Northern Amazons approached cautiously, watching her carefully as well as the vampires. The bard could see in their eyes that they knew she was somewhat like the vampires who had been preying on them.

"Did Otere explain what happened between myself and Mattita?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yes, that you challenged her for rank of Queen and could do so because you're some kind of vampiir," one of the Elders stated.

Xena growled but Gabrielle merely nodded, "Yes, it's true. I am partly what we call Bacchae, a type of Greek vampire. I have been for many years now."

"So Alti just brought out the demon in you?" another one demanded and Xena's growl was audible to everyone.

"It's alright, Xena," Gabrielle said, holding up her hand. "I am not possessed by demons but I do understand your fears, especially after what you've been through."

"Otere said that you could end this nightmare," Treje stated.

"I am now Queen of the Amazons who have become vampires and they will obey me. I have issued several commands that will end the nightmare for both sides," Gabrielle stated.

"Then, Queen Gabrielle," Otere stated formally. "I welcome you to our fires, let's discuss this."

The other Elders nodded and Gabrielle bowed slightly to Otere. Everyone then moved to sit around the main fire, the vampires sitting slightly behind Gabrielle and staring at their former sisters across the flames. Xena sitting next to her mate and Queen.

"The male slaves have been released and given a wagon, they're heading for the nearest village. To end this between Amazons I propose that the two types work together," the bard began.

"How can we work together when they prey on us?" Danja, an Elder demanded.

"That will end," Gabrielle promised. "By working together, both groups will benefit. I have ordered most of the vampires to scatter throughout the land, dispersing their impact on nature. Vampires will no longer kill humans for their blood and will only take blood from willing humans."

"The vampires who leave the area, they'll obey this order?" Treja asked.

"They were originally Amazons of your tribe, they'll obey," Gabrielle reassured them.

"What else? You said working together," Otere questioned.

"The remaining vampires will work with the tribe as nightly protectors, in turn you give them the blood from the animals you hunt and slaughter," the bard explained.

"You're asking us to house them and feed them?" Yakut demanded.

"Yes, in turn they will protect you," Gabrielle proposed.

"How many?" Otere asked.

"As many or as few as you wish, the others will leave the area and those that remain will obey you as their Queen," the bard explained.

"What about turning others into vampires?" Yakut demanded, her voice tense.

Gabrielle understood the Shaman's anger. She had been one of those that the vampires had been feeding on for quite awhile, an existence of terror for anyone.

"Only those who consent and with the approval of the Queen, either Otere or myself," Gabrielle stated.

"And if we don't agree?" Yakut asked.

"Then the vampires will scatter and those who wanted to stay with their sisters or mates will be separated," Gabrielle stated.

"You talk like they have feelings," Setka, a Scout leader snapped.

"We do," one of the vampires surprised everyone by speaking. She had once been a young Amazon scout who had been one of the first to fall to Mattita's fangs. "Mattita had us acting like predators, like wolves. Truth is that after the first few nights the hunger lessens and we begin remembering. We remember our families too."

Xena glanced over, she could feel the longing from Svetlana for her mate, a mate who was now a vampire and saw the same emotions on the young vampire's face.

"I suggest that we put this to the entire tribe," Otere commented.

The Elders and other Amazons present nodded in agreement.

"We will return with the tribe's answer in two candle-marks," Otere stated to Gabrielle.

"Thank you, Queen Otere," Gabrielle said simply and watched as the Amazons headed back into the food hall.

Gabrielle tried to ignore the hostile looks from several of the Elders as they passed her and the vampires. It wouldn't be easy to get past the fear they had been feeling for endless days and nights.

As the door closed the bard turned and hugged her mate tightly.

"Gods, I missed you, Xena," the bard whispered in the warrior's ear.

"Back at you, little one," the warrior grinned and held the bard close. "I don't know why I let you stay last night, I must have still been out of my head."

"I know," Gabrielle grinned, glancing over to keep an eye on the vampires.

"This has got to be one of the craziest ideas you've come up with, Gabrielle," Xena commented, also keeping an eye on the vampires.

"I know but it seems to fit," the bard shrugged with a grin.

One of vampires approached the couple and bent on one knee. "Queen Gabrielle, one of the scouts reports that they have brought down two deer, there's enough blood for everyone."

"Excellent, Ke," the bard responded. "Go ahead before the tribe returns. Feeding should take place away from the day tribe, it will make them uncomfortable to see it."

"Yes, my Queen," the vampire Amazon scurried away to follow her new Queen's instructions.

Gabrielle looked at Xena's amused expression. "What?" she asked.

"You're quite the leader, my bard," Xena commented and grinned when Gabrielle began blushing.

"A very tired and relieved leader," Gabrielle muttered and leaned into Xena's arms.

"Relieved?"

"You're alive and aren't about to turn into a vampire, I may have found a way to end this mess, and we can probably still get out of here before we're snowed in."

"Don't want to stay the winter?" Xena questioned.

"You saw how they looked at me, Xena," Gabrielle stated sadly. "They'll think of me differently now."

"They'll adapt, it's not like you're a full vampire," Xena encouraged. "It'll take time to adapt to having Amazon vampires around."

"It will take months for that to happen. I want to take Hallvor and Eponin to the Black Forest and go home," Gabrielle said simply.

"Alright, we can still get through with a sled and a good team of horses," Xena smiled.

Feeling safe and secure in her warrior's arms the bard closed her eyes while they waited. The sounds of shouting inside kept everyone outside on edge.

Gabrielle snuggled into Xena's arms closer to the fire, the other vampires didn't need to warm their bodies but the bard was still mostly human and felt the cold just as much as Xena did. She also needed the comfort of her mate's arms. The bard had been afraid of how Xena would see her after the fight with Mattita and she knew Xena was afraid of how Gabrielle would respond to her after being bitten by Mattita.

Both were feeling insecure. Both sighed contently when it was enough to snuggle together, words unnecessary. The fears fading away as they held each other.

Exactly two candle-marks later the Elders and some of the others came out of the hall. Gabrielle sat up as the Amazons sat down in their previous spots and the vampires gathering behind their new Queen once again.

Several of them looked unhappy but some looked curious about the vampires that were once their sisters and might be again.

"Queen Gabrielle," Otere began, "After much discussion, it has been decided to accept your proposal for peace and cooperation between the vampires and the Amazons."

Gabrielle was visibly relieved. "Thank you, Queen Otere," she said softly, "Then balance can be restored to the surrounding land and there will be peace between sisters."

"This won't be easy," Otere cautioned. "There was a lot of terror and pain, accepting them into our lives will be difficult."

"I understand and so do most of them," Gabrielle responded. "They're willing to work at gaining your trust and most are anxious to talk to their families and mates."

Otere frowned. "For so long that meant seducing their mates into becoming vampires, can we trust their motives now?" she demanded and Gabrielle winced at the sound of uneasy agreement from several Elders.

"I suggest that the meetings take place in the village commons, within sight of everyone," Gabrielle offered. "It will take time, we understand that."

Xena wasn't sure how she felt about the use of the word "we" when Gabrielle used it to describe the vampires. It made the warrior uncomfortable that the bard easily seemed to include herself among the vampires who had been terrorizing the Amazons.

"It isn't finished, Gabrielle," Yakut spoke harshly. "You were told by the forest spirits that Mattita was exposed to evil. That evil still exists."

Gabrielle frowned and she felt Xena stiffen beside her.

"You know what it is?"

"Mattita worked dark magic and contacted the spirit world, she gave herself up willingly," Yakut answered. "A vampire spirit turned her spirit into a vampire and a shaman's magic carried it over into her body in this realm."

"Spirit realm?" Xena repeated softly. "Shaman?"

"Oh not again!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "Alti?"

"Yes," Yakut nodded.

"Damn!" Xena said simply.


	22. 22 Blood Darkness

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** Alti, Xena, vampires and Amazons. R rating for violence and sex. Torture, vampires, and non-consensual sex of a major character. Hurt and comfort alert. This one can get a little rough.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Xena and Gabrielle, with the Northern Amazons, must face Alti, Spirit vampires and a major surprise appearance by an enemy of Gabrielle's.

* * *

"Queen Gabrielle," Otere began, "After much discussion, it has been decided to accept your proposal for peace and cooperation between the vampires and the Amazons."

Gabrielle was visibly relieved. "Thank you, Queen Otere," she said softly, "Then balance can be restored to the surrounding land and there will be peace between sisters."

"It isn't finished, Gabrielle," Yakut spoke harshly. "You were told by the forest spirits that Mattita was exposed to evil. That evil still exists."

Gabrielle frowned and she felt Xena stiffen beside her.

"You know what it is?"

"Mattita worked dark magic and contacted the spirit world, she gave herself up willingly," Yakut answered. "A vampire spirit turned her spirit into a vampire and a shaman's magic carried it over into her body in this realm."

"Spirit realm?" Xena repeated softly. "Shaman?"

"Oh not again!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "Alti?"

"Yes," Yakut nodded.

"Damn!" Xena said simply.

Xena was surprised to find Gabrielle pacing inside the practice hut. The bard was obviously upset.

It was the middle of the night and freezing outside. Xena had been concerned when she woke up and found her mate missing, especially when Gabrielle didn't return after a few minutes. Xena's stalking abilities hadn't been necessary to follow the bard's footsteps in the snow leading towards the practice hall.

It had been a difficult time for everyone. Answering the psychic call for help from Yakut had led Xena, Gabrielle, Sasha, Hallvor and Eponin to the Northern Amazons. Once near the village they had been attacked by vampires, Amazons who had been attacked.

It had taken time to defeat these turned Amazons and almost at the cost of Xena being turned into an umpiir herself. Gabrielle had finally ended the worst of the nightmare when she challenged Vampire Queen Matitta to the right of leadership over the vampires and won.

Now they were facing the source of that evil again. Alti, the dark shaman from Xena's past.

"Gabrielle?" the warrior said softly.

The bard turned to face her mate and Xena was even more surprised to see that Gabrielle's eyes were red and fighting back tears.

"What is it, Little One?" Xena asked softly as the bard accepted her strong arms in an embrace.

"I don't know if I can face Alti again," Gabrielle admitted.

"I can understand that," Xena agreed. "I'm not looking forward to taking her on again."

"How do we do this? Last time I fought her spirit and you killed her body," Gabrielle asked as Xena led her to one of the benches lining the walls.

"As usual, I guess," the warrior shrugged. "Go into the spirit realm, keep her off balance and kill her spirit."

"You haven't figured it out, have you?" the bard pulled back from Xena's arms and the warrior frowned.

"Figured out what?"

"I think Yakut has figured it out but hasn't said anything yet," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"What about? Alti?" the warrior demanded.

"The vampire spirit that Alti sent to Matitta to turn her into a vampire and spread it to the Amazons," the bard answered and watched Xena's frown deepen as the warrior thought about the renegade Amazon.

Matitta had been the Law Speaker for the tribe and wanted to be Queen and resisted when the young Otere had been named successor to Queen Arja and had fought against Gabrielle being accepted into the tribe.

Gabrielle remembered the battle with Alti very well; she still had nightmares of Alti bringing the bard's Bacchae curse to full power. Gabrielle couldn't fight against the full Bacchae curse, just like before when she had bitten Xena. To save her, Queen Arja had willingly given herself to Gabrielle's fangs and Matitta had protested this was enough to keep Gabrielle out of the tribe.

All doubts had been put to rest when Arja's spirit appeared at Gabrielle's initiation and declared the bard an Amazon worthy to be adopted into the tribe.

The problems hadn't ended then with Matitta, however. Xena's son Solan had fallen in love with one of his Amazon guards. Matitta had demanded they be banished into the ice and snow for breaking the courtship rules. The Greeks learned that Matitta wanted Solan and his mate, Matitta's own daughter, to die in the snow and the adult Greeks, Xena and Gabrielle with them.

The Law Speaker wanted Xena's daughter Sasha to stay with the Northern Amazons because she had learned Sasha was the daughter of Ares and Xena and would probably have god powers.

The Greeks and Reija had fled into the snow one night and had nearly died from Amazon arrows and the cold.

Gabrielle could tell Xena was remembering the same thing. Then the warrior's eyes widened and she looked at her mate, eyes questioning.

"The vampire couldn't be Arja," Xena protested. "She appeared at your initiation and gave her approval to your adoption into the tribe?"

"Wouldn't that be just what Alti would want?" Gabrielle asked bitterly. "To keep us connected to the North? Knowing we'd either stay here or be back."

"You think Alti is controlling Arja and that she turned into a vampire because of your bite," Xena frowned.

"Yes, Yakut told me after the battle that anyone dying by a vampire's fangs in the spirit world remains trapped there," Gabrielle said softly.

Xena gently wiped a tear away from her mate's cheek.

"That's why you didn't want to be accepted into the tribe," the warrior mentioned softly.

"Yes, not only did I kill Arja but I trapped her spirit as a vampire in the spirit world with Alti."

"You didn't say anything to me," Xena took the bard into her arms as Gabrielle cried softly.

"I wasn't sure, now I am and I have to face my own guilty past instead of yours this time," the bard whispered.

"Well, Alti is still part of my past guilt," the warrior reminded her.

"I don't know if I can face both of them," Gabrielle repeated.

"We'll figure it out, my love," Xena said, trying to reassure her sleepless bard.

"I know, anything to stop Alti," Gabrielle muttered. "Now we deal with your past and mine, Alti and Arja."

Xena frowned but really didn't have an answer for her beloved. It was true that Gabrielle had dealt with Alti but not as long or as in-depth as Xena had in her youth. The bard had no idea of what Alti wanted and that she was capable of getting it, even as a ghost. The warrior knew she had to be willing to die if necessary to stop Alti's vision of the world, Xena just hoped that Gabrielle wouldn't be caught up in the firestorm.

Yakut found the warrior going through her sword drills the next day in the same practice hut. She sat down on one of the benches and watched Xena along with several of the Amazon scouts and warriors.

Like other Amazon villages, this tribe had a practice yard outside but to deal with the snow months in the Siberian north, they also had a practice hut. Also a sweat hut, and an isolation hut for those going snow mad with cabin fever.

Yakut wasn't surprised to find the Greek warrior in the practice hut. It was a daily routine for the warrior and most of the Amazons as well.

After a series of thrusts and parries with a sword in each hand, the warrior then went through several complicated flips and jumps that ended with her in a defensive pose with one sword held parallel to her chest and the other pointing forward over her head.

She grinned at the sudden burst of howls and cheers from the Amazons and then her eyes narrowed when she spotted Yakut waiting.

The other Amazons broke into pairs or groups and began their own practicing. Xena grabbed a towel and ran it over her hair quickly and sat down next to the Shaman.

"What's up, Yakut?"

"We need to deal with Alti," the shaman said simply.

"And Arja?" the warrior asked softly and wasn't surprised when Yakut nodded sadly.

"Gabrielle figured it out?" Yakut asked.

"Yes," Xena nodded in return.

"We need to deal with them before they can build up more power, especially after losing their control over the vampires," Yakut insisted.

"I know," Xena muttered.

"What is it?"

"Gabrielle's having doubts about facing them," Xena admitted.

"I can understand that but we need to take action," Yakut protested. "You know Alti won't give up."

"I know but any doubt or fear is deadly in the Spirit Realm, you know that," Xena countered.

"How do we deal with this? Leave Gabrielle behind in the Physical Realm?"

"I don't know, she's not one for staying behind if I'm in danger," Xena frowned.

"Tomorrow night is the full moon, we need to move before the moon moves into the waning phase and gives power to negative workings," Yakut insisted.

"Alright, even if Gabrielle isn't up for it, we go tomorrow evening," Xena decided firmly. "What about you, Yakut?"

"What do you mean?" the shaman asked with a frown.

"You've been treating Gabrielle differently, what's going on?" Xena questioned the smaller woman.

"I don't think I have," Yakut protested, still frowning.

"Yes you have and I think she's noticed it," Xena insisted. "I need to know that you can work past this and be there for us as our anchor. Our souls depend on it."

Yakut lowered her head and appeared to be thinking about what the warrior had asked and after a moment looked Xena in the eyes.

"Okay, soul searching done," Yakut responded. "Yes, I feel differently since the attack by the vampires. I do see Gabrielle differently."

"You were one of the few who knew she requires blood before the mess with Matitta," Xena protested, trying to keep her anger in check. Yes, it was her mate, her Gabrielle they were talking about but the warrior reminded herself that she asked.

"Yes, and then I was raped and fed on every night for two weeks!" Yakut snapped, her eyes flashing brightly with the anger. "Always by a different vampire so I wouldn't change, Matitta wanted me alive as long as possible so she could torture me every night. You may not remember your attacks but Matitta made sure I remembered every single moment."

"You know Gabrielle isn't like that!" Xena protested; her hands clenched.

"Yes, I know that," Yakut agreed, her voice still raised in anger. "Feeling it is something else and you know it. Gabrielle knows that you weren't aware of what was happening and you don't remember it but don't you think she still had a problem with someone else nibbling on your neck and who knows what else they did with your body?"

Xena felt her eyes narrow in anger and a growl rumbling in her chest but fought them back. After a moment she nodded and unclenched her hands. "Yes, she does and we've talked about it. She understands and forgives me but it still bothers her."

"Xena, I will be there for both of you when you cross into the Spirit Realm," Yakut said firmly. "I swear it. I will die for either or both of you. This won't interfere."

"Okay," Xena nodded, suddenly feeling very tired. The warrior wondered if she was still fuzzy from dealing with the vampires so recently herself. The Greek was worried about this upcoming fight. "None of us are really ready for this," she muttered.

"No, but we have to stop Alti before she builds up much more power in either Realm," Yaku insisted.

"I know, I know," the warrior mumbled.

Xena walked up behind her mate as Gabrielle stood outside the circle of dancing Amazons. The drummers had set a pounding beat that normally would have set the bard swaying, easily sliding into a trance.

Xena could tell tonight was not one of those nights when she wrapped her arms around her mate and could feel the tension in the little bard.

Normally the bard enjoyed the Amazon rituals, especially the dancing and drumming. Yakut was in full shaman clothing and swaying to the beat as she stood next to the huge bonfire. Several Amazons stood around the circle, ready to protect those entering the Spirit Realm and leaving their bodies behind. Xena noticed Sasha sitting with the drummers, also ready to lend her energy to the ritual.

"You alright?" Xena whispered in Gabrielle's ear.

"No," the bard admitted. "I couldn't fight Alti's magic last time, Xena. It cost Arja her life and this time it might be you. I couldn't face that."

"You aren't responsible for Arja, Alti is," Xena growled.

"It was my fangs that killed her and turned her, just like I turned you that night in the cave of Bacchus," Gabrielle countered bitterly.

"And you've faced that side of yourself and won, Gabrielle!" Xena urged. "Remember when you were starved physically and blood starved and you didn't touch that girl, you fought back and won!"

Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed in thought. She remembered when she had been captured by an evil magician and starved to the point of madness, especially blood madness. To turn the bard into a creature of the night under his control, the magician had meant for her to kill an innocent pregnant girl while he cast a spell on the bard.

Gabrielle had fought back against the blood hunger. Then the bard shook her head.

"You remember breaking into that Arab's workshop and finding me with that girl?" the bard questioned her mate.

"Yes, you were full Bacchae, half insane and you hadn't touched her, you were trying to protect her," Xena said firmly.

"Because of you," the bard whispered, closing her eyes as her jaw clenched.

"What?" this time Xena's face reflected her confusion.

"I was about to sink my fangs into her neck, I had no conscious thought left and hadn't been aware of anything for days. Then I heard your battle cry outside, that's what brought me back," Gabrielle explained, trying to fight back tears of anger. "It wasn't my strength, it was you."

"Don't you see, it was still you," Xena insisted. "Our connection, your love for me and mine for you was stronger than the darkness you were in. If you weren't connected more to the light than the dark you never would have heard that war cry."

"I still failed and killed Arja," Gabrielle said bitterly, "Let's just get this over with."

Xena frowned as Gabrielle pulled out of her arms and walked in through the dancers and sat down across from Yakut at the main fire.

Xena tried to smile as Sasha walked up to her and quickly hugged her mom. The child turned and looked at her adopted mom while still hugging Xena.

"She's not ready for this," Sasha said softly.

"No one ever is," Xena said grimly. "We have to stop Alti, Sash. Alti would be willing to destroy the entire world if she thought it would give her power and revenge. Gabrielle has fought Alti before and she's better prepared for the Bacchae thing, I don't think Alti can use it against her again. That might give Gabrielle an edge we need over Alti."

"I'm still worried, Mom. You both be careful!" Sasha demanded.

"You bet, kiddo," Xena grinned and kissed her daughter on the head.

Gabrielle wasn't just nervous, she had to admit, she was scared.

The bard sat breathing deeply as she felt Xena sit down next to her. Gabrielle closed her eyes and tried to empty her mind and let the beat begin to take her. She accepted the mug placed in her hands and drank down half the contents and began rocking with the beat as someone took the mug away. Gabrielle knew that the mug would be handed to Xena next.

The bard tried calming herself. Xena had been right, Gabrielle had fought the darkness using her inner light, one that was expanded by being the daughter of Apollo, god of the sun and healing. Since facing Alti last time, the bard had beaten that blood hunger by using that light, she had also discovered she had some healing abilities.

Gabrielle felt the drugs in the tea she had just drunk beginning to take hold and let herself flow with the pounding drums and chanting, beginning to alter, to trance. Next the bard felt another mug being pressed into her hands and immediately felt her fangs trying to extend themselves as the smell of blood reached her. She fought her fangs back into their recessed holding place in her jaws, out of sight.

The bard easily drank half the contents of the blood from the deer she and Xena had taken down that morning. She knew Xena would drink the other half of the liquid.

Gabrielle felt light-headed and everything began shifting. Having her eyes closed didn't help as the scenes in her mind shifted, the colors bleeding into each other, roaring filling her ears. The bard knew she was crossing over to the Spirit Realm.

As she "fell," she could feel Xena's spirit next to her and the familiar feel of Sasha's surrounding them. The talented child of gods was providing an anchor to the real world for her moms.

Xena opened her eyes and wasn't surprised to find the sky gray, devoid of all color and the grass so brilliant green that it was difficult to look at. The bird sounds were backwards or the silence was deafening. Then Xena closed her eyes as the colors all blended together, making the warrior dizzy.

When she opened her eyes, Xena found everything appearing normal.

The warrior shook her head, it had been years since she had been in the Spirit Realm. She had always regretted letting Gabrielle face Alti and the Spirit Amazons without her that day but someone had to ensure Alti's body was killed. Now she was hoping that Alti would continue to underestimate her mate; most did.

Xena had tried to tell Gabrielle how proud she was of the bard but it had been difficult with Gabrielle's guilt over killing Queen Arja. Gabrielle had faced Cyane, the legendary Queen of the Northern Amazons, the only one who had ever beaten the Amazon warrior had been Xena. Gabrielle had almost been killed but had defeated the Queen, something that had impressed the Greek warrior.

Xena turned and found Gabrielle a few yards away, on her hands and knees shaking her head. The bard's green eyes looked up and found Xena's blue ones and she smiled slightly.

Suddenly Gabrielle yelped and fell backwards as an energy burst exploded in front of her hands.

Xena's body and head snapped around and she saw Alti, looking younger and more deadly than Xena last remembered. The dark shaman was standing on a large tree branch high above the Greeks. Alti laughed and launched another energy ball at the bard and Gabrielle flipped over backwards to avoid the deadly attack.

Xena growled and sent the chakram flying but Alti merely held up her hand and deflected it back at Xena. The warrior caught it with a snarl.

An energy bolt caught up with the bard, sending her smashing into a large tree. Gabrielle landed hard at the base of the tree, shaking her head.

Xena screamed a war cry and launched herself at the evil shaman. Physics often bent their usual laws for Xena and her flips but in this realm those laws didn't even exist. The warrior found herself flying through the air with chakram in front of her, heading right for Alti's neck.

Gabrielle's eyes cleared as Xena left the ground heading towards Alti. The bard saw the shaman laugh and dive off the branch, heading straight for Xena with her claw-like fingernails extended.

The bard's eyes narrowed and she drew her sais but as she got to her feet something grabbed her from above, claws digging into her shoulders, trying to rip through the leather. For once the bard was grateful she was wearing a Northern Amazon leather tunic and not her usual leather top that barely covered anything.

Gabrielle looked up into the face of the vampire Arja as she was yanked into the air into the tree branches. The bard struck at the vampire with the sais and the vampire screamed as one sank into her ribs and the vampire realized that the sais were wood and deadly.

Arja dropped the bard and Gabrielle landed hard, screaming as she fell on her arm and sai and felt a white-hot pain through her ribs.

"Oh not again!" she muttered, remembering the time Ares broke her ribs, kidnapped her and took her to Tartarus where her healing abilities were suspended. She managed to roll out of the way as Arja landed on the ground where Gabrielle had been.

The bard whirled around and struck at the Queen of the Northern Amazons and parried with her sais the attempts by the vampire to slice Gabrielle with claw fingernails. She and Arja ended up wrestling on the ground, vampire and partial Bacchae.

Gabrielle attempted to keep control over her Bacchae side as Arja tried to slash at her with deadly fingernails and fangs. The bard felt her own fangs extend and eyes change from green to Bacchae yellow as she broke contact with the vampire and rolled several feet away.

The bard paused a moment to catch her breath and growled in both anger and frustration. Alti laughed high above her, fighting with Xena and Arja grinned at her.

"What's wrong, Gabrielle?" Arja hissed. "Don't approve of your handiwork?"

Gabrielle hesitated in throwing her sais, the guilt hitting her. She turned to see Alti and Xena fighting in mid-air and Gabrielle's grip on her sais tightened in resolution.

The bard spun with her sais in hand to face Arja when she froze in mid-step.

With a scream from Alti and a war cry from Xena, the two slammed into each other. Xena met Alti in mid-air, chakram and nails slashing. The shaman managed to avoid the chakram and grabbed Xena's wrist with one hand and the warrior's throat with the other as they flew through the sky with the momentum of the crash.

Xena growled, feeling at a definite disadvantage in the air. She wasn't accustomed to fighting in the air and Alti obviously was. Xena wished for a tree branch or solid ground to get her feet under her so she could break Alti's hold on her, instead she cried out as they slammed into a tree, barely missing a sharp tree branch.

Xena's blue eyes widened as she looked at the branch right next to her head. Then her eyes narrowed as Alti laughed at her. The warrior got a foothold and thrust up with her legs and back, managing to knock Alti's hand away from her throat.

Next came a series of blows that moved too fast for even the birds in the strange realm to follow as Alti and Xena fought for the advantage. Xena grabbed Alti's hand holding the warrior's wrist and twisted and was pleased to hear Alti cry out as her wrist snapped audibly.

"What's wrong, Alti?" Xena hissed as they closed together again, hands reaching for throats and eyes. "Don't like being hurt in this realm anymore than you did in the physical?"

"Xena, why are you fighting your destiny? I told you that your future was to be the Destroyer of Nations," Alti purred.

"I found a better deal," Xena growled and then yelled out in anger as Alti took advantage of the close hand-to-hand fighting to grab Xena and kiss her quickly.

"Stop fighting it, Xena," Alti grinned. "I can still help you fulfill that destiny."

"Never!"

"Then see your future!" Alti growled and Xena's head jerked at the sudden images flooding her brain.

Xena slashing out as a Bacchae Gabrielle flew at her.

Gabrielle lying on a cave floor with a dryad bone sticking out of her chest and Xena laying next to her, covered in blood and not moving.

Solan looking down at an arrow sticking out of his chest in surprise.

Gabrielle, her head thrown back, covered in sweat and screaming in pain.

Xena screamed in rage and smashed Alti in the face with a fist and the shaman went flying backwards in the air until she hit a tree, again barely missing one of the sharp branches.

Xena was tired of this trick. She knew Alti was subtlety trying to work on Xena's guilt about killing the Northern Amazons all those years before by impaling them on broken tree limbs and spike traps.

The warrior was about to dive after Alti again when she glanced down and saw Gabrielle freeze, sais in hand but the green eyes distant.

"Gabrielle!" the warrior screamed and then heard the drumming and chanting that the bard had already heard.

Xena knew the chanting, she had heard it before.

"No!" Xena screamed as Gabrielle dropped the wooden sais.

In the caves of Bacchus in the Bacchae Forest.

The vampire Arja looked up at Xena and grinned as she walked towards a non-resisting Gabrielle.

Xena drew her chakram back to decapitate the vampire when she was thrown off balance from an energy bolt from Alti and hit the ground hard. The warrior rose up, groaning with pain and quickly looked over and saw Gabrielle close her eyes and tilt her head back as Arja moved behind her.

"Gabrielle! Fight it!" Xena screamed and then rolled quickly to one side and then the other as Alti continued to throw energy bursts at her.

Arja wrapped her arms around the little bard and took to the air laughing with her prize as Xena screamed.

Somewhere in her mind, Gabrielle heard Xena cry out for her but it seemed so far away. Like something out of a dream, she thought. The feeling of flying was a sensation she barely remembered from being a Bacchae but it felt nice.

Then the bard frowned. Where was she? Where were her sais? Where was Xena?

Weren't they fighting someone?

"No!" Xena screamed as she slashed at Alti above her, trying to get a shot in at the vampire carrying her mate away. "Gabrielle!"

Alti landed on a tree branch and laughed at the warrior as Xena was thrown into another tree from one of the shaman's energy balls. When Xena's eyes cleared, Arja and Gabrielle were nowhere in sight.

"No!" Xena glared at Alti. "Where is she, bitch?"

Alti laughed even harder. "Someone wanted to see her again, Xena."

Xena sharp eyes took in the moving shadows around her and she pulled out her sword as well as the chakram as vampires began emerging into the light. The spirits of those vampires they had been forced to kill before Gabrielle had made peace between the Amazons and vampires. Included among them was Matitta. The warrior was quickly surrounded.

"Yakut!" Xena screamed and felt her spirit being yanked back abruptly.

Xena moaned and then sat up abruptly. "Gabrielle!"

Hands gently held her back from leaping to her feet. The warrior growled and then relaxed a little as Yakut knelt in front of her. "Gabrielle!"

"No, we can't get her back," Yakut answered and helped Xena stand up, supporting the warrior until she got her feet steady under her "We've lost contact with her soul."

The shaman pointed across the circle and Xena stood stunned.

Sasha was shaking her head and the child looked dazed. Xena quickly crossed the short space to her daughter and pulled the girl close, examining her swiftly. To her relief,

Sasha's eyes focused and she nodded at her mom.

Xena turned to take in the sight of Gabrielle again as she and Sasha stood up.

The bard was still on the furs she had fallen back on when she entered the trance state necessary to enter the Spirit Realm. It also appeared that the bard was still unconscious, her body occasionally twitching with whatever was happening to her in the Spirit.

What had changed was that Gabrielle was surrounded by a massive growth of vines, Xena's eyes spotted several kinds of ivy and grapes. Her eyes widened as she realized that they were moving, as if conscious of their surroundings. She turned to Yakut as the warrior wiped blood away from a cut lip, courtesy of Alti.

"They have fangs and thorns and killed one Amazon already," Yakut said bitterly.

Queen Otere ran up, joining the two as the rest of the Amazons kept up the chanting and drumming.

"The vines grabbed three of the Amazons and began biting them and draining their blood. We couldn't get one of my warriors away in time," Otere said bitterly and Xena could see numerous bite marks on the Amazon Queen.

"We moved you when they started reaching for you, they won't let anyone get close to Gabrielle," Yakut explained, holding a wounded hand.

"Weapons? Fire?" the warrior asked.

"The vines work in harmony against anyone approaching them with a torch. We tried throwing torches at the vines and they threw them back, hitting two of the huts," Otere growled.

"And we can't near enough with weapons to do enough damage," Yakut continued.

The warrior growled, "What if we rush them?"

"We can try," Otere smiled grimly. "Amazons! Form a spearhead! Two Amazons in the center, if we break through it'll be your job to grab Gabrielle."

"Yes, Queen Otere," two Amazons stepped forward, volunteering.

The Amazons formed up with Xena at the front, Otere didn't even question Xena's position in the lead to fight for her mate.

Xena moved Sasha to one side and drew her chakram. The child didn't try to stop her mom but the worry showed clearly on the child's face.

Gabrielle flinched away from the stinging slap and opened her eyes reluctantly. The bard felt a layer of ice surround her heart, gripping her with fear.

"Oh sweet Artemis," she whispered.

Bacchus, Lord of the Bacchae, Wine and Vine, grinned and stroked the young woman's cheek with one of his long claw-like nails.

"Sorry, bard," he laughed in his deep bass voice, "she's nowhere near here."

Gabrielle realized she was chained to a cave wall by her wrists and a quick glance around told her that she was surrounded by Bacchae, servants of Bacchus and others in the middle of a bacchanalia orgy and celebration.

"What do you want with me, Bacchus?" Gabrielle asked, her voice angered. "I'm already cursed with your blood."

"But you aren't mine, little one," he grinned and Gabrielle felt sick hearing the dark god call her by the term of endearment that Xena usually used. "I want you totally, heart and soul. I already have your body with those cravings.""

"Never!" she snapped.

"But you will, daughter, you will," he promised.

"I'm not your daughter! I am the daughter of Apollo and Hecuba," Gabrielle growled.

"Niece then, or something. You will give over willingly, little bard," Bacchus laughed.

"No!" Gabrielle yelled, then whispered, "Xena."

"She can't get to you, in this realm or the physical one either," Bacchus laughed heartily.

"No!" the bard screamed and struggled as two Bacchae approached her. Gabrielle struggled as one attempted to hold her head and the other held a goblet to her lips. The bard at first thought it was the blood of Bacchus but even when she realized it was wine she still struggled.

The fact that it was wine gave her hope, Bacchus wanted or needed her to submit willingly and not by force. That might give her time for Xena to get through to her, she thought as she struggled with the Bacchae, resisting drinking the alcohol until she had spit half of it out and choked on several mouthfuls. They finally managed to get most of the alcohol down her throat. Then another goblet appeared and the bard could taste herbs in the drink. Drugs.

Gabrielle attempted to spit the liquid out and felt her head snap back from a blow to her jaw and then rocked to the side by a blow to her eye. She drank the entire contents of the second goblet.

Xena screamed in anger as another vine attempted to entangle around her throat and another did manage to wrap around her sword wrist. She growled and sliced through the vine at her throat but the vine around her wrist managed to sink its fangs into her wrist before she cut it in half.

Other vines were already wrapping around her legs and digging in, no matter how fast she cut through them.

The warrior felt strong hands grabbing her under her arms and pulling her back as others cut the vines holding onto her. Once clear of the moving hoard of greenery, the same hands quickly grabbed the vines and pulled the dying plant life from the warrior's body.

Xena sat up and looked around at the Amazons surrounding the area and found them all in similar shape: bleeding, bruised and beaten back from the wall of vines.

This was their third attempt to reach the bard and their third failure.

The first time they had been beaten by a solid wall of vines, interlacing together tighter than a fishing net and striking out against when the Amazons and Greek would try to slash at them.

The second time Xena had tried flipping over the vines to get to Gabrielle but the vines had formed a dome over the bard, grabbed Xena by all four limbs and threw her back. The warrior landed heavily on the ground. She growled deeply and screamed in frustration as she sat up and looked at the vines.

Xena would almost be willing to swear later that the vines were laughing at her.

"Damnit!" she yelled and the Amazons had formed up to try again.

Now most of them were bleeding from more than a dozen wounds and some had broken limbs and they were no closer to getting to the unconscious Southern Amazon Queen than when they first approached the vines.

"Xena, I've never seen this before," Yakut complained, "where did Alti learn this level of plant control?"

"She didn't," the warrior's voice was bitter.

"Then who is working with her?" Otere questioned as two of the Amazons bandaged a deep bite wound on her right thigh.

"Bacchus, he's the god of wine, Bacchae and vines," she snarled.

"Bacchus, Gabrielle has talked of him," Yakut said thoughtfully, "He's the one that cursed her with the Bacchae blood."

"Yes, now he wants her totally, forcing her to turn me into a Bacchae or me to kill her," Xena nodded.

"Or Alti to kill you and he still has Gabrielle," Otere said grimly.

"Yes, all of the above would suit either of those two," Xena growled.

"So, now what?" Yakut demanded to no one in particular.

"Well, we can't get to her from this end, we'll have to do it on the Spirit level," Xena said simply.

Sasha nodded slightly, watching the Amazons and her mom.

"New game plan time," Otere agreed.

"Consort!" one of the Amazons standing near the vines called and Xena, Otere and Yakut stumbled over to see what she was pointing at.

The tribe could see the bard's body twitching as if she were in a bad dream. They could see blood trickling slightly from the bard's mouth from a cut lip and also bruising around her right eye. It was obvious that whatever was happening to her in the Spirit Realm, she was fighting against it.

Then Xena thought her heart would stop as fang marks appeared on the bard's neck and blood flowed slowly from the wounds as the bard's body jerked.

"No!" Xena screamed and started to launch herself against the vines again.

After a few moments she realized she was being held back by Yakut and several Amazons. She nodded slightly and they eased their hold on the warrior. Xena turned away from seeing Gabrielle being abused as she stood by helpless.

"New battle plan time," she growled.

Gabrielle fought back against the lips pressing against hers and the insistent hands roaming over her body but found she had no way to resist with her body chained against a rock wall. The bard was already fuzzy from the alcohol and the touch of the Bacchae was trying to get past her defenses.

"Xena!" she screamed, as she broke loose from the lips only to have them trail down to her throat and begin nibbling.

As the Bacchae fangs sank into her neck, Gabrielle felt her body responding to the eroticism of the Bacchae magic against her will. Multiple hands began ripping away her clothing as the fangs moved down from her neck and bit the bard on the breast.

Gabrielle screamed, both out of terror and arousal. She could faintly hear Bacchus laughing.

"Xena!" Gabrielle screamed again and lashed out, knocking the Bacchae away from her chest and kicked two others away from her. The bard knew that her own fangs were flashing and her eyes were now yellow and glaring with anger as she snarled at Bacchus.

The goat-horned god merely threw back his head and laughed at Gabrielle's struggles. His dark, burgundy skin glistened in the torchlight and his mouth full of fangs glinted back at the bard. Bacchus pointed his finger at the bard.

"You are strong, stronger than I expected," he admitted. "Especially with my blood running through you. You're already a blood drinker and you can still resist me, interesting. Won't last long though."

"Go to Tartarus!" she snapped, clenching her fangs together.

"Been there, done that," he grinned back. "Let's see if we can weaken that resistance of yours a bit."

Gabrielle screamed as a flash of light enveloped her and lightning seemed to radiate from her wrists. When she opened her eyes against the blinding pain she screamed again.

The bard was once again on a wooden cross with Roman spikes driven through her wrists.

"No!" The same type cross she had died on. Gabrielle screamed as darkness crowded her.

Xena was across the common before Yakut and Otere had even gotten to their feet, at the sound of alarm from one of the Amazons keeping a watch on Gabrielle.

Otere reached out an arm to steady her Greek friend as Xena stood stunned, watching her mate and the new development.

The bard's breathing was labored and blood was flowing from under the bracers she wore on her wrists.

"Not again!" Xena whispered.

"What is it, Xena?" Yakut asked.

"Alti's old trick, she or Bacchus is making Gabrielle relive the crucifixion," the Greek warrior said softly.

"When she died," Yakut finished the thought.

"Yes," Xena spun on her heel and looked at the full moon. "Artemis! Apollo! Father! Anyone!" she screamed and couldn't really believe that no one appeared in front of her.

After a moment Xena's face hardened. "Alright, we can't get help from them, we'll have to do it ourselves."

Xena turned to find Sasha standing and watching Gabrielle.

"Sasha?" the warrior questioned softly.

The child's eyes were half closed and Xena recognized the trance look in Sasha's eyes.

"She's breaking down," the child said softly. "The pain of the crucifixion is too much for her."

"Come on," Xena ordered the Amazons, "I don't know how much longer Gabrielle can hold on."

Xena wasn't surprised to find Alti and Arja waiting for her when she crossed over into the Spirit Realm again. They both looked extremely pleased with themselves.

"Take me to Gabrielle!" Xena demanded, her chakram in hand.

"Not likely, Xena!" Alti laughed, her voice as harsh as Xena remembered in the Physical realm. "I do have a proposition for you, however."

"Nothing you say could interest me!" the warrior snapped, releasing the chakram without warning.

Alti bent over backwards, avoiding the steel weapon but Arja didn't move quite fast enough. The shaman looked over where the vampire had been standing on a tree branch and casually watched the dust falling through the air. The only thing left of the vampire after being decapitated by the chakram.

She looked down at Xena and shrugged.

"Leave your little bard to play in this realm, Bacchus can make things very enjoyable, you know," Alti purred.

"What?" Xena demanded, suddenly confused. "What do you want?"

"Gabrielle's body," Alti grinned at the warrior's shocked face. "Just think, Xena, we could rule the world together and you'd still get to f**k that gorgeous body. Bet I can think of some tricks your gentle little bard hasn't."

"By the gods, you are twisted, Alti!" Xena hissed, leaping up to join the shaman on the tree branch, chakram at the ready. "I'd never agree to that and neither would Gabrielle."

"She'll agree to anything soon, enough time spent in Bacchus' den of pleasure and anyone would give up everything to stay there," Alti taunted and deflected Xena's sudden chakram slashes with her energy bolts.

"Never! Gabrielle is light itself, something that worries you, doesn't it?" Xena countered and knew she had hit a point with the shaman when Alti's eyes flashed for a moment. "Is that why you and Bacchus fight so hard to turn her to the darkness? To conquer that light?"

"She is a challenge," Alti admitted. "She was so much easier last time. One thing remains the same, however."

"What?" Xena demanded, flipping over backwards on the branch as Alti lashed out with a sudden energy burst.

"She's your weakness," Alti grinned but lost the smile when she was knocked from the branch after Xena leaped into the air and hit the shaman in the chest several times with her feet, sending the shaman flying.

"Ares thought so too, look where he is," Xena muttered as she rushed after Alti, only to be backhanded by the shaman into a tree. The warrior slid down the trunk to the ground shaking her head.

Xena dived to one side as another energy bold hit the tree where she had been sitting. The warrior quickly got to her feet and began running.

"Xena?" Alti called, the confusion apparent in her voice. "Where are you going? You know I'll find you."

The warrior flipped over some rocks and landed softly and blocked a sword aimed at her head with the chakram.

Gabrielle had no idea how long she was on the cross but she was having trouble breathing and the pain was overwhelming the bard's attempts at concentration. She knew from dealing with Alti before that the Spirit Realm was mostly mental, that's how Bacchus could make her appear on a cross without actually nailing her to the wood. It was still real because of Bacchus' mind controlling it and Gabrielle's mind accepting it.

The bard growled her frustration, she knew if she could just concentrate enough she could get off of that cross and maybe even out of the Spirit Realm. The problem was she couldn't get three thoughts together past the pain, added in with the chanting and dancing of the bacchanalia.

"Xena," she whispered.

It took a moment to realize that she was no longer on the cross and no longer had seven inch spikes driven through her wrists. They were still bleeding and hurt badly but she was off the cross and laying on furs and pillows.

Someone was bandaging Gabrielle's wrists and someone else was placing a cool, wet cloth across her forehead and eyes. The bard was too grateful that the pain was easing up to resist and laid back on the soft cloth of the pillows and hides of the sleeping furs. She gratefully drank the wine offered by strong, masculine hands and accepted the gentle stroking from feminine hands through her hair.

"Xena, there are spirit vampires all over the place. How do we fight them?" Otere asked, drawing her sword back, blushing from the fact she had instinctively slashed out at a figure leaping out of the dark and it had been Xena.

"Same as in the physical, decapitate them or ram a spear through their chest and break their spines," Xena growled.

"Xena! I can tell you have playmates with you," they heard Alti's coarse voice calling from the trees. "Come out and play some more. There was a time when we shared playmates."

"Damn her!" Xena muttered.

"Is that little Otere with you?" Both Xena and Otere's breath caught in their throats. "Do you want to share her now that she's an adult?"

The warrior watched the Amazon Queen begin blushing a bright red and drop her eyes as the other Amazons looked away. Suddenly things became even clearer to the warrior as to why Alti had wanted Otere dead those many years before. Otere was destined to become powerful as the Amazon Queen, as Alti had said. Otere was also one of Alti's victims and the shaman didn't like to leave any of them alive.

Otere refused to meet Xena's eyes, a response not uncommon from survivors of child abuse.

"Damn that bitch!" Xena cursed and walked out from behind the rock cropping to face Alti in the moonlight. "I never cared for children in that way, you sick bitch."

"No, you never agreed with the spilling of their blood either," Alti agreed. "That was what caused your downfall, wasn't it? Couldn't kill a child so your men turned against you."

"Yes," Xena agreed. "Just like I couldn't kill Otere when you wanted me too."

"Well, what happens now, Xena? How long can you stay in this realm before your physical body begins dying? What about those with you? How long can they last here?"

"Long enough to stop you!" Xena suddenly screamed a war cry and Amazons popped up from behind rocks and in trees all around the shaman. They began firing arrows and spears at Alti and the vampires stalking towards Xena.

Fire arrows sent vampires screaming into the darkness while other arrows pierced heads and hearts, turning the vampires into dust.

Alti deflected all the arrows and spears launched at her, sending several of them back the way they had came, to impale their owners with their own weapons. Several Amazons dropped, either dead or dying.

Xena leaped up onto the same branch with Alti and again they began exchanging blows, energy bolts and chakram slashes.

The Greek warrior had the feeling that they were getting nowhere. The Amazons were holding the vampires back and she was about evenly matched with Alti and Gabrielle was still somewhere in the hands of Bacchus.

The bard bit her lips to keep from crying out again as the lash landed on her back. Gabrielle was still reeling from the shock of everything. One minute she had been dying on a cross again and then in comforting hands. Hands and lips that were soft and gentle and soothing, bandaging her wounds, giving her drink and holding her as the pain eased.

Then those same hands dragged the bard to her feet and over to a large X-shaped wooden structure and chained her hands and feet to the post.

Gabrielle had screamed at the first shock of feeling the whip against her skin and then bit her lip against the pain. She had felt that pain before when forced into slavery; she still had light scars from those lessons.

It was getting harder and harder not to scream as the torture continued and the bard could feel the blood trickling down her back from open wounds.

Gabrielle clung to the chains holding her wrist and felt the screams ripped from her throat, finally unable to fight it. Her fangs extending again at the smell of her own blood from her back and from thrashing against the chains on her wrists; wrists that were already seeping blood through their bandages from the crucifixion.

Yakut looked around, noting the progress they were making against the vampires and Xena still holding Alti at bay. She watched the two parrying sword strikes and energy bolts and shook her head, the little shaman knew within moments that she never wanted to face Alti on any level.

The Amazon shaman sat down behind the rocks and let herself drift away.

"She's back!" Yakut heard someone saying and then a mug of water was pressed against her lips as hands helped her sit up. She drank gratefully as she opened her eyes and took in the concerned faces of the Amazons around her.

She quickly looked at the sleeping bodies of the Amazons still in a trance, their souls fighting the spirit vampires in the Spirit realm. Several of them had blankets covering their bodies and the shaman resisted the urge to grieve. That would come later.

Yakut smiled at Sasha, the little girl held Xena's hand. The young girl's eyes were half closed but she smiled back at Yakut.

"Your Mom is still holding Alti off," Yakut told the youngster.

"Yes, but Gabby mom is in trouble," Sasha responded, a tear escaping down her cheek.

"What can you see?" Yakut's voice became intense. Not even she could see what was happening to Gabrielle in the Spirit Realm.

"She's being beaten and then comforted, not given a chance to think or meditate. Bacchus wants her will broken so she will give into him," Sasha responded, her voice in a monotone, as she seemed to be focused elsewhere. "She's being whipped now."

"Can she hold out until we reach her?" Yakut questioned.

"No, I don't think so," Sasha said simply. "They're using drugged wine too."

"Damn!" Yakut cursed and then crossed her legs again. "I'm going back," she informed the Amazons staying behind.

Gabrielle cried out as fangs sank into her neck again and as hands and lips roamed over the rest of her body.

Somewhere in the back of her mind, the bard shivered at the sound of Bacchus laughing.

Gabrielle tried to get up and someone shoved another goblet of wine at the bard and others forced her to drink. The bard gave up trying to think coherently as sensations overwhelmed her body.

One minute was pleasure and the next was incredible pain. She began to hope that the pleasure would last longer than the next round of pain.

"Come to me, little bard," Bacchus' voice whispered in her ear.

Xena looked down at the sword wound in her side and grimaced.

She and Alti were breathing heavy and sizing each other up again. The warrior glanced down and saw that the spirit vampires had all disappeared, either they had fled the battle or they were dead and now dust. Xena grinned at the dark shaman.

"Lost your soldiers, Alti?"

The northern shaman glanced around with a snarl.

"Don't worry, Xena," she snapped. "You'll be more than an adequate replacement for all of them."

"I gotta hand it to you, Alti," Xena grinned a sarcastic grin at her former mentor, "You don't give up, do you?"

"Never! You'll find that out, even if it takes centuries!" Alti promised.

"Not a chance, bitch!" Xena countered with words and then a forward series of flips that caught the shaman off guard and sent her flying through the trees once again. She barely caught a tree limb to stop her momentum in time to stop from being impaled on a ragged tree branch. Both shaman and warrior looked down at the sword Alti had dropped in her desperation to grab the branch.

Alti snarled at the warrior.

"Yakut, quick!" Xena called down to the Amazon shaman, "get the others out of here!"

The Amazon nodded and turned to gather the others as Xena turned back to Alti. Xena moaned as she hit the ground hard, taking another energy bolt in the chest. Before she could recover Alti was on her with her hands wrapped around the warrior's throat.

Xena growled and smacked the shaman in the back of the head with her foot, sending Alti tumbling over Xena's head. Both quickly regained their feet and Xena flipped over to where her sword had landed and saw Alti grabbing up her blade at the same time.

Again they squared off.

"Want to know about your blood mate, Xena?" Alti taunted and the warrior's eyes narrowed. "Do you think she's suffering for you?"

Once again images flooded Xena's mind.

The sight of naked Bacchae and humans in various positions didn't surprise the warrior; she knew that Alti and Bacchus had set up a bacchanalia in the Spirit Realm for some reason. What did surprise her was the site of a naked Gabrielle in the center of the mass of bodies.

Xena moaned in physical and emotional pain as the bard's head snapped back in obvious passion as shadowy figures worshipped the bard's body. The warrior knew that look well, having it seen it an untold number of times on her mate, always at her hands or lips though, never during sex with someone else.

Gabrielle's hands clenched at the fur hide beneath her as her body began to arch.

Xena sank to her knees as the vision cleared. The roaring in her ears was replaced with Alti's laughter.

"What's wrong, Xena?" Alti taunted. "Didn't think she could find pleasure from anyone but you?"

"That's Bacchus' doing!" Xena muttered, getting back to her feet. The warrior's blue eyes were flashing with fury.

"Some of it," Alti admitted, still grinning. "But he can only manipulate so much, he can't cause that kind of enjoyment against someone's will."

"I don't call torture, giving her drugged wine and sexual abuse free will," Xena growled.

"No? Well I call it a good time!"

Xena screamed in rage and dived at Alti again as the shaman laughed.

Gabrielle tried to catch her breath. It was either blinding pain or intense pleasure and sometimes the bard wasn't sure which she was feeling at any given moment. Beaten, forced to drink drugged alcohol, all of that was adding up to an unclear mind.

Add the torture of the crucifixion, a flogging until her back was almost ribbons, and more beatings, and Gabrielle was weakened to the point of being unable to resist anything physically.

Then came the sexual arousal in between each torture.

Somehow she kept resisting the blood offered her but it was getting harder. Gabrielle cried out again and she wasn't sure if it was from pleasure or pain anymore.

Xena shook her head as she landed on the ground next to Yakut and Otere. A quick glance around told the warrior that the other Amazons were gone, crossing back over into their physical bodies before the pinch could kill them in the physical realm.

"Time to up the bets," Xena growled, deflecting another energy bolt from hitting Yakut with the chakram. "Otere, you help Yakut get things ready and I'll take on Alti."

"I'm with you, Xena," Otere said firmly.

"Xena, this is very risky," Yakut warned.

"Do we have a choice? Much longer with Bacchus and Gabrielle will be lost. She wasn't able to resist the bite the first time, she won't be able to this time with his blood already flowing in her veins."

"But to use this….." Yakut tried to protest and Xena merely shook her head.

"We'll figure out the price later. Just do it!" the warrior snapped and the Amazon shaman nodded and moved away with Otere.

Xena growled and faced the dark shaman again.

"And what are your playmates up to, Xena?" Alti purred, flipping off the tree branch she had been standing on, to land several yards away from the warrior.

"Working up a surprise for you, actually," Xena admitted with a flash in her eyes and a grin for Alti.

Alti's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "And what could you three possibly work up against me?"

"How about something I've learned," Xena taunted. "Want to see?"

"What?" the shaman demanded.

Xena's eyes half closed as she concentrated. She felt energy humming through her like battle fury. With a shout she released it as a lightning ball towards Alti.

The shaman, accustomed to dealing with magic, sidestepped the bolt but looked back at Xena, stunned.

"My father likes to throw lightning bolts around when he's pissed off, guess I take after him," Xena grinned, launching another bolt.

Alti growled and shot her own energy bolt at the warrior only to have it met in mid-air by one of Xena's own bolts.

Otere, peering over the rocks, grinned.

"Hurry, Yakut," she urged. "It's working! She's tapped some of her inherited powers!"

"You can't rush these things, damnit!" Yakut muttered, sprinkling incense over the fire she and Otere had made earlier. She began chanting and invoking.

Gabrielle felt everything trembling as hands dragged her to her feet again. More alcohol was poured down her throat and then someone was slapping the wounds on her back while others held her.

The bard screamed in agony.

Alti surprised the warrior by flipping up into the trees and disappearing. Xena growled and followed the shaman into the tree branches, moving cautiously, her senses on heightened alert.

Xena yelled in anger as something slammed into her from behind, the warrior hearing something cracking across her back. The warrior just avoided one of the deadly tree branches but landed hard against a parallel branch with her ribs. Xena barely held onto the branch to avoid falling.

Alti's laughter filled her ears as the shaman landed on the branch, her feet stepping on the warrior's hands.

Xena growled, looking up at the shaman as Alti grinned down at her. The warrior coughed and felt the blood welling up in her mouth and past her lips as she struggled to maintain her hold on the tree.

Even with the laws of physics being suspended in the Spirit Realm, Xena wasn't sure she could avoid falling heavily to the ground with the injuries she had taken and didn't want to take that chance.

Alti bent down on the branch.

"Give it up, Xena," she taunted. "Just say the word and I'll heal you, we leave here and conquer the world. You become the Destroyer of Nations and I will give you that power, Gabrielle's body will be perfect!"

"Drop dead," Xena muttered.

"I'm already dead, that's the point!" Alti snapped. "Gabrielle's body is already immortal and has powers, joined together with my spirit and even your gods will tremble before us!"

"Ares promised me that for years, I turned from you once what makes you think I'd ever go back to what I was?" Xena demanded.

"Xena, your child is one of a god and demi-god, your mate has powers she hasn't explored yet and you have untapped abilities as well," Alti purred. "I can show you how to use all of it!"

"I'm not the power hungry warlord I was, Alti," Xena growled. "Get over it."

"Have it your way, Xena," Alti shrugged and stood up and applied more pressure on the warrior's fingers, causing Xena to grit her teeth in pain. "You die here and I get to torment you forever!"

Xena glanced down at the ground and growled at Alti again. With a war cry the warrior swung her body out and then back and forth, snapping her body up behind the startled Alti. As she spun around Xena's feet landed square in the shaman's back, sending her falling towards the ground.

Xena continued the flip over the tree branch and landed next to the shaman and smacked Alti at the back of the neck and rolled away from the shaman.

Alti started to get to her feet and then looked around in confusion as vines began growing at an extremely rapid pace and wrapped around the shaman. Alti growled and then screamed as her legs were encased in the greenery.

"What is this?" she screamed. "Bacchus! What are you doing?"

Xena, holding her ribs and the gash in her side, grinned at her enemy.

"It's not Bacchus," she snapped. "The Amazons have some powerful friends, as well."

Alti's eyes widened as the trees nearby seemed to come to life and figures extracted themselves from the trunks. The man had a dark beard, his reddish hair under a hat of fir tree branches and a long cloak and loincloth made of moss. His skin was green now that he had stepped away from the tree. The other figures were a dark haired woman and a teenage boy and girl, both with dark hair.

Together they surrounded the shaman and raised their hands over her and Alti screamed as the vines encircled her, wrapping her up tighter than a cocoon.

"Forest spirits! You weren't to interfere in this realm," Alti screamed.

"You brought in outside gods from foreign lands and they use our vines against our friends," the forest male explained.

"The spread of your unnatural vampirism in the physical land was against the plan of the cosmos," the woman continued.

"We seek to set right what has been made wrong," the teenager girl spoke. "We restore balance to the forest."

"Warrior!" the male spoke firmly, "Take her now, we have power only for a short time."

Xena whistled and was relieved when Otere and Yakut appeared from behind the boulders. They quickly grabbed Alti at either end and carried her behind the rocks. Otere dashed back and helped the warrior stand, placing Xena's arm over her shoulders.

Xena glanced back and watched the forest deities merging into the tree trunks and thus disappearing.

When she and Otere rounded the boulders the warrior wasn't surprised to find Alti screaming endlessly.

Otere and Yakut had placed her in a cage made of human bones, the bones of Alti's victims. While the Amazon warriors had fought the vampires, Otere and Yakut had made the cage and prepared the place for Alti.

The shaman screamed in rage and struggled against the vines still holding her.

"Finish it, Xena," Yakut urged.

The warrior stumbled to her knees next to the shaman and pulled a dagger out of her boot.

"I swear, Xena," Alti snapped, "if you do this I will haunt you for eternity! I will find a way!"

"Maybe," Xena said wearily, "but for now, die!"

Alti screamed as the blade flashed in the unnatural moonlight of the Spirit realm.

Xena fell back coughing as Yakut and Otere moved in to work over the cage. The warrior watched as Otere poured pine resin over the bones and the body of the shaman and Yakut chanted.

The warrior wiped at the blood flowing from her mouth as the forest spirits appeared once again and moved the Amazon shaman and Queen aside to stand over the cage. They wrapped their arms around each other and the Amazons and Greek turned away as a brilliant light surrounded the family of forest deities.

When they could look in that direction once again, they found the deities gone and the cage was now a solid piece of amber. The pine resin had been hardened magically to hold the dark shaman.

Everyone's heads snapped around towards the forest as banshee-like shrieks filled the air.

"Yakut! Get Otere and get out!" Xena screamed, trying to sit up. "Bacchus knows his ally is dead and he's attacking with the Bacchae."

"We can fight them with you!" Otere protested, pulling out her sword as the Bacchae swarmed closer.

"No! They won't kill me, Bacchus wants me alive but they'll drain you both! Get out!" Xena snapped, getting to her knees and pulling her chakram into her hand.

"No!" Yakut protested.

"Just go and protect Sasha!" Xena ordered and sighed with relief as the two disappeared back into the physical realm.

The warrior replaced her chakram at her side and fell forward onto her hands. She could feel the blood flowing from the gash in her side and coughed up even more blood.

Xena felt darkness crowding her as clawed hands reached for her.

"Welcome, Xena!" a booming bass voice greeted her as the warrior raised her head. She was being held between two Bacchae and didn't have the strength to pull herself to her feet.

The warrior looked just like she felt; like she had been through one hell of a battle and had barely gotten through it.

Bacchus, with his dark purple skin gleaming and shimmering cape flashing in the torchlight, landed in front of the warrior. His mouth full of sharp teeth grinning, the Lord of Wine, Vine and Bacchae, raised the warrior's head up by her hair.

"You seem to have gotten the better of Alti," he commented. "I didn't think that was possible once I knew her strength and skills. Still, you've always amazed me."

"Maybe I can surprise you again," Xena muttered.

Bacchus laughed heartily at the wounded warrior. Then he looked thoughtful.

"You know, if you die in this realm, you're stuck here. I can't have that," he mumbled and waved his hand over the warrior's head and Xena was enveloped in a purple haze.

When she opened her eyes the warrior found she could stand on her feet, barely. She had been given a small dose of healing, she realized. That was something she could never get used to, she thought to herself, being healed by gods. Dying one minute only to be perfectly healthy the next. Well, not perfectly, she thought. Bacchus had given her a little more time but still left her injured and weak.

"Do you want me to thank you?" she demanded and again Bacchus laughed at her.

"No, that would be a little much for you," Bacchus agreed.

Xena noticed that the Bacchae didn't ease up on their grip on her wrists.

"Chain her!"

Xena started to struggle when Bacchus surprised her with his massive fist across her nose. By the time the warrior's vision cleared, Xena found she was chained to the cave wall. She frowned at the drops of blood at her feet and the blood coating her wrists. Someone had been there before her and they hadn't enjoyed the chains.

"Look over here, Xena," Bacchus called and moved aside to show Gabrielle laying on pillows and furs.

Xena tried not to show any emotion as she took in the sight of her mate. It appeared that Gabrielle was unconscious or asleep and she was naked. The warrior felt her heart skip a beat at the sight of the bard's bloody back and wounded wrists, the bandages filled with blood and the skin below the wrists was scrapped raw and open.

"Gabrielle!" the warrior shouted, almost screaming.

The bard opened her eyes slightly and Xena could see the lack of focus and redness that told the warrior Gabrielle was either drugged or drunk. The bard closed her eyes again without raising her head or focusing on Xena.

"Gabrielle!" Xena tried again and this time the bard didn't even respond.

Bacchus laughed and sat down next to Xena's mate. With surprising gentleness he stroked her short blonde hair and grinned at the warrior.

"Want me to describe what she's been through and what she's enjoyed?" Bacchus taunted.

"I swear I'll cut you into little pieces!" Xena promised.

"Not likely, Xena," the god of wine laughed and ran a claw along the bard's back, instantly bringing a cry of pain out of Gabrielle.

Xena grimaced as her mate flinched in pain and grabbed the fur under her.

"Stop it!" Xena yelled but Bacchus just smiled and leaned over next to Gabrielle's ear.

"Would you like me to stop, little bard?" he whispered.

Xena's eyes narrowed as she watched Gabrielle biting her lip, attempting to keep from answering.

Xena screamed in rage and Gabrielle screamed in pain as Bacchus scratched another bloody trail down the bard's back.

"It can stop," Bacchus purred. "It can stop forever if you just so say. Nothing but pleasures the rest of your days."

"Gabrielle, don't do it!" Xena screamed but she wasn't sure if her mate heard her as Bacchus ran all five fingernails on one hand down Gabrielle's back.

Two men grabbed the bard's arms to keep her in place as she screamed and thrashed in pain.

"Stop, please!" Gabrielle begged.

"You accept my world?" Bacchus whispered.

"Yes!" the bard whispered, tears streaming down her face, the exhaustion showing clearly in the hollow eyes. Her lips were already bloody from her fangs biting into them to keep from screaming or giving in.

"No, please! Apollo, Zeus, Artemis, anyone!" Xena whispered as Bacchus laughed in triumph.

The God of Wine turned, his yellow eyes glinting with amusement.

"Even your Northern gods won't venture here, Xena," he goaded.

The men released the bard and she dropped back onto the furs with a sigh of relief.

"Gabrielle!" Xena screamed and the bard looked up. The warrior had a moment of hope, as it seemed that Gabrielle actually comprehended that Xena was there with her.

Xena felt tears escaping her own eyes as tears flowed down Gabrielle's face and the bard buried her head in the furs to avoid looking at her mate.

"Torture, alcohol and drugs don't count as Free Will, damnit!" Xena protested.

"My world, I make the rules," Bacchus sneered.

Xena felt her breath quicken as Bacchus pulled out a dagger and sliced open his wrist while watching the warrior. With a malicious smile, he lifted Gabrielle's head up slightly and placed the bleeding wrist in front of her.

Xena increased her struggles against the chains, Gabrielle's blood actually helping the warrior work her hands through the restraints but it was slow going and painful. Pain Xena was ignoring.

"No!" she screamed as Gabrielle reached out for the wrist.

Gabrielle heard Xena's voice and looked up into her mate's blue eyes and felt a moment of hope. Then she noticed the chained wrists and Xena's desperate expression.

Flashes of images and memories of the last few hours spent in the hands of Bacchus flooded the bard's mind and Gabrielle felt her head drop in defeat.

After all that had happened, remembering the different faces, hands, lips and bodies; Gabrielle knew she couldn't face Xena again.

Then the pain, searing down her back, caused her to scream. Her back was already bloody from the whip and this was beyond agony. Hands grabbed her, holding her in place for more torture as she screamed again.

Then the promise of release, the promise of no more pain, ever.

The scent of blood reached her and Gabrielle hesitated a moment, the scent wasn't right, something was wrong. The blood wasn't Xena's.

Then the pain flared again as something sharp trailed down her back. Gabrielle hissed in agony and exhaustion and grabbed for the wrist in front of her. With a quick motion of her head, her fangs sank into the flesh surrounding the wound and the bard began to drink deeply.

"No!" someone screamed nearby and it caused the bard to hesitate for a moment but she returned to the wrist with a growl, feeling the blood hitting her system, sending energy back through her body.

"Damn you, Bacchus!" Xena screamed and thrashed against her chains as she watched her mate drinking from the God of Wine and Bacchae. The warrior could feel her own life ebbing away from the wounds outside and inside her body.

Gabrielle pulled back from Bacchus' wrist and Xena felt a chill run over her body as the bard looked around the cave.

Yellow eyes looked deeply into blue ones and Xena wasn't sure there was anything left of her mate. She was almost positive of it when Gabrielle traced her tongue over her fangs, taking in Xena's bloody wrists.

"Gabrielle," Xena growled softly.

"Take them!" Bacchus shouted and Xena's view of Gabrielle was suddenly blocked by Bacchae, maenads and humans crowding and grabbing her. The warrior tried to fight as someone unlocked her chains but a net thrown over the wounded Xena took most of her energy.

Xena screamed with rage as she was carried through the cave to a smaller and darker cavern room. The warrior growled when she was dropped onto fur bedding in the room.

As Xena untangled herself from the net her senses alerted her that she wasn't alone in the room. The warrior dived away from the net as a figure landed on the tangled mess, fangs flashing.

Xena jumped to her feet and took in the sight of the very enraged and blood hungry Bacchae that was once her mate. Someone had thrown a skimpy black dress over the bard but nothing else.

"Gabrielle!" Xena growled as the Bacchae began moving towards her, slowly. Stalking the warrior.

"Come on, fight it! You've fought it before!" Xena encouraged.

The door to the room opened and both Bacchae and warrior turned at the noise. Xena wasn't surprised to see Bacchus standing there, filling the small space. He grinned at her snarl.

"You have a choice, Xena," he sneered. "Let Gabrielle turn you or kill her. Either way you will be lost. If you kill your mate you'll never forgive yourself and won't be the warrior you were. If you turn Bacchae in this realm then you'll be Bacchae in the physical world and mine."

"Never!" Xena snapped, her eyes darting back and forth, trying to keep an eye on both Bacchae and Bacchae lord.

"She's already mine, Xena," Bacchus taunted and threw something at the warrior's feet.

Another chill passed over the warrior as she took in the dryad bone. Bacchus laughed and slammed the door shut.

Xena knew that Bacchus wouldn't risk opening that door any time soon. He wouldn't let Xena near him, even as a Bacchae again until he was sure she was under his control. The warrior wouldn't get a second chance to ram that dryad bone into his chest if she turned Bacchae. He would wait until she had no will left.

Xena instinctively grabbed up the dryad bone as she heard Gabrielle growl near her.

Xena also knew she could never drive that dryad bone into Gabrielle except that she had once promised the bard never to let her become a full Bacchae.

Otere sat across from Sasha as they watched over Xena's unconscious form. She carefully watched the semi-conscious child gently swaying to the chanting and drumming as her eyes focused on another realm.

Suddenly the child cried out and fell backwards.

Before Otere could move, Sasha was up on her knees and examining her mother's throat.

They both thought their hearts would stop when they saw the fang marks on the warrior's neck, blood slowly flowing from the wounds.

"Sasha?" Otere questioned, the panic evident on her face.

"It's Gabrielle," Sasha answered, tears beginning to flow down her face.

"Pull your mother back! We can still save her!" Otere demanded.

"It's too late, Gabrielle is a full Bacchae and just bit my mom," the child said sadly, falling back into a sitting position next to her mother.

"No," Otere whispered as Xena's body jerked.

Bacchus sent three Bacchae with torches through the door first. Xena had been right, the God of Wine and Blood wasn't taking any chances on the warrior ambushing him again. He had experienced a dryad bone through the chest courtesy of Xena once before and it hadn't been a pleasant experience.

The Bacchae weren't anxious to put themselves in the path of the Warrior Princess either but obeyed their master and entered the room cautiously.

Seeing two figures on the sleeping furs inspired a little more courage in the creatures, especially when neither figure moved.

One of the Bacchae, braver than the other two, moved closer to the figures and leaned over the bard.

Both of the other Bacchae quickly retreated several feet when they heard their sister hiss in reaction to what she was seeing.

"What is it?" Bacchus demanded from the doorway.

"Dryad bone!" the creature lisped, "She has a dryad bone through her chest!"

"Damn!" Bacchus swore, looking down at the small blonde on the floor. "What about Xena?"

The Bacchae moved around the figures and knelt down next to the warrior. She raised her yellow eyes to her master's a moment later.

"She breaths but barely, she's lost a lot of blood," she commented.

Bacchus, a little more secure of his safety now that he knew where that dryad bone was, moved into the room and looked down at the two women.

"Why didn't Gabrielle explode or turn into dust?" one of the other Bacchae asked softly.

"Probably because she's immortal," Bacchus muttered. "Bring Xena into the main chamber. We'll still turn her into one of us."

The Bacchae scurried to grab the warrior's arms and legs. Bacchus took in the flow of blood from Xena's nose and mouth and the paleness of her skin. It wouldn't be long, he thought.

"I'll have one of you!" he growled, glancing back down at the bard. "I never thought Xena had the strength to kill you."

"Mom is still alive but just barely," Sasha commented.

Otere watched the child closely; it had taken Sasha more than half a candle-mark to calm down long enough to focus her back into a half trance. The Amazon Queen and those guarding the unconscious bodies could see the blood oozing from the warrior and the non-moving form of Gabrielle and everyone had worried expressions.

"Pull her back!" Otere snapped.

"She'll die within moments if we do," Sasha said simply, a tear streaking down her cheek.

"Something's gone wrong!" Otere cried desperately. "She couldn't have planned for this!"

"We wait," Sasha said firmly, sounding much older than her 11 spring seasons.

Bacchus leaned back on his temporary throne, watching the lost spirits of the realm reveling in one of his famous bacchanalia orgies. Bodies were entwined everywhere and it seemed to the Lord of Excess that it was like looking onto a sea of flesh, moving in waves.

The god glanced over at the unconscious warrior, gauging her blood loss and remaining life. He didn't want to turn Xena until the last moment; he wanted the warrior totally unaware and unconscious.

Bacchus was still angry about losing the bard, Gabrielle. He had gotten accustomed to tormenting her with the blood cravings whenever he was bored. He never planned on Xena actually killing her own mate.

It had delighted him to badger and tempt the bard into the darkness. Xena had been right about that when she confronted Alti with the observation, both the dark shaman and the god wanted Gabrielle to fall. Watching a child of Apollo give in to the darkness appealed to their perverse natures. That was the main reason Bacchus had agreed to Alti's insane plan of attacking the couple in the Spirit Realm, not because he wanted Xena, Bacchus wanted Gabrielle more.

When the bard had turned Bacchae the first time, Bacchus hadn't even bothered to find out her name. She had been someone to use to get to Xena, one of his most persistent enemies. Then he had discovered that she was the child of Apollo and that Xena's feelings for her traveling mate extended beyond friendship.

That made Gabrielle highly attractive to the dark god. Now he had lost her.

Deep in his anger, Bacchus growled and several maenads and Bacchae near him scampered away in fright.

The god yelled out in surprise and covered his eyes as a bright light suddenly filled the cavern, sending the Bacchae screaming for the shadows. Unlike other vampires, the Bacchae could tolerate daylight but preferred the shadows of the deep Bacchae Forest or the caves during the day. This light was much too bright and reminded Bacchus of the noonday summer sun.

The light dimmed and slowly faded to a slightly glow.

Bacchus howled in rage as he took in the sight of Gabrielle sitting cross-legged in the middle of the cave floor, the light radiating around her.

Behind stood Yakut with her hands resting on the bard's shoulders and lying in front of Gabrielle was an unconscious Xena.

"What?" Bacchus demanded with a roaring shout.

"Gabrielle was never stabbed with the dryad bone," Yakut explained to the irate god. "The bone was cut in half and you merely thought she was stabbed because Xena was still alive and not Bacchae."

"Gabrielle was a full Bacchae, she couldn't resist!" Bacchus protested.

"You forgot their blood binding," Yakut smiled a calm smile as she concentrated on her friend.

Bacchus growled, realizing that the shaman was acting as a link between the Greeks and the physical world and had established a link with the bard now that Gabrielle was in a meditative state.

"Xena's blood reconnected them and brought Gabrielle back," Yakut grinned. "Xena risked her life and soul on the chance."

"No!" Bacchus screamed in rage.

Several Bacchae flew at the Amazons and warrior and screamed in pain as they hit the light surrounding the three women.

Gabrielle, without opening her eyes, extended her hands over Xena and Bacchus growled in frustration as a purple light enveloped the warrior.

After a moment the purple glow around Xena was gone and the bright light still remained. Yakut's grin got even wider as Xena sat up, taking in her surroundings.

The warrior broke into a large smile of her own when she saw Gabrielle and Yakut.

"It's time to end his presence in this realm, Xena," Yakut said simply.

"You mean it's time to kick some ass!" the warrior said enthusiastically and was pleased at the faint smile it brought to her concentrating mate.

"Yes, do your thing, warrior," Yakut smiled. "Warriors," the shaman shook her head.

Xena leaped to her feet and drew her chakram. With a familiar grin that usually sent chills up the spines of whoever she was facing, the warrior shouted one of her war cries and flipped into action.

Bacchus screamed and shouted at the others to grab all of them and kill them.

The warrior leaped over several Bacchae heads and rebounded off the cave wall to land behind the three chasing her. The Bacchae didn't even have time to turn around before they exploded into dust; Xena's chakram decapitating them.

Xena laughed a manic laugh as two more Bacchae went down to her chakram. Yakut shook her head as the warrior flipped over three men and kicked two of them in the back of their heads and severed the middle one's spine at the neck with the chakram.

Yakut turned her attention to Gabrielle as the Amazon felt the energy surrounding them beginning to hum, causing the hair on the back of her neck to stand up. The shaman felt the energy suddenly wane and bent over to Gabrielle's ear.

"Come on, Gabrielle, you can do it! There is nothing but the light!" Yakut urged and felt the energy increase in strength again.

Yakut cried out as the energy danced across her skin, it felt like she was being sun burned from the sun reflecting off new snow. Instinctively, the Amazon held out her hands and energy bolts shot out from her hands, bursting a Bacchae into flames.

Bacchus howled his rage and charged at the shaman and bard while drawing his sword.

Xena, hearing his shout, reversed the direction of her fighting and easily took out three more Bacchae on her way to stand between her mate, Yakut and the enraged Greek god.

The warrior grinned as her sword clashed with the sword of Bacchus. She liked seeing the rage in his face.

Yakut began aiming the energy balls flying from her hands and Bacchae, maenads and party spirits begin falling to the light of Apollo flowing from the bard.

The battle between Xena and Bacchus was fast and furious. The Greek god wasn't as good as Ares but Xena had lost the ability to do serious harm to the gods, so they both of them discovered that they were fairly well matched and neither could get in a serious blow to the other.

After a few minutes of flying around the cavern, rebounding off cave walls, kicking each other in the chest and back, slashing repeatedly at each other, Bacchus and Xena paused.

Xena looked around and then grinned at the God of Wine.

The cave was littered with the spirit bodies of the humans and maenads, the servants of Bacchus. All the Bacchae had been destroyed, either by Xena's chakram or Gabrielle's energy of light.

"Looks like you're on your own, Bacchus," Xena sneered.

The God of Bacchae looked around and then growled at the warrior, the worry showing plainly on his face.

"Go home, Bacchus," she urged, "or we'll send you there painfully. How long did it take you to recover from that dryad bone last time we fought?"

Bacchus roared his anger and raised his sword to charge the warrior when Xena dropped to a crouch. The God of Wine looked over the warrior to see Gabrielle and Yakut looking at him with their hands extended.

"No! You're mine!" he managed to scream just as four energy bolts of light hit him in the chest.

Xena flinched and narrowed her eyes as he exploded into pieces and the pieces into dust.

The warrior turned and sheathed her sword just in time to catch Gabrielle as she collapsed.

"Never," Gabrielle whispered to Bacchus' passing spirit and sank into darkness.

"Get us out of here, Yakut," Xena said simply, holding the bard close.

"My pleasure," the shaman grinned and Xena felt like she was falling through space.

Gabrielle coughed and felt hands and arms helping her sit up and someone pressing a mug of something to her lips.

Flashes of the bacchanalia invaded the bard's mind and she began thrashing.

"Easy, little one," a soothing voice cut through the haze between the nightmare and the waking. "It's okay, you're back. I've got you."

"Xena?" Gabrielle felt herself asking softly, recognizing the strong arms holding her from behind. She managed to focus her eyes and saw Yakut holding a mug as the shaman knelt beside her and Xena. The bard nodded and accepted the water gratefully.

"We're back?" she asked softly, trying to accept the sight of Sasha smiling at her and the Amazons surrounding them.

"Yes," Xena's voice answered near her ear.

Then the pain began to seep in as well and she shifted uncomfortably in her warriors' arms. Gabrielle went pale when she raised her hands and found that someone had removed her bracers and she had fresh bandages on her wrists and half way up her arms. Blood was still trying to seep through the cloth.

"No!" she whispered, beginning to tremble with the overwhelming memories.

"It's okay, you're safe," Xena said firmly.

"No, it was real. It wasn't a nightmare!" Gabrielle whispered, closing her eyes as tears began flowing down her face.

"Xena," Otere's voice carried softly to the bard as she felt her mind trying to reject everything.

Gabrielle felt her body being lifted into strong and safe arms as the blackness of shock and denial hit.

Otere sat down next to Yakut at one of the tables in the food hall several candle-marks later. Both looked haggard but relaxed.

"How long since anyone had a break in this life?" Otere asked somewhat bitterly.

"I don't remember anymore," Yakut admitted.

"Do you know everything they've been through? Do the gods have it in for them in particular?" Otere demanded.

"Well, we know that Xena's path of redemption is a difficult one," Yakut commented, accepting a mug of hot tea from one of the kitchen workers. Otere also took one and drank deeply from the hot liquid.

"Yeah, but Gabrielle gets caught up in that." Otere countered. "She's nothing but light and love and she's been injured by the gods so many times now that I'm losing count!"

"I know, how many times can one survive being crucified?" Yakut agreed.

"Now she's in emotional turmoil and won't even let Xena or Sasha near her," Otere complained. "Haven't we been through this before?"

"I know, I know," Yakut said wearily. "When she killed Queen Arja in the Spirit realm and went into catatonic shock. This time is different though."

"What happened with Bacchus? What did he do to her?" Otere asked.

"Otere, I don't know if I can talk about it," Yakut frowned at her Queen.

"She's my friend, my sister Queen and both of them are hurting," Otere argued.

"Yes," Yakut nodded and glanced around to see how close the nearest Amazon was. The last thing she wanted was rampant rumors and half-truths about the bard and warrior. She and others were already having enough trouble accepting Gabrielle being half Bacchae after their recent dealings with the vampiir, the vampires of the North.

"Bacchus beat her, forced alcohol down her throat, drugged her, and then had his Bacchae seduce her," Yakut said simply, clenching her mug in anger. She had gotten part of the story from Sasha and pieced the rest together with Xena when they had tended the bard's wounded body. She could still see the massive wounds the whip and the claws of Bacchus had caused down and across Gabrielle's back. Yakut had also flinched when they had tended the bard's wounded wrists, once again open all the way through from seven inch Roman spikes. On top of that had been various cuts, bruises, scratches, and Bacchae bites.

The bard had wept quietly as they tended her body, refusing to look Xena or Yakut in the eye and wouldn't answer any questions. Lying on her stomach, Gabrielle had buried her head in under a sleeping fur.

Yakut had thought her heart would break when she and Xena discovered the blood, bruising and bite marks on the inside of Gabrielle's legs. Yakut had glanced quickly at the warrior and wasn't surprised to see the look of cold rage spreading across the warrior's face.

Yakut felt her earlier irrational anger at Gabrielle's vampire blood fading away after seeing the torture the bard had been through. Tortured at the hands of vampires, like Yakut.

"Seduce? Like the vampires did Xena?" Otere frowned, bringing Yakut back to the conversation.

"No, Bacchus wanted Gabrielle to give over willingly so he set about breaking her will," Yakut explained. "First pain and then pleasure, then more pain and the promise of more pleasure. She was drunk and drugged but aware."

"Oh, gods," Otere whispered. "A flogging, beating, crucifixion, being drugged and drunk, how in the name of the Sun Goddess, did she resist for so long?"

"Her love for Xena and her stubbornness, I think," Yakut managed a slight smile.

"What happens now?"

"I don't know, she's feeling guilty because she enjoyed the pleasures and finally gave into Bacchus to end the pain," Yakut growled at the thought of the Greek god. "She feels she betrayed Xena."

"Does Xena feel that way?"

"I don't know, I don't think so," Yakut answered thoughtfully. "It's not like Gabrielle was in her right mind during any of it."

"Isn't that how the couple got Sasha?" Otere smiled to herself. "Gabrielle says Xena wasn't in her right mind when that happened with one of the Greek gods. Maybe Xena will remember that and forgive Gabrielle."

"I hope so, for everyone's sake."

Xena carefully applied healing salve to Gabrielle's back wounds, grateful that the bard was letting the warrior near her after four days.

The bard had been an emotional and physical wreck for the entire time.

"We need to talk about it, little one," Xena said softly.

"I can't," Gabrielle whispered, keeping her eyes closed.

"We've been through a lot, Gabrielle," Xena continued. "You've forgiven me for the worst crimes anyone can commit, even sleeping with Ares."

Xena frowned when Gabrielle failed to show any emotion at that one.

"You didn't do anything wrong," Xena tried again.

"You never betrayed a mate," the bard said softly, the bitterness thick in her voice.

"Yes, I did. With Ares, remember?"

"You didn't even remember me or that you had changed. We've been through that," Gabrielle muttered.

"And we'll go through this with you" Xena countered and shoved the bard back down on the furs when the blonde started to rise up in protest. "Stay there, I'm not done with your back."

The warrior could see her mate's jaw clench and was pleased, any emotion could be an improvement, she thought, even anger.

"Gabrielle, you know I was an abuser, I hurt men and women physically, emotionally and sexually," Xena felt her own jaw tightening. This wasn't something they talked about and it shamed Xena to even let the thoughts run through her mind, let alone talk about it out loud. Alti had forced the warrior to reveal the most horrible things about her past to Gabrielle, trying to crush Xena and her relationship with the bard. Gabrielle had surprised Xena by forgiving her of the Warlord's rapes, even after the bard had suffered through numerous beatings and assaults at the hands of the Romans herself. Xena had never expected that level of forgiveness from anyone but especially from Gabrielle. On one side of the coin, Xena knew the bard loved her beyond anything and would forgive her anything. On the other side of the coin, Gabrielle was a survivor of rape and beatings, how could the bard forgive Xena for having done that to others when Gabrielle knew what it was like?

"One of the most horrible things I did to the women was to make them enjoy it at times," Xena admitted in a soft voice, silently cursing her shaking hands.

"What do you mean?"

"The body responds to stimulation, even when the mind doesn't," Xena was grateful the bard was asking questions and talking too but she wasn't amused with the conversation. The warrior gritted her teeth to continue. "I could make a woman enjoy being assaulted at my hands."

"Xena, that wasn't you, you've changed," Gabrielle protested at the self-hatred in the warrior's voice and tried to rise up to her hands but was pushed down again by her mate.

"Quiet, I'm comforting you this time," the warrior ordered and grinned when Gabrielle actually laughed. It was a good sound to Xena. Then the bard's face grew serious again.

"I wasn't raped, Xena," she protested. "I enjoyed most of it and didn't fight it."

"You were raped, Gabrielle," Xena countered. "After being beaten, drugged, gotten drunk and then tortured, the body and mind welcomed the pleasant sensations happening to it. It was much worse than some idiot getting a girl drunk and throwing her down on a pile of hay."

Xena was pleased to see the bard frowning in thought.

"I'll be back in a bit, I'm going to check on Sasha," the warrior said simply, pulling the soft cloth over the bard's back. Xena was going to give her mate some time to think about what they had talked about.

Gabrielle heard Xena leave but she was still in deep thought over what Xena had said. The warrior had been right; she had forgiven Xena for being a Warlord, a killer, and a rapist. Why couldn't she expect Xena to forgive her for the bacchanalia?

That wasn't it, the bard cursed herself, it was that she couldn't forgive herself. It just kept getting worse, first with Nikki and now this!

Images and sensations again flooded her mind and Gabrielle quickly pulled herself to the edge of the sleeping furs and grabbed for a pot as her body physically rejected the memories.

It was becoming a common occurrence for the bard; she was finding that keeping anything down on her stomach was becoming a nightmare as her body responded to her guilt and the pain of her wounds.

Tears of pain, anger, and self-hatred streaked her face as her body finally settled past the dry heaves and let Gabrielle move back onto the sleeping furs to weep once again.

Outside the hut Xena frowned at the sound of her mate's suffering, her heart breaking at the sound of it. She resisted going back in to comfort Gabrielle though; she'd let the bard have a little more time.

The warrior smiled slightly when she spotted Yakut and Otere at one of the tables in the food hall and quickly joined them. Her smile widened as Sasha spotted her and ran into her mother's arms. Xena moved over and let Sasha sit next to her.

"How is Gabrielle?" Otere questioned immediately.

"Still suffering, both with the physical and the mental," Xena responded.

She shook her head as one of the kitchen workers placed a plate of hot food in front of her but Yakut shoved it back towards the warrior.

"You haven't eaten much in days, you need your strength," Yakut insisted and the warrior finally nodded wearily.

"Why are her wounds so bad?" Otere continued with the questions. "Wouldn't they have healed faster than this?"

"I would have thought so," Xena agreed. "Maybe it's because she used that healing energy to save me. Sasha says I was moments away from dying."

"What do we do to help?" Yakut asked.

"I don't know, comfort her as best we can," the warrior shrugged helplessly.

That night Xena was awakened by the whimpers and thrashing of her mate, just like the previous three nights. She moved quickly past the fire to kneel down next to the low single bed across from the one Xena usually shared with Gabrielle. Ever since returning from the Spirit Realm, the bard had been sleeping in a single bed.

Xena gently shook the bard and began to stroke the hair off Gabrielle's forehead.

"Xena?" the bard whispered, partly opening her eyes.

"I'm here, little one," the warrior answered. "It's okay, you're safe."

"Take me home, Xena," Gabrielle said softly, "please."

"I don't know if we can make it through the snow," Xena frowned.

"Please, I want to go home," the bard reached out and touched Xena's hand, causing the warrior to smile. It was the first sign of affection and contact Gabrielle had initiated since the battle with Alti and Bacchus.

"Gabrielle, you can't even use your hands yet," Xena protested.

"I can't take anymore and I want to go home. I want to see our families, I want to watch Solan's child grow up and I want to go back to the inn," Gabrielle said firmly.

Xena glanced over and saw Sasha in the faint firelight, watching her moms. The child nodded her agreement to the bard's request.

"Okay, we'll leave as soon as possible before the next storm hits," Xena promised.

The bard smiled slightly and pulled Xena's hand to her cheek.

"Want to sleep next to me?" Xena asked softly and hopefully.

"I'd like to try," Gabrielle answered slowly.

As the bard lay on her stomach next to the warrior, the bard reached out for Xena and let the warrior snuggle up next to her and place an arm across Gabrielle's lower back where the lash had missed.

Xena thought about the visions Alti had shown her. The vision of Gabrielle lying on a cave floor with a dryad bone sticking out of her chest and Xena lying next to her, bloody and not moving - that had come true. The vision of Gabrielle enjoying the sexual pleasures of the bacchanalia had come true.

Xena was worried about the other two visions and was as anxious as Gabrielle to get back to Greece as well.

The visions seemed to be flooding her mind as she began to drift off into sleep. The visions of Gabrielle screaming in pain and covered in sweat and the sight of Solan looking down at an arrow in his chest before falling.


	23. 23 Aftermath

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** no violence but the aftermath of extreme violence and sexual abuse. Major angst with major character.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** After defeating Alti and Bacchus in the Spirit Realm, Gabrielle and Xena must deal with the after effects of the battle and torture, unexpected results.

* * *

Xena gently shook the bard and began to brush the hair off Gabrielle's forehead.

"Xena?" the bard whispered, partly opening her eyes.

"I'm here, little one," the warrior answered. "It's okay, you're safe."

"Take me home, Xena," Gabrielle said softly, "please."

"I don't know if we can make it through the snow," Xena frowned.

"Please, I want to go home," the bard reached out and took Xena's hand in her own, causing the warrior to smile. It was the first sign of affection and contact Gabrielle had initiated since the battle with Alti and Bacchus.

The pain in Gabrielle's voice tore at the warrior's heart and she knew she would move the earth to get Gabrielle home if it would make her mate feel better.

"We'll go home, Gabrielle," Xena said softly.

Xena thought about the visions Alti had shown her. The vision of Gabrielle lying on a cave floor with a dryad bone sticking out of her chest and Xena lying next to her, bloody and not moving - that had come true. The vision of Gabrielle enjoying the sexual pleasures of the bacchanalia had come true.

Xena was worried about the other two visions and was as anxious as Gabrielle to get back to Greece as well.

It was these visions that seemed to be flooding her mind as she began to drift off into sleep. The visions of Gabrielle screaming in pain and covered in sweat and the sight of Solan looking down at an arrow in his chest before falling.

The next two days for the bard were spent in Xena's arms as the warrior held Gabrielle and comforted her. Trying to soothe away the tears and get Gabrielle to eat something was difficult but the warrior was surprisingly patient and gentle.

With Sasha's help in caring for the injured Amazon Queen, Xena began making plans to leave the North as soon as possible. The snow was deep enough to require a sled to get further than a day's travel from the Siberian Amazon village and Xena was worried. The last time they had tried a trek in the winter they had almost died but Xena knew they had to try; Gabrielle wasn't doing well. The bard wasn't sleeping more than two candle-marks at a time before she would awaken Xena and Sasha screaming from the nightmares. Most nights were spent holding a crying bard and Xena trying to comfort her. Gabrielle wasn't eating either; it seemed everything she ate made her sick.

Xena sat down in the food hall across from Otere, trying to thaw out her hands. It was only a short distance between the huts to the food hall but it was cold enough now to quickly freeze any uncovered body parts.

The Amazon Queen smiled at her Greek friend and handed the warrior a mug of warm tea.

"Still plan on trying to get through this?" Otere asked.

"Yeah," Xena responded. "Gabrielle is such a wreck; I need to get her home."

"I know, but it's extremely dangerous traveling through this with the first ice storm coming," Otere said gently.

Xena smiled slightly and nodded.

The warrior jumped slightly as a darkened figure entered the hall and moved with unnatural swiftness to a table in the far corner. Otere followed her friend's eyes and nodded slightly.

"It's still difficult to adjust to having vampires coming and going in the village, even if they are our sister Amazons," Otere agreed to the warrior's unspoken discomfort.

"Yeah, especially after fighting the Bacchae and vampire spirits with Alti and Bacchus in that damned Spirit Realm," Xena growled. She watched as the vampire reached out to hold the hand of one of the human Amazons, probably a mate or relative of the vampire.

"How are Gabrielle's wounds?" Otere asked.

"Healing normally. The back will scar from the lash and Bacchus' claws," Xena's jaw tightened, remembering how helpless she had been while Bacchus ran his claw-like fingernails down the already wounded back of her mate. With everything Gabrielle had already endured, the pain of claws ripping down through open lash wounds was enough to break the bard's spirit. The body was healing but both Otere and Xena knew Gabrielle's spirit hadn't even begun to heal yet.

"Her wrists are a mess, I don't know if she'll lose the use of her hands. The nerves may be damaged this time. Even if they aren't, it'll take time to build up the muscles again," Xena continued.

"Crucifixion," Otere said thoughtfully. "I've never seen one. The Romans and the Chin use it but none of the Northern tribes do."

"Tie a person with their arms outstretched to a tree and then drive spikes through their wrists and ankle bones, leave them hanging and watch their bodies slowly drown in their own fluids because they can't breath," Xena said bitterly.

The warrior wasn't surprised when the Amazon Queen went pale.

"She's been through that twice?" Otere asked softly.

"Yes, only a handful of people have even survived once. Fortunately both Bacchus and Caesar left her ankles alone. Driving spikes through the ankle bone is more painful but leaving them tied makes it harder to move on the cross and harder to breath," Xena rambled, remembering watching Gabrielle struggling to lift herself up by her impaled wrists just to breathe. The Ides of March hadn't been lucky for Caesar and Xena didn't particularly think she and Gabrielle had been lucky either; Xena had almost lost her mate, again.

Xena shook her head, "I'm sorry, Otere. I didn't mean to take it out on you and get so graphic."

"Its okay, my friend," Otere simply smiled, dismissing Xena's mood. She looked thoughtful for a moment and Xena waited, wondering what Otere was thinking. She didn't have to wait long.

"You haven't been away from Gabrielle's side except to eat and bathe since we got back from the Spirit Realm, have you?"

"Of course not," Xena said simply.

"You haven't let it hit you yet, have you?"

Xena felt her jaw tightening. "What do you mean?" she asked cautiously.

"You haven't released that or let anger to let it hit you yet, have you?" Otere pushed.

Xena hesitated before answering instead of dismissing Otere's question gruffly. Otere was a good friend and the warrior knew she was right.

"No, I haven't," Xena admitted.

"Let me send word to clear the practice hall for a candle-mark and let's see if we can work some of that anger and pain out of you," Otere suggested.

"Maybe later," Xena said casually and was surprised when Otere grabbed her wrist.

"Now, Xena," the Queen insisted.

Slowly the warrior nodded tiredly and got up to follow the Amazon.

Gabrielle winced slightly as Sasha applied the healing salve to her wounded back. Xena was right, it was healing but it still hurt like Tartarus. The bard wasn't used to wounds taking a normal amount of time to heal either. She and Xena had gotten accustomed to having the rapid healing abilities from their inherited parentage.

Healing at a normal human rate hurt, the bard decided.

Sasha noticed the flinch but continued talking to her Gabby mum, trying to distract the woman's focus off the pain. The youngster, wise beyond her years, knew both her moms were hurting more than they ever had before and didn't know how to help.

For once, Sasha's ability to see into the future was cloudy. She knew Gabrielle was blaming herself for giving into the pain and pleasure that Bacchus had put her through and Xena mom was blaming herself for letting Gabrielle crossover in the first place. Both of them had known Gabrielle wasn't up for the challenge of facing Alti and the vampire Arja but they had risked it.

Neither of them had ever considered Bacchus might team up with Alti and put the bard through absolute torture of both pain and pleasure, breaking the bard down into accepting becoming a full Bacchae.

Now both of them were suffering and Sasha was unsure how to help.

Sasha yelped and fell backwards as a flash of light filled the small hut and Gabrielle cried out in agony. Her wrists had suffered seven-inch spikes driven through them and then supporting her body weight for an untold amount of time, so trying to grab the sais had been a bad idea.

Both bard and child looked up at the source of the light as tears streamed down Gabriele's face.

"Artemis?"

Standing next to the fire was the Greek Goddess of the Hunt and Moon. Gabrielle's quick eyes noticed that the Goddess' bow was across her back and the sword was sheathed. Artemis' relaxed stance and weapons at rest reassured the bard this wasn't an emergency. Probably.

The Goddess smiled and knelt down across from the bard and child.

"Yes, Gabrielle," she answered, her blue eyes dancing and soft.

"Are the Black Forest Amazons alright?" Gabrielle demanded quickly.

"Yes, they are doing fine. They have enough supplies to get through the winter and are anxious for Hallvor and Eponin to return," the Goddess responded easily. Her heart soared with pride over her pick of Gabrielle as her Chosen. Despite everything the bard had been through, her first question to her patron Goddess was about her tribe.

"Thank you," Gabrielle said simply.

"My pleasure," Artemis smiled and then looked over into Sasha's intense blue eyes. "Why don't you go find Yakut for a bit, Little One. I need to talk to your Gabby mum for a bit."

"What about Mom?" Sasha asked.

"She's in the practice hall but it's a private session," Artemis answered simply.

"Okay," the youngster agreed after a moment and Gabrielle had the feeling the deity and child had communicated something on a level other than vocal. Sasha leaned over and kissed Gabrielle's cheek and grabbed her coat, hat and gloves from beside the door. "You'll be okay, Mum?"

"Sure," Gabrielle said easily, trying to smile for the child. She lost the smile when she turned to face the Goddess after Sasha closed the door. "Come to tell me in person I'm no longer your Chosen?"

"Not at all," Artemis smiled gently and noticed Gabrielle sigh with relief. "Quite the opposite, my Chosen. I am proud of you."

Instead of smiling or accepting the praise the bard growled with frustration and glared at her wrists. She wanted nothing more than to throw something across the room or to whack something with her sais.

Artemis noticed her expressions and body language and nodded. "That's what Xena is doing right now, whacking the demons out of a wooden post," the Goddess commented.

"I can't even do that!" Gabrielle snapped. "How can you say you're proud of me?" she demanded.

"Because I am. Gabrielle, what you went through, no one else could have made it through," Artemis tried reasoning with her champion.

"Artemis, I was with others sexually!" the bard protest. "And I enjoyed it! I've betrayed Xena!"

"Your body enjoyed most of it," Artemis corrected. "You were given drugged wine, beaten nearly to death and then given pleasure. Your nerves were on overload, Gabrielle. Some people get addicted to the fine line between pleasure and pain."

"I gave in! I accepted Bacchus' blood!" the bard shouted, kicking a footstool across the room as she lashed out in anger.

"Did you think you wouldn't?" Artemis demanded roughly. "You already are part Bacchae, I'm amazed you lasted as long as you did! Anyone else would have just given in immediately at his call."

"I still gave in!" Gabrielle protested.

"You also found a stronger inner light," Artemis countered.

Gabrielle's anger melted and she sank back onto the sleeping furs. She looked up at the Goddess with tears filling her eyes.

"How can I ever expect Xena to touch me again?" she whispered.

"Come here," Artemis opened her arms and wasn't surprised when the bard scampered over, tears breaking loose. The Goddess settled in and held her champion close as the girl cried out her grief once again. A look of intense sadness reflected in the blue eyes of the Goddess. "It's not over yet, either," she whispered.

Xena growled and whacked the post again and glared at Otere as the Amazon Queen shook her head.

"What?" the warrior demanded.

"Okay, that's good for surface anger," Otere commented.

"Otere," Xena growled, the warning clear in her voice.

"Come on, Xena," Otere ignored the warning. "You want this to come out when you're in bed with Gabrielle? To suddenly have the anger coming between the two of you?"

"Otere, you don't want me to lose control," Xena growled.

Surprisingly, the little Amazon Queen grinned. "Wanna bet?"

Otere was on Xena faster than the warrior could have expected and Xena instinctively reacted, sword parrying Otere's strikes. The Amazon continued with the attack and the Greek realized within moments that Otere wasn't holding back.

Xena growled and let her instincts take over, holding back enough to keep from slashing the younger and less experienced warrior until they were both breathing heavily.

"Good enough?" Xena demanded, her blue eyes dancing angrily.

"Nope," the Amazon grinned. "Tell me, Xena. You saw inside the cave of Bacchus in the Spirit Realm, how many were there?"

Xena's eyes narrowed in anger.

"Twenty? Men, maenad servants, and Bacchae?" Otere said, pretending to be thoughtful. "How many of them were with Gabrielle during that time?"

The Amazon casually walked a few feet away from the warrior, ignoring the growl from the Greek's chest.

"Did you see Bacchus take her? Or were they done with her by the time you got there? Had they tossed her aside yet?"

The Amazon dived behind a wooden post as she said the last word and wasn't surprised when she heard a "thunk" in the wood behind her head. Otere glanced around and saw Xena's famous chakram buried deep in the post.

Queen Otere didn't even take time to look where the warrior was as Xena screamed in rage; the Amazon dived out the door and threw herself against it as Xena's body hit the other side. Two guards ran up and quickly lent their shoulders to the wood. Otere quickly locked the door.

Screams and sounds of things breaking flowed through the door.

"My Queen?" one the guards questioned cautiously.

"Xena is working some things out, leave her in there until she answers you clearly and calmly," she instructed and turned to get to the food hall quickly. She had left her coat inside the practice hall and wasn't about to go back inside to get it any time soon.

Gabrielle sighed as she sank into the warm water of the bathing hut and then winced when the water hit the wounds on her back.

"Okay, enough of that!" Artemis said irritably and held her hands over the bard's back.

Gabrielle gasped as the pain began easing and then almost disappearing totally from her back. "What?" she questioned sleepily.

A candle-mark of crying and howling, her grief and frustration had left Gabrielle feeling drained but calmer. She hadn't been surprised when she found herself and Artemis in the bathing hut; she was too tired to be surprised. She hadn't slept a full night through in two weeks.

"Quiet, I can't heal your hands but your back will be fine now. Scarred but fine," Artemis explained and began washing the bard's back with a cloth.

"Why can't you heal my hands?" the bard asked, not even questioning when a very naked Artemis pulled Gabrielle back into her arms to relax in the warm water.

"My power is waning quickly here and there's still something I need to do," Artemis said softly.

"Xena won't want me after this," the bard repeated her major fear.

"Yes she will," Artemis reassured her champion. "It won't be easy, you'll both have nightmares to face, both awake and asleep. Especially during sex."

"I know, I still have nightmares of the Romans who raped me," Gabrielle said softly, leaning her head back on the shoulder of the Goddess.

"Yes, so does Xena. Now you'll both have more images to add to that, unfortunately."

Artemis wasn't surprised when she heard the outer door open and then close and the inner one open immediately after that. The Goddess also wasn't surprised by the stunned expression on Otere's face as she led Xena into the bathing hut.

"Who in Hella are you?" she demanded and felt Xena raising her head.

The warrior was obviously physically and mentally exhausted, exactly as Otere figured she would be after the berserker rage Otere had enticed in Xena. The Amazon Queen figured time spent in the warm waters of the bathing hut would be good for the warrior.

She hadn't counted on finding a very naked Gabrielle also in those waters and in the arms of a very naked and beautiful woman.

"Artemis?" Otere heard Xena ask.

"Yes," the Goddess answered in Germanic. "Don't worry, Otere, I'm not seducing your friend. I'm helping my champion heal."

"Artemis is the patron Goddess of the Southern Amazons," Xena said in a tired voice.

Gabrielle had apparently fallen asleep in the arms of her patron Goddess Otere noted.

"Get her into the water before she catches a chill," Artemis asked with a playful smile.

Otere blushed profusely. "Okay, let me guess. You spent time with Gabrielle while I spent time with Xena, both of them working on getting this out of their systems."

"You are a smart and an excellent queen," Artemis smiled as Otere helped Xena into the water. Both noticed the warrior groaning with sore muscles and exhaustion as the water seeped over her body. Artemis also took in the bloody and ragged hands of the warrior. The Goddess wasn't sure she wanted to see the insides of the practice hut. "Now we both figured the water would be a nice healing touch. So get in behind her and don't let her drown."

Otere shook her head, being around Xena and Gabrielle certainly made for an interesting life.

Xena was pleased to feel the familiar body of Gabrielle next to her sometime later. The sensation of fur against her skin told the warrior they were in sleeping furs and were naked.

Xena was surprised to open her eyes and find Otere sitting by the fire of their hut.

"Hey," Xena called softly and the Amazon turned from the fire and grinned at her friend.

"Hey yourself," she responded, also in a soft voice. "I'm making tea for you two. I thought one or both of you might be waking up soon."

The warrior frowned, trying to remember. "How long have we been asleep? I remember the bathing hut and Artemis."

"About nine candle-marks," Otere grinned at Xena's surprised expression. "You both needed it. First real sleep either of you have gotten in two weeks since getting here."

With a start Xena realized Gabrielle was lying in her usual position in the warrior's arms, which meant Xena's arm was under and across the bard's back. Xena started to rise up and took in the fact that she didn't feel a large bandage under her arm, just skin.

She looked up and found Otere nodding. "Your Goddess healed Gabrielle's back," she answered the question in Xena's eyes.

The warrior looked and found bandages still around her mate's wrists, however and frowned.

"She said she couldn't heal those without using too much of her energy," Otere explained.

"Where is she?"

"Artemis said she'd be back once both of you were awake," the Amazon responded, pouring two mugs of tea as Gabrielle began to stir in her lover's arms. "I'll be back in a bit."

"Otere," Xena's voice stopped the Amazon Queen, "Thanks for pushing me."

"No problem, Xena," the Amazon grinned. "We're going to have to pry your chakram out of that post though."

"Otere," Xena's voice was serious. "I know you took a risk."

"For a friend, it's not a risk," the Amazon answered and grabbed her cloak by the door.

"What was that about?" a sleepy bard asked in the warrior's arms.

"While Artemis was helping you work through some stuff, Otere was helping me work too," Xena answered, gently kissing the bard's lips.

"Is that why they have to pry your chakram out of something?" the bard asked with a smile and was pleased when the warrior began blushing bright red.

"Kinda," Xena admitted. "Your back is better."

"Yeah, Artemis healed it," Gabrielle mentioned, snuggling closer to her mate.

"Otere said Artemis would be back, what does she want?" Xena questioned.

"I don't know, she healed my back, let me rant, scream and cry," the bard answered, still in her sleepy voice.

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena said softly.

"I love you too, I… can't get the faces and sensations out of my head," the bard said simply.

"I know, it'll take time," Xena tried reassuring her mate.

Instead of letting the couple trek through the snow to the food hall, Otere arranged for food to be brought to the couple's hut. It wasn't long before the couple was sitting around their fire with Otere, Yakut and Sasha.

Even though no one said a word about it, everyone was relieved when Gabrielle actually ate more than a few bites and seemed to be able to keep the food down.

Outside of the bard's hearing, her health had been the center of discussion ever since the return from the Spirit Realm. She was getting far too thin, not sleeping enough, and was mentally and physically exhausted.

Yakut seemed to be lost in thought as she watched the bard lean her head onto Xena's shoulder. Both Otere and Yakut thought that was an excellent sign of recovery for the couple but the Greeks still looked haggard.

"Yakut," Xena snapped, throwing a piece of bread at the shaman.

"What?" the Amazon asked, coming out of her thoughts.

"Do you think we can get through the snow if we leave in two days?" Xena asked.

"I still would advise you staying here for the winter," the shaman responded.

Xena felt Gabrielle stiffen slightly. "I know but I think Gabrielle and I need to be home. We're both tired."

"I know, I think you can get through with a dog team and sled," Otere answered.

"Then we'll leave in two days," Xena said simply.

"How about today?"

Xena's hand instinctively reached for her chakram, Otere was on her feet with a sword in hand and Yakut had a dagger in hers.

Xena felt Gabrielle relax and saw Otere do the same.

"Yakut, meet one of our Gods, Artemis," Xena said simply as Otere sat down. Yakut, catching up with the fact that there wasn't any danger, also sat down as Artemis joined them.

"Patron Goddess of the Amazons, forest, and moon," Gabrielle added.

"And friend to Xena and Gabrielle," the Goddess added.

"What did you mean about today?" Xena questioned.

"I can take Gabrielle home today," Artemis said simply.

"Without Xena?" the bard immediately demanded.

"I'm growing weak here, Gabrielle," Artemis admitted. "Here they don't worship me and my powers are waning. I can get you home safely."

"Not without Xena," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Little One," Xena began to protest.

"No, I spent almost two Springs away from you," Gabrielle snapped, sitting upright, her green eyes flashing.

"I want you home and safe," Xena countered.

"I'm not leaving you!"

"I do have a question for you, Artemis," Xena said thoughtfully. "Where were you when Gabrielle was in that nightmare with Bacchus?"

Gabrielle frowned deeply, considering the question and wondering if she really wanted to know the answer.

"I can barely function here right now. Healing Gabrielle tasked me," Artemis admitted. "I'm sorry, I owe you both my existence and I want to help but I couldn't break into the Spirit Realm."

"I'm not leaving without Xena, I'm still not feeling well and I want to be near her," Gabrielle protested.

"Please, I swear it'll be safer than trying the snow," Artemis argued.

"Gabrielle?" Xena questioned.

"No, not without you, please," Gabrielle said, her jaw set in a familiar stubborn line.

"She'll be protected and healed when I get her back to Greece," Artemis assured all of them. "Both me and Apollo will watch over Gabrielle until you get back."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as she saw how thoughtfully Xena had become.

"Xena," she growled, the warning evident in her voice.

Otere and Yakut held very still as their Greek friends and a deity argued back and forth.

"Gabrielle, if they'll heal you," Xena argued but the bard cut her short.

"I'd rather risk the snow and take longer to heal than be away from you again," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Gabrielle," Artemis' voice brought the bard's attention back to the Goddess. "The healers haven't told you and neither has Xena because of your emotional state, the nerves in your wrists were damaged."

The bard suddenly looked much younger as she glanced down at her bandaged wrists.

"My hands?" she whispered.

"If I don't get you to Greece where Apollo can heal you before the wounds heal over, then you won't have use of your hands," Artemis said bluntly.

"Then take her back," Xena said firmly.

"Xena, no," Gabrielle said softly.

"I'll follow as quick as I can," Xena reached out and pulled Gabrielle into her arms. "Don't pass this up, Little One. I love you more than life."

Before Gabrielle could protest again, the warrior nodded her head at the Goddess and everyone blinked at the sudden bright light that filled the hut.

Cyrene dropped a tray of ceramic goblets as a bright light filled the empty main room of the inn. When her eyes cleared she was surprised to see Gabrielle and a tall woman standing several feet from her.

Gabrielle blinked and looked around, apparently also in surprise. The bard spun to glare at the woman in hunting leathers.

"Artemis!" she shouted. "Damnit!"

Deities showing up whenever Gabrielle or Xena was around didn't surprise Cyrene any more. My daughter and daughter-in-law seemed to have more to do with the Greek Gods than some priests, she thought.

"Sorry, Gabrielle, this is for the best," Artemis shrugged and disappeared.

"Xena!" the bard shouted, raising her hands in anger.

After a moment she looked over and smiled slightly at Cyrene. Then the inn-keeper got a good look at the bard and was dismayed at what she saw.

The bard quickly sat down in the nearest chair and Cyrene went behind the bar and grabbed two unbroken mugs and a pitcher of cider.

"Gabrielle? What's going on?" she asked as she sat down with the bard.

"Where to begin? A village stricken with poisoned grain, some of my Southern Amazons are alive, and then we dealt with a monster with some Vikings. Next we went to the Northern Amazons and found vampires were attacking them. We had to fight Alti in the Spirit Realm and Bacchus was also there. I got hurt, Artemis promised to bring me back to Greece and heal me. I didn't agree on leaving Xena behind but here I am," Gabrielle explained and shrugged at Cyrene's frustrated look.

"That's it in a nutshell," the bard responded.

"Is Xena okay?"

"Yes, some bruises and scratches but okay," Gabrielle finally had a faint smile. "Can I talk about this later?"

"First, how is Sasha and what happened to your hands?" Cyrene asked.

"Sasha is great and has grown another two inches. My hands, I was crucified in the Spirit Realm by Bacchus," Gabrielle said softly.

Cyrene didn't say a word but pulled the bard into her arms as Gabrielle's anger and resolve broke down.

Cyrene sensed there was more to the bard's injuries and haggard appearance.

Xena resisted letting the tears fall from her eyes as she watched Gabrielle and Artemis disappear. The warrior sat down heavily and Sasha crawled into her arms.

"I hate dealing with Gods," the warrior muttered.

Otere and Yakut had no answer for the warrior and quietly left the hut.

Xena tried to smile for Sasha as her daughter hugged her.

"Was this a good idea?" the warrior asked softly, not sure if she was asking Sasha's opinion or perhaps talking to the air.

"It's what the Gods wanted," Sasha said simply, pulling back to look at her mom and wasn't surprised when Xena frowned.

"I don't usually care what the Gods want," the warrior commented bitterly. "Because of Ares, a God, I almost lost Gabrielle so many times."

"You also got me," Sasha grinned.

"That's the best thing Ares ever gave me!" Xena agreed, hugging her daughter tightly.

After a moment Sasha got up and poured some more tea for her mom and herself. "You know mum's going to be mad," she said simply.

"That's an understatement," Xena grinned ruefully. They both knew Gabrielle's temper. "What say we start getting things together and head home?"

Sasha agreed with a grin and a nod.

Xena's eyes saddened as she watched a cheerful Sasha begin gathering their things together. The child was far too young to have lived through and seen everything she had by this early age.

The warrior didn't regret keeping Sasha with her but at times she wished she could have given her daughter a different life. Xena had thought she was doing the best thing for Solan when she left him as an infant with the centaurs. She regretted that decision even though it was the right one; she knew if she had tried to keep him they would both probably have ended up dead.

Xena growled, it seemed like she and Gabrielle never got more than a month or so to rest and try and build a normal life. Now since she knew they were both immortal the warrior wondered if the conflicts and hard times were going to go on forever.

After a bit Cyrene handed the bard her apron to wipe her eyes with and called for Torris to bring food for the bard.

"When is Xena coming home?" Cyrene began, hoping that she could get a little more detailed information out of the bard.

"As soon as she can get through the snow," Gabrielle answered, smiling at the sight of Torris appearing with a tray of food. She was hoping she could finally keep food down.

"That could be another two moons or more," Cyrene complained and immediately noticed Gabrielle's pained expression.

"I know," the bard muttered.

"You've both been gone for seasons," Cyrene commented. "I've missed you."

"We've missed you and everyone, too," Gabrielle smiled and took a bit of food with some hesitation.

Cyrene's sharp eyes noticed Gabrielle's hesitation and the thinness of the bard.

"Having trouble eating?" she asked, her voice filled with concern.

Gabrielle began blushing a bright red and immediately felt her stomach turn over. She jumped to her feet so quickly that she knocked over the chair as she dashed outside, her body racked with vomiting again.

Cyrene followed her daughter-in-law outside and handed the bard a wet cloth as Gabrielle tried to stand up on unsteady legs.

"Sorry," Gabrielle muttered.

"How long as this been going on?" Cyrene asked as they sat down on a bench outside the tavern door.

"Since we returned from fighting Alti and Bacchus," Gabrielle said reluctantly.

"Gabrielle, what is going on? You and Xena can't get sick and yet you are?"

The bard's green eyes filled with tears and she wouldn't meet Cyrene's eyes.

"The healers and everyone think it's a physical reaction to what happened with Alti and Bacchus," Gabrielle whispered.

"Tell me what happened," Cyrene encouraged, leading Gabrielle back inside into the warm inn.

At first Cyrene thought Gabrielle wasn't going to tell her but then the bard broke down once again and slowly the story emerged.

Xena's mother thought she had heard the worst her daughter and daughter-in-law could ever be put through. After Gabrielle had disappeared and it was revealed she had been a Roman slave and gladiator and Cyrene thought it couldn't get much worse than that. Now this torture and sexual abuse was worse and mostly because of Gabrielle's guilt about it.

Cyrene could tell the memory of it was tearing Gabrielle apart inside and out.

"Gabrielle, you did nothing wrong," Cyrene said softly, holding the small blonde in her arms. "I'm partly to blame for this."

"What?" Gabrielle sat up, attempting to wipe the tears from her face.

"I told Xena when your Bacchae blood started coming to the surface you might be easily called by Bacchus, especially in the Fall or Spring. I even mentioned that you might not be able to resist a bacchanalia," Cyrene informed her. "Maybe I should have warned against Spirit Realm travel."

"It's not your fault," Gabrielle smiled slightly. "We didn't know Bacchus was there."

"Then it's not your fault either," Cyrene countered.

Gabrielle frowned, unable to argue, she realized had fallen into a trap of logic.

Cyrene looked up as Torris walked into the main room and gently hugged the bard.

"Want me to send word to Solan and Reija that Gabrielle's back? And where's Xena?" he asked.

"She'll be a moon or so behind me," Gabrielle continued frowning. "I took a short cut home."

"Yes, send word to Solan and Reija and have them come here," Cyrene smiled and Torris went off to find one of the kitchen servants.

"What about Joxer? He'll want to know I'm back," Gabrielle mentioned.

Cyrene grinned. "I've got news for you!"

"What?" Gabrielle demanded as Cyrene helped her out of the heavier leather jacket and over shirt, glad to be left with her woolen trousers and lighter tunic.

"Someone that looked just like Xena showed up one day and grabbed Joxer, kissing the daylights out of him," Cyrene laughed.

"Meg," Gabrielle joined in the laughter.

"So we found out," Cyrene agreed. "They left a week later after getting married."

"Married?" Gabrielle wasn't sure if she was going to keep her balance in the chair or not. Joxer married?

Gabrielle's eyebrows furrowed in thought. She had grown used to having Joxer around after missing him for several years. He had grown into a decent guy and someone she and Xena could always count on him whenever they needed him, even if he was a bumbling Wanna-be warrior.

Married?

That evening, dinner was spent telling Solan, Reija, Dex the blacksmith, Torris, Cyrene and Torris' new wife, Despesia, about the recent journeys.

Cyrene and Solan both had the feeling the bard was skipping over a bit when it came to how badly she and Xena had been injured during the battle with Grendel but didn't say anything.

They were right, Gabrielle didn't tell them that she had willingly sacrificed her own healing energy to Xena and had died for five days. She told them they had both almost died, she left out that Xena would have died if Gabrielle hadn't taken her place.

She also didn't tell them the details of the fight with Bacchus and Alti, especially the details of her own torture and pleasures. Cyrene knew some of the details from Gabrielle's earlier breakdown but, again, didn't say anything.

Gabrielle answered questions about Artemis healing her back and bringing her back to Greece and it was evident from the bard's flashing eyes that she hadn't been in total agreement with her mate and patron Goddess.

What was surprising was when one of the tavern maids walked up and told Gabrielle softly that someone at the bar would like to talk to her.

Gabrielle was amused and touched when several hands rested on daggers in a protective gesture of the bard, especially since she didn't have the use of her hands. The bard cursed silently at the sais in her boots that were useless to her.

Everyone glanced over at the figure and frowned when all they saw was a shape in a traveling cloak with the hood pulled up high over the face. Several pairs of eyes noted a male hand stretching for a mug of something on the bar and the gold bracer on his wrist.

Gabrielle smiled slightly. "It's okay, I know him," she said simply and went to stand next to the figure.

"Apollo, I was wondering where you were," she said simply as he drank from the mug of ale. "Artemis said you wanted me home."

The God of the Sun turned and carefully embraced his daughter and then gently ran his hands down her arms until they rested on her bandages.

Gabrielle hissed slightly and felt her eyes close and head go back slightly as energy pulsed through her body.

It was over in a moment and the bard turned quickly, lifting her hands up to stop her alarmed family from rushing over.

Solan and Torris were the last to reluctantly sit down and both kept a close eye on her as she turned back to the stranger.

"Thank you, Father," she said softly. "Can you bring Xena home?"

"No, my power is even weaker in the North than Artemis'," he answered sadly. "They worship a Goddess of the sun, not a God. I'll be around though until she gets back."

"Thank you," Gabrielle hugged her deity father again and turned back to the table. A glance back told the bard her father had disappeared.

The bard began removing the bandages from her wrists, knowing that she'd find only angry red scars underneath. Her hands were now hers again.

Xena yipped at the dogs, setting the team into motion and Hallvor set her team to work right behind the Greek. Eponin was frustrated because she felt basically useless in the snows of Siberia, whereas Xena had experience from traveling in the north and Hallvor was a native.

She had grumbled about not knowing how to help with everything until Xena assigned her the cooking duties of the trip since Gabrielle wasn't with them.

Neither Black Forest Amazon was surprised when Xena had put together the dog teams and gotten everything together in the space of a day and they were trekking through the snow at dawn the next morning.

Yakut and Otere had wanted them to stay for the winter but the Greek had been stubborn and the Northern Amazons hadn't fought too hard either. They knew Xena wouldn't be separated from Gabrielle for very long, especially since the bard had been injured and was still suffering emotionally.

Xena wrapped a thin layer of gauze over her eyes to help block the blinding sun as it reflected off the snow and let the dogs take their lead. Sveltana had assured Xena and Hallvor that the teams they had put together were the best and the lead dogs were her own personal selection.

Xena hadn't been happy with letting Artemis just taking Gabrielle without the bard's permission the way she had but she hoped that her mate would be in a forgiving mood by the time the warrior got back to Greece. She wasn't sure though, she knew how stubborn Gabrielle could be, especially when mad.

Even with conservative estimates, it was going to take two months to get back to her mate.

A glance down told the warrior that Sasha was peeking through the fur surrounding her and then the child ducked back into the warmth. Xena grinned a rueful grin; Sasha and Pony would be the ones staying warm on this trip. They were both wrapped in cocoons of fur on top of the supplies. The shape of the sleds helped form the cocoon and the fur ensured warmth. Xena and Hallvor would be freezing along with the dogs outside the sleds.

The warrior had only spent two nights without Gabrielle and she was already lonely.

Cyrene handed the bard a travel pack of food and smiled at her daughter-in-law.

"You going to be okay?" she asked, sounding very much like the mother she was feeling like right then.

"Yes, I'll be fine now that I've got the use of my hands again," Gabrielle grinned.

It did hurt Cyrene to see that Gabrielle was wearing a simple tunic instead of her preferred leather top. It wasn't cold in Greece yet but Cyrene knew that wasn't the reason the bard was now wearing full shirts. It was because of the damned scars across her back.

Those scars were obviously from a whip and animal claws and had gotten the bard in trouble with Roman troops once before. A small patrol passing through Amphipolis had mistaken her for a slave because of those lashes. Now the bard had even more scars added to the original ones, courtesy of Bacchus.

"You're still not eating right and I've seen you getting dizzy whenever you stand up too quickly," Cyrene protested.

Gabrielle leaned down from her horse to grasp Cyrene's hand.

The bard quickly grabbed the reins tightly as the horse suddenly spooked and Cyrene reached out to steady herself against the Tavern door.

"What?" Gabrielle cried out.

"Earthquake! Small one!" Cyrene said simply. After a moment the tremors stopped and they both looked around the village. People were coming out of the shops and homes and were looking around, comparing notes on possible damage and checking on each other.

"Maybe you should stay?" Cyrene suggested.

"I'll be okay, I'll probably be better after spending some time with Lila and my mom," Gabrielle grinned.

"I know, you need your other family right now," Cyrene relented and stepped back from the horse and rider.

"I've got a couple of things to do and I want to see Mom and Lila for a couple of days," Gabrielle said simply and was off down the road leading from Xena's village, now her home as well.

Joxer picked up the last of the pieces of broken pottery and threw them in the basket that already held several broken bottles and jugs. Fortunately there hadn't been a lot of damage from the earthquake two days before but this was the first chance he had to clean up the barn.

Joxer pulled his shirt off and wiped his brow with it. The barn, where they kept the supplies for the tavern, was cooler than outside but it was still warm work pulling kegs of ale down onto the small cart.

He looked around, taking a quick inventory of the supplies, like he did every day and was pleased. The wine was holding out and the ale was well stocked. The two milk cows and goats that supplied the inn with milk for butter and cooking were content in their pens outside and several chickens ran around free.

The warrior was pleased with his life as it was turning out. He and Meg had been married two months and were getting along well. The idea of running a tavern had been an easy one, Joxer's parents ran a boarding house after his father's retirement from soldiering and Meg was a natural at handling the patrons.

Joxer reflected that he was pretty happy, overall. Meg knew he still had deep feelings for Gabrielle but he had moved beyond being "in love" with the bard. Joxer figured that what he and Meg had was more than enough for a good relationship that could last a lifetime, friendship and lust.

It did unnerve him at times that she looked exactly like Xena and found it weird that he could have fallen for a twin of Xena and not a twin of Gabrielle. Not that he had ever met a twin of hers.

Weird, he thought, he knew about the Priestess, Princess Diana and Meg - all twins of the Warrior Princess and yet they had never come across a twin for Gabrielle. Not that he was complaining, mind you, that would get really weird, he decided.

He understood some of Xena's frustration whenever she had to deal with one of her twins, Meg included. Growing up as part of triplets had been a pain in the ass, he thought.

"Joxer?"

The warrior turned innkeeper hesitated. What? He knew that voice. Joxer turned slowly and tried to take in the fact that it was Gabrielle standing in the door.

Joxer grinned a goofy grin and grabbed the little bard up in his arms in a massive hug.

"Gabrielle!" he almost shouted.

"Easy, Joxer," Gabrielle laughed in his arms.

He reluctantly put her back onto her feet and took a step back to look at his friend. He noted the tunic and traveling clothes and grinned.

"Heading to your mom's?" he questioned.

"Actually, I wanted to see you," Gabrielle said simply.

"Really? Gods, it is so good to see you!" he grinned. He moved back into the barn to grab his shirt. He was surprised when Gabrielle followed him in. "Is Xena with you?"

Not receiving an answer, he turned and glanced at his friend. He was very puzzled and instantly concerned when Gabrielle's face showed pain and she turned her eyes away from his.

"Gabby?"

"Xena's still in the north," she answered softly and moved closer to her friend.

Joxer moved even closer when he saw tears welling up in her eyes.

"Something's happened, Joxer."

The long-time friend pulled the bard into his arms as she began to cry softly. After a few moments he lifted her chin up to look him in the eyes.

"What happened, Gabrielle?"

"We went into the Spirit Realm to face Alti again, only Bacchus was there too," Gabrielle began.

Joxer uttered a string of curses that he had learned in the east while working as a caravan guard, some of them in Arabic, some in Persian and some in Greek. Gabrielle was impressed with the variety of suggestions that Bacchus could try according to Joxer.

The tavern keeper moved his friend to a hay bale and sat down next to her, wrapping his arm around her.

"What happened?" he asked softly.

"I couldn't fight him for long, he tortured me and then tossed me into a bacchanalia, trying to break me down to drink his blood," Gabrielle continued.

"Where was Xena?" he demanded.

"Fighting Alti," the bard answered.

"Go on," he encouraged.

"I gave in, Joxer," she cried softly. "To the sex, to the torture, to the blood."

"How did you get out?" Joxer asked.

"Xena was badly wounded and brought to Bacchus. She took a chance and let me bite her. It somehow brought me back and we forced Bacchus back to the physical realm in Greece," Gabrielle explained.

"So why is Xena in the North and you're here?" he asked.

"Artemis zapped me back here because of my injuries and feelings," Gabrielle answered.

"What do you mean?"

"I can't face Xena, Joxer," the bard whispered, tears flowing down her face again. "I betrayed her and our vows, I know that she can't forgive me for enjoying some of what happened."

"Of course she can, you two are soul-mates and are meant to be together," Joxer protested.

"Not anymore, Joxer," Gabrielle stated simply. "I discovered something while in the Spirit Realm."

"What?"

The warrior turned tavern-keeper began muttering protests as Gabrielle moved his face around and began kissing him deeply. After a moment he stopped protesting and pulled Gabrielle into his arms.

Joxer suddenly pulled back and held Gabrielle at arm's length.

"Gabby!" he protested. "What are we doing?"

"Finally giving into our feelings?" she suggested.

"We're both married! I married Meg and you're married to Xena!" he continued to protest. "Xena, tall, dark and deadly! Xena, as in she will kill me and chop me into pieces Xena!"

"Joxer," Gabrielle smiled and placed a hand on the man's chest, attempting to calm him down as his voice rose in tone and volume.

"What?" he snapped and then moaned softly as Gabrielle's lips met his again and her hands began roaming up and down his back. "Gabby."

Joxer found his desire for the bard quickly returning as Gabrielle's lips left his and moved to his earlobe and she began to nibble lightly.

"Gabrielle, we can't do this!" he protested, his hands moving under the tunic to her back. Somewhere his mind noted the feeling of scars under his fingers.

"Tell me you don't want me anymore," the bard whispered fiercely and bit down on his neck.

"Oh Gods!" the warrior cried and then whimpered as his hands moved to the front of Gabrielle's tunic and found the breasts he had dreamed about for years. Joxer lost all control as Gabrielle's hands reached for his belt and pulled him down to the hay-covered floor.

Xena sat up in her bedroll, sweating, despite the snow surrounding the small party. The warrior quickly looked around, hand on her chakram. Everyone else was still asleep and undisturbed.

Hallvor and Pony were curled up in one set of furs and on the other side of the fire; Sasha was sleeping comfortably next to her mom.

Xena wasn't sure if the Amazons were lovers yet but at least they weren't growling at each other. It had been a difficult transition for the two women.

Hallvor and Pony had been extremely attracted to each other until Pony found out that Hallvor was a werserker and had a tendency to turn into a vicious wolf-like human creature during battle and during sex.

That had taken some getting around, the warrior admitted to herself. They had finally settled into being friends but not lovers.

The warrior's sharp eyes continued darting around the camp, listening for sounds and watching for anything out of the ordinary. After a moment Xena figured it was a bad dream. Something about Gabrielle, she felt.

Something was off and she couldn't put her finger on it.

Meg stepped out of the tavern's back door, curious as to where Joxer had gotten himself to. He had left more than a candle-mark earlier to get more kegs of ale out of the barn and to clean up the mess out there.

The tavern keeper stumbled backwards as two horses pounded out of the barn door. Meg looked up, surprised to see Gabrielle and Joxer on horses.

Sharp eyes saw love bites on Gabrielle's neck and scratches on Joxer's neck and chest.

Meg's husband began blushing a bright red as he caught sight of Meg.

"Meg," he stammered.

"Joxer?" she snapped.

"Meg, I…" the gentle warrior stammered.

"Come on, lover," Gabrielle urged and smacked his horse across the rump with her hand.

Meg screamed in rage as both horses broke into a gallop away from the tavern. The sound of Gabrielle's laughter sounding in her ears.

Xena growled at the snow swirling around them. She finally pulled the dogs to a stop and waited as Hallvor pulled up next to her sled. The Viking Amazon leaned next to Xena's mouth to hear the warrior over the howling wind.

"We'd better stop!" Xena shouted.

Hallvor nodded and moved quickly to set up an emergency lean-to for the women and child while Xena tipped over the sleds and led the dogs to the semi-shelter. The warrior promised them that she'd look at their paws later for ice damage. Some of them were already wearing little leather wrappings on their feet to protect them. Sasha had giggled for five marks over the dogs wearing booties. The dogs in turn, delighted with a laughing child, had romped around and on top of Sasha, licking her and making her laugh even more.

Xena glanced into the lean-to and the other two women cuddling with Sasha to warm her up. The Greek warrior yelled in anger against the wind and snow fighting them, slowing their progress.

Joxer fell back onto the sleeping furs, exhausted and breathing heavily. Gabrielle collapsed on top of him, her head resting on his shoulder.

"Gabrielle, we've been traveling for two days and you haven't told me where we're headed," he mentioned once he finally caught his breath again.

He moaned softly as his bard shifted her weight on top of him and moved down to nibble on his chest.

"Does it matter anymore?" she asked.

"No, I guess not. I figure we can't go home so that leaves the rest of the world," he said thoughtfully.

"Except the Amazons, they won't agree with me leaving Xena and taking up with a male," Gabrielle whispered and felt Joxer's attention turning elsewhere and began kissing him again.

After a moment he broke away, trying to breathe again.

"Gods, woman!" he sputtered. "You trying to kill me with sex?"

"Sounds like a wonderful way to go," she muttered as she moved down his body.

"Oh yeah!" he agreed.

Xena was in a really bad mood. Weird dreams were disturbing her sleep, the snowstorms were making the going difficult and she was tired of eating cold rations.

Hallvor glanced over at Eponin and shrugged, neither of them knew how to help.

Sasha curled up in her Mom's arms, ignoring Xena's growl of frustration.

It was going to be a long trip.

Joxer leaned over the little bard and kissed the lovely neck. Gabrielle grinned and ruffled his shock of hair as she stirred the stew cooking over the fire.

He smiled and sat down across the fire from her, relishing the opportunity to watch her.

"What are you thinking, Joxer?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"How content I am. I never thought I could feel like this," Joxer admitted. "Spending my life with you on the road, having you in my arms at night."

"That's the plan, Joxer," the bard grinned and Joxer frowned.

"What plan?"

"To be content and peaceful, we haven't had that in our lives," Gabrielle replied.

"That's true, especially you," Joxer agreed. He moved to sit next to her and wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "You have the most gentle soul, Gabrielle. It's always killed me to think about how much you've been through."

"I know, and you've always been there whenever I needed you," the bard said, leaning her head onto his shoulder. "Just like now, sometimes predictable can be nice."

Joxer didn't see the sparkle in the bard's green eyes.

Xena smiled at the progress the Black Forest Amazons had made over the seasons since the Roman attack had killed most of them. The village was slowly blending into the forest. Instead of clearing part of the trees out, the Amazons had chosen to build their huts among the trees and not disturb the beauty of the area with clear cutting.

Eponin and Hallvor had discovered that their number had increased with the addition of three more infants that had been abandoned by local villagers and two teenage girls that had fled unpleasant marriage prospects.

Xena was impressed with the training the older Amazons were giving the younger ones. She was also pleased with the obvious pride Eponin had in her new tribe. The evening was spent around the main fire pit, Eponin telling of how she and Hallvor had tracked Gabrielle down and challenged the bard to the right of Queenship over the Amazons.

The description of Gabrielle's condition after eating poisoned grain had been harrowing and Xena felt her heart aching for her bard even more now than ever. Eponin explained to the tribe that the bard and warrior hadn't betrayed the Amazons to the Romans and that Gabrielle was still the same woman they had known before. The survivors of the Roman massacre nodded in relief, they had never wanted to believe that one of their most beloved Queens had betrayed them.

Eponin went on to tell how Gabrielle had recovered and named Eponin Regent of the Amazons and acting Queen. The Amazons were disappointed that the bard Queen wasn't with the travelers but understood after Pony continued her tale of the battle with Grendel and then the fight with Alti. After describing Gabrielle's injuries to her tribe, the Amazons more than understood Xena's agreement to send Gabrielle back to Greece with the Goddess Artemis for healing.

The Amazons then set about welcoming Xena to their village, especially delighting in Sasha, Gabrielle's adopted daughter and accepted Amazon.

Xena finally began to let herself relax a bit. More than a month had been spent traveling in the snow and the warrior was tired and anxious to be home but she also knew that it was important to spend at least a couple of days in the village since Gabrielle couldn't be there. She was somewhat standing in for her mate as Champion and Consort to the Queen.

The Black Forest Amazons were all anxious to prove their worthiness to the legendary warrior and mate to Gabrielle and after awhile Xena grew tired of the youngsters and headed for one of the small huts where Sasha was already asleep.

"Artemis, can you hear me?" Xena called softly to the darkness.

Xena growled softly when the Goddess didn't respond and reluctantly removed her winter clothing and crawled into the sleeping furs.

"Xena's going to come after us, isn't she?" Joxer asked softly as he rolled up their sleeping furs. He had been with Gabrielle for two weeks and couldn't believe his fortune.

The former soldier had a feeling it wouldn't last and he didn't want to be anywhere on Earth when Xena found out that Gabrielle had left her.

"Probably, I'm hoping she won't," Gabrielle answered easily as she cooked breakfast.

"Is that why you go off to write in your scrolls? Writing down your feelings?" he asked casually. Joxer was actually puzzled by Gabrielle behavior at times.

The bard would beg some time to herself and he would gladly wander off to go fishing or hunting. Gabrielle told him that she wanted to take some time with her scrolls and the request hadn't surprised him but had confused him a bit. Whenever he had traveled with Xena and Gabrielle before, the bard hadn't been shy about writing in the evening around the campfire with both Xena and Joxer there.

Many a time the soldier had caught himself staring at her while her mind was obviously engrossed in whatever she was writing. He had always thought she was so beautiful in the firelight, absently brushing a strand of reddish blond hair out of her eyes as she bent over a scroll.

What really puzzled him was that the last two times she had gone off into the woods by herself, Gabrielle had left her scrolls behind.

"Something like that," she answered vaguely.

Joxer decided to let it go; maybe she was dealing with the grief of leaving Xena. It had to be rough for her, he figured, they had been together for years and had been through death and beyond.

The former soldier ran a hand through his shock of dark hair, now with touches of

grey. How had he ended up with Gabrielle after all she had been through with Xena? He knew they were soul mates, even blood bonded. Nothing on earth or beyond should be able to break that bond.

Then Joxer scolded himself. He had taken vows with Meg and had meant them, every single word but had easily broken them. He was still having problems dealing with himself over that. Joxer the Mighty had run off without even saying he was sorry to his wife.

He angrily brushed away a tear, keeping his back to Gabrielle. He didn't want to add anymore to the guilt she was probably already feeling about the whole affair.

Meg had deserved better than he had given her, he cursed himself. She had changed her life for him and had only asked for whatever love he could give her.

"Maybe we should think of leaving the country for awhile," he suggested. He knew for certain he didn't want to face an angry Meg and no one ever wanted to face an angry Xena. Even his family had probably heard what happened and was cursing his name even now.

He didn't even want to think about how Cyrene or Solan would treat him now. He thought they would probably take out their anger on certain parts of his anatomy that were below the belt.

"That's probably a good idea," the bard agreed, coming up behind Joxer and wrapping her arms around him and nuzzling his neck. "You're worried about Xena and Meg finding us?"

"Yeah, they're both kinda known for their tempers," he tried to smile as he held onto her arms.

"That's true, I was thinking maybe Eire," she said softly, beginning to nibble on his earlobe.

"Why not north? You know the languages now." Joxer asked, his breath quickening as her hand went down the front of his shirt.

"I'm very well known up there as Xena's mate, Vikings aren't keen on divorce," she answered and moved around to sit on his lap, facing him.

Guilty thoughts faded to the back of his mind as the bard's neck was so inviting.

"I do want to take a couple of days and visit my family, if that's okay," she whispered, pulling his tunic off and gasping as his fingers ran over her nipples.

"Sure, we can be there in a couple of days," he muttered, pulling off her tunic as well and replacing his fingers with his lips.

"Oh Gods, Joxer," Gabrielle muttered, running her fingers through his hair, encouraging him. Then she pulled his head back to look down into his eyes. "I need a couple of days alone with them, to explain things."

"Okay, you want me to stay here?"

"Yes," she answered and then kissed him deeply. "And, lover, I want you to continue what we've started."

Joxer grinned and gladly went back to his worship of his bard.

Cyrene was pleased when Gabrielle walked into the tavern two days later. Then she frowned, the bard was still too thin and haggard looking, even after being gone for three weeks. Gabrielle grinned as Cyrene rushed up to hug her tightly and then pulled back. The bard could tell she was being assessed.

"You're not much better than when you left," Cyrene scolded.

"I know, I'm still having trouble eating and feel tired all the time," Gabrielle admitted.

"I'm glad you're back then, where I can keep an eye on you. How's your family?"

"Doing well, Lila is pregnant again. Her son, Patron, is as big as a house and Lila has her hands full keeping up with him," Gabrielle smiled as they sat down at one of the tables. "Mom married her neighbor and it's a love match. His name is Antonious and he's kind."

"Good, I know times were rough with your father," Cyrene smiled.

"Yes, at times," Gabrielle admitted. "He used his fists too often. I think he was beaten as a child and didn't know how to act any different but he did love my mom and us."

"Xena told me how he wanted to change at the end," the mother mentioned softly.

"There is something," Gabrielle hesitated and then grinned as Torris came in and rushed to hug the bard.

"Glad you're back! We haven't had any good entertainment in forever!"

"Thank you, Torris," the bard smiled. "I'm glad to be back and I can't wait to get my life back to normal."

"Normal?" he laughed as he sat down with the two women. "When has things ever been normal with you and my sister?"

Cyrene laughed as her daughter-in-law blushed. It was good to see the two of them teasing each other. There was a time when Torris would have growled whenever he saw Gabrielle.

"That's something I wanted to talk to you both about. I was going to wait until Xena got here but..."

"It's alright, Gabrielle," Cyrene encouraged. "You left a lot out of your description of what happened to you and Xena while you were gone."

Again Gabrielle blushed with the truth.

"Yes, I did," she admitted. "Xena and I learned something while fighting the Northern monster Grendel."

Gabrielle hesitated, gathering her thoughts of where to begin and how much to reveal. She didn't want to go into how it was Xena's fault the monster existed in the first place. Cyrene and Torris didn't need to know more of Xena's horrible past, they had heard enough, the bard decided.

"Grendel was a giant monster that was almost invincible to everything except Xena's chakram. She was also intelligent," Gabrielle continued. Torris got up and brought over a tray of cider and cups for all of them as Gabrielle talked. "Xena had fought Grendel before and the creature held a grudge. She kidnapped Sasha and almost killed Eponin, one of my original Amazons."

"She survived the Roman attack?" Torris asked, trying to keep up with the people in his sister-in-law's life.

"Yes, barely and has been rebuilding the tribe," Gabrielle smiled with pride in her friend and Regent. "To get Sasha back Xena exchanged herself."

"Oh by the Gods," Cyrene whispered. "You described some of what that monster did. It massacred entire settlements?"

"Yes, I saw at least 25 bodies in one hall alone. She did that in one night."

"What happened?" Cyrene choked out.

"Xena was beaten to the point of death," Gabrielle wiped away the first of many tears beginning to form in her eyes again. "That's when we learned some things about our lives."

"Obviously she made it," Torris said, quickly convincing himself that the story had a happy ending.

"Not really," Gabrielle whispered, closing her eyes. "She was so injured, not even her God-given healing ability could keep up."

Cyrene reached out and held the bard's hand.

"I called on Apollo," the bard continued. "I know that Cyrene knows but I haven't talked with you about it Torris, Apollo is my father."

"Apollo? The God of the Sun?" he whispered.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and smiled slightly. "Yup, the same. He confirmed that Xena was dying and no one but me could help."

Cyrene, having some experience with Gods, being the Goddess of Hecate for the area, narrowed her eyes. This did not sound good, she decided.

"How?" Torris finally asked.

"I inherited some of Apollo's healing abilities. I can heal if I expend my own energy. Xena was so far gone that the option was to trade places with her and exchange my life force for hers," Gabrielle whispered.

"No, oh Gabrielle," Cyrene whispered, already knowing the answer Gabrielle had given.

"Yes, Apollo also revealed that since he is my father and I've already died once," Gabrielle hesitated again. "He revealed that I'm immortal and so is Xena."

Gabrielle was surprised to find Cyrene nodding.

"I thought so," Cyrene answered, taking in both Torris' and Gabrielle's surprised looks. "I knew you were when Hecate revealed you died on that cross and Apollo brought you back. I suspected Xena might be because of her parentage."

"Parentage?" Torris questioned, his eyebrows furrowing.

Cyrene began blushing. "Xena's parents are Zeus and Hecate, I carried her and gave birth to her but they conceived her."

"My sister is a God?" he whispered.

"Demi-God," Cyrene corrected. "She died on a shaman journey and became immortal. She might even discover some God abilities down the line."

"Immortal? Both of you?" Torris questioned, still trying to puzzle it out.

"Yes," Gabrielle answered.

"You'll never die?"

"Only if we're killed, we won't grow old and we don't get sick," the bard responded.

"Then why are you sick now?" he demanded. He had also taken a good look at the bard and didn't like what he saw.

"She's not sick physically, not really," Cyrene corrected and turned back to Gabrielle and noticed the bard's thoughtful expression. "You traded places? You died again?" Cyrene continued, wanting to focus the bard on the immortal thing for the moment.

Gabrielle again blushed. "Yes, for five days, they tell me."

"Five days?" Torris felt like his head was spinning. "How did you come back?"

"The Northern Gods let me after Xena defeated the monster. Her reward for dealing with Grendel," Gabrielle said simply.

"What was it like? Where did you go?" Torris asked quickly.

"I really don't want to talk about that," Gabrielle frowned. "My memories about it are fuzzy and my tongue doesn't seem to work when I try and talk about it."

"Okay, there's more though, isn't there?" Cyrene asked.

"Yes, the Northern Gods Odin and Freya told us that Sasha has inherited powers from being the daughter of Xena and Ares. They said those powers are going to go totally out of control when she gets her first blood cycle and they insist on training her."

"For how long?" Torris frowned.

"At least two winters or more," Gabrielle responded, frowning herself.

"Xena would never agree to that!" Cyrene exclaimed.

"She agreed once Sasha did," Gabrielle explained.

"What?" Torris demanded. After making peace with Xena and Gabrielle he had bonded nicely with the children of Xena, both Solan and Sasha.

"Sasha can see things about the future and she has seen things about her future if she doesn't get the training," Gabrielle said simply. "She thinks it's for the best and Xena had to agree."

"When does this happen?" Cyrene asked, still frowning. "Is she coming home first?"

"Yes," Gabrielle smiled. "We have a full turn of the seasons and then we head north again."

"Anything else you want to reveal?" Torris asked, slightly teasing but still serious and so grinned when Gabrielle blushed again.

"Not that I can think of right now," she mumbled.

"Torris," Cyrene turned to her son. "Why don't you go help in the kitchen before the dinner crowd? I've got something to talk over with Gabrielle."

"Sure, Mom," he got up and leaned over the table to kiss Gabrielle's cheek. "Glad you're home."

"Thanks, Torris."

The bard waited for Cyrene to continue the conversation. The innkeeper looked uncomfortable.

"What is it, Mom?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"I get the feeling you really don't know what's happening with your body, do you?" Cyrene asked.

"Cyrene, what are you talking about?" Gabrielle asked. "I told you some of what happened with Bacchus, every time I think about it I get sick."

Cyrene noted Gabrielle's jaw tightening and her fist clenching the edge of the table.

"Every time I close my eyes I feel the hands, lips and bodies of others. Men and women, Bacchae and human and none of them were Xena!" Gabrielle growled, closing her eyes. "I feel the whip landing on my back; I feel the spikes through my wrists."

Cyrene got up quietly and knelt by Gabrielle's chair. Tears began flowing down the bard's cheeks.

"I hear Bacchus, Mom," she whispered. "I hear Bacchus' voice and someone pulling me to them sexually. I think it was Bacchus."

Cyrene wrapped her arms around Gabrielle as the bard began to cry.

"You didn't tell Xena that, did you?" Cyrene whispered.

"No, I couldn't!" Gabrielle cried softly. "I get sick just thinking about it and I can't sleep."

"And you get sick just thinking about most food?" Cyrene questioned.

"Most food," Gabrielle agreed.

"Anything that you can keep down and can't get enough of?" Cyrene asked. "Besides nut bread?"

"I can't even tolerate nut bread right now," the bard admitted in a small voice and shrugged at Cyrene's astounded expression. "I seem to want goat cheese all the time."

Gabrielle looked puzzled as Cyrene smiled softly and looked the bard in the eyes.

"Okay, just come right out and say it, I guess," Cyrene muttered to herself.

"Cyrene, if you have any idea what is going on with me, please tell me," Gabrielle asked.

"Gabrielle, when was your last blood cycle?"

The bard looked puzzled and then thoughtful. "Before facing Alti, I think. With everything that happened, I figured the throwing up and everything was messing my cycle up."

"Gabrielle, I've been a mom three times now and I've helped almost every girl in this village deliver their children," Cyrene said simply.

Gabrielle's eyes widened in shock. "No," she whispered.

"I think so, you've got all the classic signs," Cyrene said gently.

"No," the bard shook her head firmly. "You need a man for that and there's only been Perdicus, years ago."

"What happens in the Spirit Realm affects the body in this one," Cyrene pointed out, trying to hold back her own tears.

"No!" Gabrielle cried, closing her eyes. Her eyes were slightly frantic when she opened them again. "They were spirits, not living beings!" she protested.

"Bacchus wasn't a spirit," Cyrene said softly, tears beginning to flow down her cheeks as well.

"No!" Gabrielle screamed and jumped up from her chair.

Xena grinned at Pony as the Amazon Regent walked up behind Hallvor and embraced the shorter Viking Amazon.

The warrior was glad to see this new development; Hallvor had been more relaxed since the incident with Grendel and the truce between the Vampires and Amazons. After the battle with Grendel and the spell was broken, Hallvor had gained a measure of control over her wolf-self, at least sexually. She still had a tendency to go berserk in battle, especially when dealing with vampires but now any sexual partners didn't have to worry about having their throats ripped out by a werewolf like creature.

The attraction between Pony and Hallvor must have heated up over the recent days in the Amazon Village.

Xena felt a wave of sadness hit her as Hallvor turned and began kissing Pony passionately. The warrior missed her bard, badly.

Xena grabbed one of the ropes leading to the ground and quickly descend from the small tree hut she had shared with Sasha. As if hearing her thoughts, Sasha was waiting at the base of the tree, her packs already tied on a horse. The warrior grinned and hugged her growing daughter and looked around to see Hallvor and Pony descending from their tree.

The warrior accepted a pack of food from the Amazon cook and tied it on top of the other packs on her horse. A quick round of warrior handshakes, quick hugs for Pony and Hallvor and Xena and Sasha mounted their horses.

It was barely past dawn but Xena was anxious to be on the way home. She hadn't been sleeping well and felt uncomfortable. Xena had the feeling that something was wrong with Gabrielle and none of the deities had answered her calls.

The warrior was a little pissed. She had half expected Artemis to show up once Xena and Sasha had gotten closer to Greece and among the Amazons again, among worshippers of the Goddess. Still the Goddess hadn't appeared. Neither had Apollo.

Xena glanced over and found Sasha watching her as they traveled along the narrow trail.

"What?" the warrior asked.

"You're worried about Mum," Sasha said simply.

"Yes, you know what she went through fighting Bacchus," Xena responded. "I don't like being away from her."

"I saw more than you did, Mom," Sasha reminded Xena.

Instantly the warrior was regretful. Because Sasha had acted as a lifeline for Gabrielle and Xena while they were in the Spirit Realm, she had been connected to them. She also had the gift of psychic sight and had been able to see even more than the shaman Yakut. Even more than Xena, she could see Gabrielle when the bard was in Bacchus' bacchanalia without Xena. The child had seen all the terrors of her adopted mom being tortured and sexual abused.

Xena's imagination and guilt over letting Gabrielle attempt the fight had filled her mind with images of what had probably happened to the bard. The warrior was sickened to think Sasha had actually seen the events.

"I'm sorry, Sasha," Xena said softly.

"I know," the child responded.

"Can you tell how she's doing?" Xena asked hopefully.

"No," Sasha frowned after a moment. "Something is blocking me. I can't see her."

"Damn!" Xena cursed and urged her horse into a gallop and Sasha pressed her horse to follow.

It had been over a month to travel through the snow and they had spent a polite five days among the Amazons.

It was going to take another two to three weeks to get home.

Cyrene rushed around the table and grabbed the bard by the arms.

"No!" Gabrielle cried out. "It can't be Bacchus!"

"We don't know that for certain!" Cyrene shouted.

"You brought him up! Who else could it be?" Gabrielle demanded. "He was the only living male there!"

Cyrene held tightly as Gabrielle sagged, her knees weakening.

"Oh Gods, I was with Bacchus?" the bard screamed.

Xena's mother looked over her shoulder and saw Torris pushing his wife and kitchen helper back into the kitchen.

Cyrene eased Gabrielle back into her chair as the bard wrapped her arms around her adopted mom and sobbed.

Torris walked up quietly.

"How can I help, Mom?" he asked softly.

"Open the door to the first available room and then help me get her to bed," Cyrene ordered.

"Shouldn't she be at home?"

"We can help Solan and Reija keep an eye on her here until Xena gets home," Cyrene answered, gently stroked the bard's hair.

"Oh Gods," Torris said softly. "It's bad, isn't it?"

"Yes, enough to shatter both of them, I think," Cyrene answered softly. "How much did you hear?"

"Only Gabrielle screaming something about Bacchus," he responded as he reached behind the bar and grabbed the master key to the rooms.

"That's enough for now," Cyrene commented.

"Mom, I want to be able to help," Torris protested.

"I know and I'll explain after we put her to bed and Solan and Reija get here. Can you send for them, please?"

"Already did," he smiled slightly, watching Gabrielle's sobs fading and the bard's body sagging with it.

Solan muttered curses under his breath as his Amazon wife Reija turned pale after Cyrene explained to them and Torris what was happening with Gabrielle.

"When does this end?" Solan snapped, his blue eyes flashing like his mother's.

"Now that they're immortal I'm not sure it ever will," Cyrene said ruefully.

"How do we help?" Reija asked, keeping an eye on her infant son playing under the table.

"I think we need to keep an eye on Gabrielle until Xena gets back," Cyrene said thoughtfully. "This incident in the Spirit Realm had already shattered her spirit, now this!"

Torris frowned at his mother's anger as she clenched her fists. He understood it, he knew they were all feeling helpless and hated it.

"I'm going to look in on her," he said simply and stood up.

"Thank you, Torris," Cyrene said gratefully. It was almost dinnertime and customers were started to wander in already. "Can you sit with her until after dinner? I'll have Reija bring you up a tray."

"Yes, of course," the eldest child of Cyrene agreed with a smile.

As he walked up the stairs he reflected on the change in his relationship with Gabrielle and Xena, much as his mother had done. He had resented Xena's return to Amphipolis, partly because of the legendary trouble she seemed to attract; partly because of the pain she had caused the family in her warlord days, but also because he was jealous.

He had been envious of Xena's relationship with Gabrielle once he knew they were more than only traveling companions. Torris had struggled with that revelation about himself for months. Was he jealous because he wanted Gabrielle for himself? He had finally come to the conclusion that part of his dislike of their relationship was that they were of the same gender and he did take some gruff teasing for that from villagers and other village elders. Another part was that he felt Xena hadn't deserved to be happy, especially with someone as special as Gabrielle.

He had taken his resentment out on both of them. He grinned at himself; it had taken over a month for his jaw to heal where Xena had hit him. Torris had made the mistake of getting angry and confronting his sister over her public display of affection for the bard. Xena had easily blocked his blows but Gabrielle had tried to step between them and he had hit the bard. It had taken a blacksmith's full strength to hold Xena back from killing her brother in a berserk fury and Gabrielle's gentle words to eventually calm her down.

Torris had struggled with his feelings. He began to admire how much Xena had changed and how much of that was due to Gabrielle and his resentment began to fade. His attitude had totally changed when Romans threatened the lives of Gabrielle, Xena and Sasha. In the struggle Joxer and Solan had killed several Roman soldiers, Joxer nearly being killed. Solan had been blinded, Torris smacked over the head with a club and Sasha taken.

After that day a peace had come between his sister, Gabrielle and himself until he now considered them friends. He was no longer teased by any of the Elders about Gabrielle and Xena's relationship either. Of course, a couple of Village Elders had attended the next town meeting with black eyes and Torris with bruised knuckles. Xena's older brother had refused to answer his mother's questions about that.

Now his sister's mate was in trouble again and he cursed the Fates that seemed to be working against them. He couldn't even blame it on Ares this time.

Torris stood looking in the room at the bed. Looking down at an empty bed in an empty room. Torris rushed in and grabbed up the scroll left on the pillow. He quickly scanned through it, trying to read the bard's writing in the moonlight.

"Mom!" he shouted as he flew down the stairs to the main room, taking the stairs two at a time.

Minutes later the back of the inn was a mass of confusion as everyone tried to talk at once. Cyrene raised her hands to stop the din and took control.

"Reija, go to the stable and see if Gabrielle's horse is there," she ordered. "If it is, tell the stable master not to let Gabrielle leave if she shows up."

"No one could stop Gabrielle if she wants something," Torris complained.

"He might be able to slow her down until we can talk to her," Cyrene countered. "Solan, if she has left town, you track her. You're the best tracker in the Village."

"When Mom isn't here," he said grimly and moved outside to wait for Reija's return from the stables.

"Mom, could Gabrielle really be serious about what she says in her note?" Torris asked softly as his wife cared for their toddler son.

"Yes, I'm afraid she might be. The Gods might not even be able to help this time," Cyrene said softly.

No one noticed the masculine hand reaching for the scroll that had been left on the bar.

Xena looked at the raging river confronting her and Sasha and yelled in anger. They were halfway home and facing another delay. The river was normally smooth and slow flowing at this part of the country but the recent rains that had plagued the Greeks had swollen the river into a dangerous obstacle.

The banks were usually smooth, grassy and peaceful, now the water had stripped away the grass and dug into the ground, leaving sharp embankments that could break a horses' neck.

Sasha pulled her hood back and brushed her dark hair out of her eyes and blinked through the rain to look at her mother.

"We'll have to go either up or down to find another crossing," the pre-teen said simply.

"I know, I know," Xena mumbled. "Do you get the feeling we're being delayed?"

Sasha frowned and closed her eyes for a moment. "I don't sense anything."

"I do, it's that same feeling I used to get whenever Ares was around," Xena complained.

"Well, it can't be Ares," Sasha commented, knowing that her father was safely locked away somewhere in a tomb. Placed there by her mother.

"I know, it's basically the same feeling and we're making miserable time," Xena complained. "Can you see anything about Gabrielle?"

Again the child closed her eyes and concentrated. Then Sasha opened her eyes and bright blue eyes met identical ones and Sasha shook her head.

"No, it's like looking into a fog," Sasha stated. "Can you pick up anything?"

"No, just that she's alive," Xena growled.

Xena glared at the river again. Either direction would mean another delay and the rain wasn't helping.

Finally the warrior's shoulders shagged. "Let's find somewhere to camp, hopefully out of the rain. We'll cross tomorrow."

Sasha knew her mom was frustrated. Ever since leaving the Northern Amazons it seemed that something delayed them. Snow storms, ice flows ripping rivers apart, lame dog teams and then needing to spend time with the Black Forest Amazons.

Now it was rain and another river. Sasha began to wonder if this was something more than possibly ill luck and if her mother was right.

Reija had reported to the family that Gabrielle's horse was already gone. Solan and Torris quickly scouted around the edge of town with a torch until Solan found fresh tracks. Having a direction to go, Solan continued on as Torris rushed back to get horses and let Cyrene know what direction they were heading.

Cyrene sent Reija home with her son, Kiryk and the innkeeper went to her room in the back of the inn and closed the door.

Lighting a single candle, Xena's mom sat down and began concentrating on the candle's flame.

"Hecate, Great Mother of Darkness and Wisdom, can you come to me? Hear my plea, my old friend," Cyrene intoned. "My family, our daughter is in trouble."

Cyrene felt the air behind her shift but closed her eyes.

"I know the trouble, Cyrene," Hecate's familiar voice whispered behind her. "Others are moving to help."

"Others?" Cyrene questioned.

"Yes, they have been keeping an eye on both Xena and Gabrielle and are stepping in now," Hecate explained.

"Will they succeed?" Cyrene questioned, a tear flowing down her cheek.

"I can't see the future when it concerns our children, Cyrene," Hecate whispered. "No mother can."

"Please, do you know what Gabrielle is planning?" Cyrene pleaded.

"Yes, have faith."

Xena had her chakram in her hand before she even blinked a second time. She could hear Sasha stirring next to her as they both took in the bright light filling the small clearing they were camped in.

Xena was sleeping with her back to Sasha, facing the opening of the pine-bough lean-to she had made for shelter. She noted that it had stopped raining and that it was Apollo standing near the center of the meadow.

"Apollo?" Xena questioned as she lowered the chakram and Sasha peered over her shoulder.

"Get up and get dressed!" he said urgently. "There's not much time!"

"What?" Xena blinked and sat up.

"Move!" Apollo shouted. "I need you ready to travel! Gabrielle is in trouble!"

The warrior was on her feet and in the Gods face in moments. "What? What's happened?"

The God of the Sun handed the warrior a rolled up scroll. He held up his hand above them, the light from it shining like a bright oil lamp.

Xena unrolled the scroll with a feeling of dread. Gabrielle's handwriting greeted her.

Xena;

My beloved soul mate and my life.

How can I tell you the reason for this when my own mind screams in rage and denial about what has happened to me?

I never thought that anything could come between or separate us. I always thought that one of us would fall in battle or an accident. I then pictured that one waiting on the other side.

I never dreamed we would end like this. I guess in a way I did fall in battle. That damned battle with Alti and Bacchus. I failed, my love and now I fall.

I can't live with the results of that battle and that loss. To do so could release a potential evil in the world. I'll take that future with me.

Xena, I'm sorry for your mother. I'm leaving it to her to explain the precise reasons for my actions and I'm sorry for that. I can't bear to write it down.

You've told me that I was the best thing in your life; I hope you can forgive me for this. I pray that the Gods forgive me and let me wait for you in one of the paradises.

I am hoping that all the good we've done will balance out against carrying this evil and for taking my own life.

I've chosen poison since my body reacts badly to it ever since our wedding, even with my immortal healing abilities.

There is so much to write you, my love, and now there is no time. I wouldn't change my life with you, Xena. Even the battle with Alti was necessary. We always knew that the odds of living until old age weren't good, I'm so sorry to leave you.

You'll find my body behind the altar where Aphrodite and I took on Ares, in the niche hidden by the bushes. I'm hoping that the shaman concentration skills you have taught me will block Apollo and Artemis from knowing where I am and stopping me.

Xena, I love you more than life its self but I can't carry through.

I love you. Forgive me.

Your Gabrielle

"Body? Poison?" Xena whispered as Sasha grabbed the scroll from her mother and quickly read while Xena attempted to absorb the words Gabrielle had written her.

"Yes!" Apollo hissed. "Artemis! Appear, damnit!"

The Forest and Moon Goddess appeared instantly.

"What is going on? You want me to delay the warrior and now you're yelling at me?" she demanded.

"Where is she?" Xena screamed.

"What?" Artemis snapped back.

"Gabrielle plans to kill herself!" Apollo shouted.

"What? That's not the plan!" Artemis yelled.

"No kidding!" Apollo growled. "Where did she and Aphrodite fight Ares?"

"One of my altars in the old Amazon forest, I don't know which one, I was in Tartarus," Artemis whined.

"We don't have time to search them, I already spent two days looking for her," Apollo grumbled while Xena and Sasha got dressed and gathered their gear together. Xena rushed over to the horses and removed their reins and set them loose. "Aphrodite!"

It was several moments before the Goddess of Love appeared, trying to rearrange her flimsy top, her hair mussed and she looked flustered.

"What? I was busy!" she snapped.

"At which altar did you and Gabrielle fight Ares?" Artemis demanded.

"Oh that's easy!" the Goddess giggled.

"Then take us there, Gabrielle's in trouble!" Apollo demanded.

"No problem, cousin!" Aphrodite snapped her fingers and everyone disappeared, leaving two confused horses in the middle of Northern Italia.

Gabrielle didn't dare make any prayers to Artemis, the Goddess might appear and try to stop her. She hoped that the Gods and Xena would forgive her.

The bard angrily wiped away tears and pulled out the vial of poison.

"Xena," she whispered as she uncorked the bottle and raised it to her lips.

A moment later, liquid was splashed over the distraught bard and she was holding a cut hand. Her green eyes widened at the sight of Goddesses, a God, Sasha, and Xena.

The warrior was holding the chakram she had just sent flying through the air, which shattered the bottle and cut Gabrielle's hand.

One look into those blue eyes and Gabrielle's strength failed and she fell back against the rock, breaking into tears.

Gabrielle began to wail as Xena's arms wrapped around her and pulled the bard from the niche behind the altar dedicated to Artemis.

"Xena, help me!"

"I'm here, little one, I'm here," Xena whispered, rocking her mate.

"Well, guys," Aphrodite looked around at Apollo, Artemis and Sasha who were watching the couple. "Someone want to, like, clue me in?"

"Gabrielle and Xena recently entered the Spirit Realm and fought the Northern shaman Alti," Artemis began. "Unfortunately Alti had joined up with Bacchus."

"Ewwww!" the Goddess of Love exclaimed. "Tall, dark, and fanged."

"Yes," Apollo grimaced in agreement. "Gabrielle was captured by him and went through an endless time of torture and sexual abuse."

Aphrodite's eyes widened, "I've been to more than a few Bacchanalia's in my time but everyone was more than happy to be there. Totally uncool and unfair!"

Apollo shook his head at his cousins' description. He felt the same way; he probably would have expressed it in a different way, though.

"My poor Chosen eventually gave in but was saved by Xena from being a total Bacchae," Artemis continued.

"Oh bummer! But can't they work through that?" Aphrodite asked.

"They probably would if Gabrielle hadn't come to the conclusion that the child she's carrying is the child of Bacchus," Apollo continued the explanation.

Both Xena and Gabrielle looked up in confusion.

"Child?" Xena whispered.

"But Bacchus was the only living being there besides me," Gabrielle protested.

"Bacchus?" Xena whispered, suddenly understanding Gabrielle's terror. "You were with Bacchus and now you're pregnant?"

Gabrielle buried her head in Xena's shoulder.

"Gabrielle," Xena pulled the bard's head up until Gabrielle looked her in the eyes, both with tears flowing down their cheeks. "Gabrielle, I love you. Whatever this means, I don't care. We'll face it together, you and me. I don't care if the child is from Bacchus, it's also your child."

"I can't!" Gabrielle protested.

"You accepted a child of Ares," Sasha said simply.

Gabrielle frowned in thought and Xena smiled gratefully at her daughter.

"Besides," Apollo drew their attention. "It doesn't matter."

"What do you mean?" Xena asked, still holding tightly to Gabrielle.

Artemis sighed and knelt down in front of the couple. She gently stroked Gabrielle's hair. "Chosen, we gave you time to figure out you were pregnant before Xena could get back to Greece. We never dreamed you would think it was Bacchus and want to end your life."

"What in Tartarus am I supposed to think?" the bard demanded and Xena was amused, glad to see a flash of emotion other than despair from her mate.

"Apollo," Artemis glanced up at the God, "We blew it."

"I guess," the God of the Sun shrugged. "Gabrielle, my child, we wanted to give you time to adjust so you could tell Xena."

"Adjust to what? Having a child of Bacchus?" Gabrielle demanded.

"No," Artemis protested. "Bacchus isn't the father!"

Gabrielle blinked repeatedly and Xena frowned deeply. "Run that by me again," the bard demanded.

"Bacchus isn't the father," Artemis repeated and glared at Aphrodite who giggled and clapped her hands at the news.

"Then who, one of the men who was at the bacchanalia? Is that supposed to be better?"

"Artemis, explain already!" Aphrodite demanded. "I'm like dying of curiosity over here!"

The Goddess stood up and the Greek couple watched as she closed her eyes and leaned her head back, letting the moonlight bathe her face.

After a few moments Xena's eyes spotted movement in the trees at the edge of the small clearing and pointed them out to Gabrielle.

Both felt their hearts jump when they realized it was the Forest Spirits from the North. Gabrielle stood up slowly, followed by Xena. The bard slowly walked to the family of forest deities.

"Greetings, I am honored by your presence this far from your home," Gabrielle said respectfully.

Artemis rushed over and grabbed Aphrodite, a hand over the Goddess of Love's mouth to stop any comment or question from the goddess. The last thing the Goddess of the Amazons wanted to hear was Aphrodite's comments on the way the Forest Family was dressed, which was mostly in moss, bark and leaves. The Amazon Goddess walked over and stood next to her Chosen after releasing Aphrodite.

"Because of what happened to Gabrielle in her battle against Alti and one of our dark Gods, Gabrielle thinks that the dark God is the father of the child she is carrying," Artemis explained.

The oldest male stepped forward and gently placed his hands on the bard's shoulders. His green eyes shifted into different shades as he looked into Gabrielle's eyes.

"You are still wearing the necklace we gave you," he commented softly.

The bard touched the necklace of three tooled silver beads and leather and frowned.

"Yes, you asked me too when you gave me the wooden sais to fight the vampires," she answered.

"Then, child of the shining God," the Forest Spirit wife walked up and joined her husband. "The child you carry is no one but of your mate."

"Mate?" Gabrielle questioned. "Xena?"

"The beads were magic to hold a spirit child from your mate," the male explained.

Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's waist as the bard's knees gave away.

"Xena?" Gabrielle whispered.

"I'm here, little one," she whispered back, watching the eyes of the Forest Deities. "Why?"

"The little one asked for help to return the balance to the forest of our land," the wife continued. "She agreed that our help came at a price."

"The price is a child?" Gabrielle asked, regaining her feet, a flash of anger in her voice.

"Not quite," the father said easily. "Your child will grow up with talents, woodland talents. We ask that he or she be trained as a protector to the land, whatever land you live in. We ask for a champion of the land as you have been to the Amazons."

Gabrielle leaned back into Xena's arms and closed her eyes for a moment.

"You're not demanding that my child join you at any point?" she asked, finally opening her eyes.

"No, we ask not for a loss from you but that your light spread through your child," the wife said easily.

"What about my darkness? Will my child inherit my blood lust?"

"We cannot say of that," the father responded, beginning to back away from the group towards the trees.

Xena's sharp eyes noticed that she could no longer see the son and daughter.

"Be well, daughter of light and dark," the wife said softly as she and her husband blended into the trees once more.

Gabrielle turned to embrace Xena tightly for a moment and then drew Sasha into the hug, the bard sobbing in relief.

"Totally radical!" Aphrodite exclaimed.

"Xena, I can't take much more," Gabrielle whispered as the warrior sat down behind her and pulled the bard into her arms.

Apollo, Artemis, Aphrodite and Sasha sat around the fire with the Greek couple.

"I know, little one," Xena nuzzled Gabrielle's neck. "Time for some answers."

Apollo and Artemis looked dismayed and Aphrodite looked somewhat amused at their discomfort.

"What in Tartarus made either of you two think we could handle this better separated?" Xena demanded.

"We knew that it would be a shock when Gabrielle discovered that she was pregnant and wouldn't know how she had gotten that way. We wanted to give her a couple of days to figure out how to tell you," Artemis explained.

"We never dreamed that she would think it was Bacchus," Apollo chipped in.

"What was she supposed to think? Divine intervention?" Xena snapped. She could feel the exhaustion radiating from her mate and her heart ached for the mental torture Gabrielle had been through.

Artemis blushed and looked away.

"Gabrielle, we never meant to hurt you," Apollo said softly.

Gabrielle shook her head and leaned back into Xena.

"Let us fix this as much as we can," Artemis asked.

"How? Gabrielle has been through Tartarus," Xena demanded.

"Tonight you'll be safe here from patrols and can rest and talk," Artemis said. "We'll take Sasha back to your mother and grab Solan and Torris on the way. We'll explain things to your family."

"Solan and Torris?" Xena asked.

"They were trying to track me," Gabrielle answered. "I lost them yesterday when I took to the trees."

Xena shook her head, admiring her mate's resourcefulness, even when distraught.

"We'll also leave you horses to get back on," Apollo continued. "Gabrielle left hers when she lost your son and brother."

"Sasha?" Xena questioned.

Sasha looked at her two moms and smiled. Gabrielle looked so tired and sick, barely holding her head up. She could feel the pain starting to ease from her "mum" but it was still going to take time.

"I'll be okay, Mom," she said easily. "You need time with mum."

Xena nodded to the deities as she felt Gabrielle's head drop forward slightly. The God and Goddesses got up quietly. Each moved forward and touched the bard's head.

"She won't be sick anymore with the child," Aphrodite said softly, her blue eyes filling with tears at the sight of one of her favorite couples.

"The memory of Bacchus abusing her sexually will remain faded," Apollo whispered softly and Xena nodded gratefully.

"Two days sanctuary here, no one will get close," Artemis offered softly. Xena blinked and discovered a full stocked camp, complete with Gabrielle's horse and Argo. Bedrolls waited for them.

"Thank you all," Xena said simply and reached up from Gabrielle to hug their daughter. "You be good and tell your Grandmother we're okay."

"I will," Sasha promised.

In a flash the Gods and demi-God child were gone.

Xena moved a groggy Gabrielle into the bedrolls and quickly got out of her armor and leather tunic. She crawled in behind her bard and wrapped her arms around Gabrielle. The bard whimpered slightly and grabbed Xena's arms.

"Gabrielle," Xena whispered, tears flowing down her face. "I'm sorry, I should have been there. I'm so sorry, I shouldn't have sent you away."

The thought of Bacchus and the Bacchanalia flashed through the warriors mind and the physical tortures her mate had gone through and she growled softly.

Someday she'd find a way to make Bacchus pay.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and was surprised to find Xena sitting next to the fire cooking breakfast.

Remembering the night before the bard frowned and sat up slowly.

"It wasn't a dream? You're here?" she asked softly.

Xena smiled softly. "I'm here, little one."

"It's not Bacchus?" Gabrielle asked, still frowning.

"No, they say your child is both of ours," Xena grinned and brought a plate of deer and fresh vegetables to her mate.

"How is that possible?" the bard asked, reaching out and touching Xena's arm, as if to reassure herself the warrior was really there.

"I don't know, how does half of what happens to us happen?" Xena grinned.

"Okay, I'll accept that one," Gabrielle smiled slightly.

Then Xena looked pained. "Gabrielle, what you planned," she began.

The bard fought back tears as green eyes looked into blue ones. The warrior put the plates aside and pulled her mate into her arms.

"Let's just leave it at me saying 'don't ever do that to me again!' Okay?" Xena said softly.

"Okay," the bard said gratefully. "I haven't been thinking clearly since that damned place."

The bard's eyes narrowed at the sight of Xena's knuckles and the warrior winced when Gabrielle grabbed her hands. Green eyes flashed as Gabrielle inspected the scraped and bruised knuckles.

Xena glanced away, blushing slightly.

With a sigh Gabrielle suddenly realized what had happened.

"You went out this morning and punched something," Gabrielle said flatly.

"Yes, whacking a tree with my sword didn't seem enough this time," Xena admitted. "Gabrielle, I almost lost you, again! The thought of you killing yourself over Bacchus made me crazy."

"I'm sorry, Xena," the bard said softly, head downcast. "I keep hearing his voice as he reached for me, his laughter as he whipped me and drank the blood from the strands of the whip. His moan of delight as he drank blood from my neck and from the wounds of my back. I couldn't take knowing I was carrying his child."

"I know, I… had to work some of that out," Xena explained. She was also worried. Apollo said that the memories of Bacchus' abuse would be a faded memory. What Gabrielle remembered was apparently clear. Xena wasn't sure she wanted to know what else Bacchus had put her mate through that Gabrielle wasn't remembering.

"I don't remember much about last night," Gabrielle said slowly.

"We've got two days without worrying about Roman patrols," Xena explained. "They took Sasha home, and, presumably Solan and Torris."

"We can rest a couple of days?"

"Yes, just you and me, the woods and the river," Xena smiled. "As exhausted as we both are I suggest a day of swimming and sunning and nothing else."

Gabrielle smiled in agreement.

Joxer was sitting by the campfire and began wondering if Gabrielle was coming back or if his beloved bard had changed her mind after trying to explain to her family that she had left Xena for him.

She had been gone for three days but he was attempting not to worry.

A sound to his left brought the former soldier to his feet with sword in hand.

"Joxer?" a familiar voice called out.

"It's me," he responded and grinned as Gabrielle approached the camp, leading her horse to where his was tied. In a moment she was in his arms and all doubt quickly fled as anxious hands began tearing at his clothing.

Joxer had always suspected that gentle and sweet Gabrielle was probably a wild cat in bed and he had been right, he thought. She was insatiable and he had been more than willing to try and keep up with her.

Joxer was willing to die trying. The warrior couldn't believe how happy he was with Gabrielle.

Later Joxer and Gabrielle lay in the shade of a tree, watching the breeze through the leaves as the bard's hand played across his chest.

"How did it go with your family?" he finally asked.

"Fine, everything is going as planned. Everyone is right where they're supposed to be," she muttered sleepily.

"What? Who is where they're supposed to be?" Joxer was confused.

"Hmmm? We are, lover," Gabrielle mumbled. "Xena's family is back in Amphipolis and no longer looking for me, my family is in one place and we lost Meg."

Joxer frowned; he didn't like being reminded of the life they were leaving behind, especially his wife. He had never meant to hurt Meg but he knew he had and it was unforgivable. There was no excuse and no justification. Everyone knew he had always loved Gabrielle but that didn't excuse this, he thought. He thought he had moved past his desire for the bard and had taken vows with Meg.

Joxer loved Meg and he desired her and he had betrayed her but he wasn't strong enough to go back to try and make amends. In Gabrielle's arms nothing else mattered, not even his honor.

It didn't help that he sometimes didn't understand Gabrielle, her moods were erratic and he didn't feel the original connection with her at times. Joxer attributed it to her recent trauma and breakup with Xena and shrugged it off, especially since the sex was precisely as he had always imagined it, wild and untamed. Joxer frowned again, there was something missing though, Gabrielle's gentleness and the soldier found he did miss that, a lot. He tried to shrug that off as well, she had been through a lot recently, he reminded himself. His Gabrielle would come back soon.

Xena glanced over at her mate and noticed Gabrielle's frown and intense look. The warrior finished pouring both of them a cup of tea and sat down across from the bard.

The day had been spent fishing and swimming in the river and then sunning on the rocks. Fortune seemed to be finally showing some mercy on the couple and the day was warm and gentle. Xena had stirred the fire back up when the night began turning cool after dinner.

"What is it?"

Xena's heart always skipped a beat whenever Gabrielle looked up at her and had yellow eyes instead of her usual green ones. She knew the bard didn't do it intentionally but it almost always startled her.

The warrior found it disturbed her even more now, after going through the Bacchanalia and seeing Gabrielle turn into a full Bacchae. Before facing Bacchus in the Spirit Realm Xena had almost gotten used to Gabrielle's eyes changing as well as catching glimpses of fangs.

Xena had definitely gotten accustomed to the more pleasant side of Gabrielle's Bacchae side, incredible sex that accompanied the blood feeding.

Gabrielle scowled, "It's changed, hasn't it?"

"What's changed?"

"How you see me now," Gabrielle said bitterly, looking away.

Xena lifted the bard's chin to look her in the eyes, her battle trained senses keeping her heartbeat a steady rhythm when yellow eyes looked at her.

"No," Xena insisted. "After dealing with vampires for two moons, it simply startled me. I almost lost you again to the Bacchae; I came so close to losing you. I couldn't take that!"

Gabrielle sat their cups aside and let Xena pull her into an embrace. She felt Xena doing something the warrior rarely let herself do, cry.

"You were gone for those five days and I was so lost, then that damned Bacchae thing and then you almost left again," the warrior cried softly, holding her mate tightly.

"I'm sorry, Xena," Gabrielle felt tears streaming down her own face.

After a few moments the warrior pulled back and wiped at her tears and then at Gabrielle's. She tried to smile but then held Gabrielle close again.

The warrior knew neither one of them were emotionally up to a round of Bacchae sex and feeding. She gently turned Gabrielle around to sit between her legs and the bard leaned back into her mate with a sigh of contentment. Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's ribs and the bard intertwined her fingers with her mate's.

An evening of watching the fire and stars while sipping their tea did much to continue the healing they both needed.

Later Xena took Gabrielle's cup and her own and placed them to the side. The warrior removed her wrist bracer and returned her other arm around Gabrielle's waist.

"Its okay, Gabrielle," Xena whispered.

Gabrielle hesitated. It had been an insane time and part of her had been hoping that the Bacchae cravings had been broken when she actually died to save Xena and had been dead for five days.

To her dismay she had discovered the cravings were still there. Then that damned time with Bacchus when she had become a full Bacchae in the Spirit Realm and she was still blaming herself for giving in.

Gabrielle wasn't sure she trusted herself and the blood cravings anymore.

Xena sensed Gabrielle's hesitation.

"Gabrielle, our connection brought you back when Bacchus had you," she said softly. "He lost and we won. Do you remember the light radiating from you? The power of your true father, Apollo?"

"Yes," the bard closed her eyes and brought the warrior's wrist to her lips and lightly kissed the skin and the palm of her lover's hand.

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena said simply.

The bard kisses worked their way up the warrior's arm as well as tiny nips on the inside of the arm, causing the warrior's body to jerk in reaction as the Bacchae eroticism began to hit both women.

Xena hand roamed under Gabrielle's tunic, missing the days when the bard wore almost nothing, especially on top. The warrior missed feeling the skin of her bard, even with casual contact. How many times had that driven her crazy before they became lovers?

The warrior felt Gabrielle's quick intake of breath as her hand found the bard's lovely breasts and Xena moaned slightly as she felt Gabrielle's fangs extend and play over her wrist. Xena lowered her head to the bard's neck and bit down firmly, causing Gabrielle's body to arch in response and the bard to cry out.

The bard's head darted downward and Xena hissed as fangs sank into her wrist and her body began to shudder.

Then Xena felt a change in the energy and blinked in confusion, she could sense Gabrielle hesitate. Usually during their Bacchae lovemaking Gabrielle lead the way but the warrior could feel the tenseness in her mate's body and how Gabrielle stopped at her wrist.

Xena understood, with everything that the bard had been through, she needed to be reassured as if it were their first time together.

The warrior used all her skills to hold back the usual passion caused by her bard feeding from her, whether it was at her wrist or neck. Using her other hand, still caressing under the bard's tunic, Xena gently pulled up the edge of the fabric and bent her head to kiss Gabrielle's back. The angry red scars stood out brightly against the thin healed white scars of previous lashings. One set of claw marks showed distinctly against the lash scars and slave brand the bard had endured while a slave, the claw marks given to her from the Northern Amazons upon her initiation into the tribe. The only scars Gabrielle was proud of. New claw marks had been added by Bacchus, causing her shame.

Xena kissed each mark lovingly until she felt Gabrielle start shivering. After kissing all the bard's scars, the warrior started gently kissing Gabrielle's neck and shoulder. She heard the bard moan and the feeding on her wrist eased.

Xena whispered into Gabrielle's ear, "I love you, my bard. Please let me show you how much, how much I want to touch you."

Gabrielle's breathing became heavier and the bard nodded her head slightly. Her body had been stiff but began to loosen as Xena continued to kiss her way up and down Gabrielle's body, removing her clothing as she went. Once they were both naked, Xena eased Gabrielle down onto the sleeping furs, placing small and warm kisses on the bard's chest before coming up to the bard's mouth. She kissed her mate's bottom lip and pulled it gently between her teeth. Then, as like their first time together, their kisses became passionate.

Xena released her mouth and kissed her way down Gabrielle's chest. Reaching the bard's nipples she licked and nipped each one. Gabrielle's hips began a motion against her warrior until they were both wet.

"I'm right here, little one," Xena said softly in between nibbles and heard Gabrielle moan in pleasure, the bard's hands working through Xena's hair and across her shoulders. "Just you and me. I love you."

"Xena, no one but you, please!" Gabrielle whispered, her back arching under her mate.

Knowing that Gabrielle wasn't ready for any rougher sex, Xena softly kissed her way down the bard's body. As she positioned herself between Gabrielle's legs the warrior felt the bard stiffen. "I've got you, my love," Xena said softly as she ran her fingers up the inside of Gabrielle's thighs, staying away from the bard's center yet. "Trust me, little one. I won't hurt you."

Gabrielle sighed and Xena felt her relax, giving over trust to her warrior.

The bard jerked with a flash of memory of other hands and bodies and gripped the sleeping furs under her, she could feel Xena back off and wait patiently until Gabrielle relaxed again and nodded slightly.

"Think of a word to use when one of those hits, Gabrielle," Xena said softly.

"What?" Gabrielle questioned.

"A word to let me know to back off until you're ready and don't pick 'stop," the warrior teased and was delighted when Gabrielle lightly smacked her playfully on the head. The warrior had dealt with survivors before and was one herself, having been both the abuser and abused. She knew flashes would hit Gabrielle for a long time to come, especially during sex and the last thing she wanted to do was cause her mate any pain.

"How in Tartarus am I supposed to think of something when one of those hits?" Gabrielle complained.

"How about a color then?" Xena suggested, continuing to run her fingers over Gabrielle's legs and body, noting that the bard was beginning to react again.

"Gods, your touch is so nice," Gabrielle muttered.

"A color, pick a color," Xena smiled as Gabrielle's hips jerked when the warrior danced her fingers across the reddish blonde hair in front of her.

"Fine, fine! Red, okay?" Gabrielle demanded as Xena went to her lower lips.

"Perfect. You are so beautiful," Xena muttered as the bard's hands reached down to Xena's head and began running her fingers through her hair, holding the warrior's head where it was, to welcome Xena's attention.

Xena felt herself moan at the sound of Gabrielle's whimper as Xena began alternating between gentle licking and pressure with her tongue. Soon the bard was reaching a fevered pitch and the warrior held one arm over the bard's wonderful abdomen to try and keep the bard still enough to enjoy what Xena was doing to her.

Gabrielle screamed Xena's name and dug her fingers into the fur underneath her and felt her body tense. She cried out Xena's name again and collapsed back onto the skins below her.

Xena quickly moved up beside Gabrielle as the bard's body was wracked with tears and spasms. The warrior softly rocked her mate and whispered gentle words of love and support in Gabrielle's ear.

After awhile the tears subsided and Gabrielle looked up with sleepy eyes and a relaxed body. "Gods, I love you, Xena," she whispered. "I'm sorry about Bacchus."

Xena wiped away a fresh tear from the bard's face and smiled gently. "It's okay, love, sleep now. I'll hold you tonight."

"As always," Gabrielle muttered, trying to resist falling asleep but her head fell onto Xena's chest.

"Shhh. I love you, my bard."

The warrior kissed the bard's head and sighed in relief when Gabrielle's breath evened out and became rhythmic. Xena breathed a silent hope that the bard wouldn't have nightmares tonight before falling asleep herself.

As Xena returned to the camp she found herself whistling and smiling, remembering the night before. Now that Gabrielle was healed physically, it was time to start healing the emotionally and mental parts. They had snuggled and kissed a little after the battle in the Spirit Realm but Gabrielle and Xena hadn't had time to reconnect before Artemis had taken Gabrielle to Greece, leaving Xena behind in the North. Now the night before had been a wonderful beginning towards healing.

Xena entered the camp area and found Gabrielle gone and the warrior frowned. Xena extended her senses but nothing seemed out of the ordinary. A quick look around camp in the early morning light told the warrior where her mate had gone. Clothing left behind and a towel draped over a tree branch.

Xena smiled. How many years ago had she awakened to find Gabrielle gone but a towel tossed over a tree limb to let her know where to find the bard? The day after they had finally declared their love for each other. The day they would become lovers.

So much had happened in their lives. She had a grandson and now Gabrielle was pregnant. Totally unexpected.

Now Xena felt like she did all those years before when she went to find Gabrielle. She wanted to make love to Gabrielle but she was nervous. Back then because it was their first time, now it was because it felt like it was the first time.

Xena thought it was a good sign that Gabrielle had left the towel for her to find, encouraging the warrior to come and join her. Xena hoped that Gabrielle was remembering that first time as well instead of the recent events with Bacchus.

The warrior removed her armor and grabbed a towel herself and walked the short path through the woods to the river.

As she rounded the trail, Xena caught site of Gabrielle and held her breath.

Xena felt like she had traveled back in time.

The bard was breath taking. Xena couldn't find the words. Gabrielle had already been in the water and was now on a smooth rock, leaning back on her elbows, letting the sun dry her beautiful skin. Xena felt her heart pounding as Gabrielle lay back on the rock, her naked skin shining in the sun.

Xena grinned and stripped out of her leather shift and left that and the towel on the bank as she slowly entered the water, trying not to make any extra noise. She almost yelped at the cold water though but gritted her teeth.

Exactly as she had so many years ago Xena ducked under the water and easily swam the short distance across the current and, with absolute silence, slid out of the water and up onto the rock where Gabrielle was sunning herself. With the grace of a stalking tiger, the warrior moved slowly and carefully up close to her bard and then, with an evil grin, shook her head quickly, sending cold water flying all over the bard.

"Xena!" the bard shrieked and then laughed as she sprang up into the warrior's waiting arms. Her lips were quickly captured by Xena's and Gabrielle pulled Xena down on top of her, moaning slightly at the feel of the warrior's cool and wet skin against her.

Xena pulled back and leaned on an elbow, looking down into the beautiful green eyes of her mate.

"You goof!" Gabrielle grinned. "I remember," she whispered, reached up with a gentle hand and touched Xena's cheek and trailed her fingers over the warrior's face and lips.

"You are just as beautiful as that day, Gabrielle," Xena whispered, gently kissing her bard.

All those years ago their first lovemaking had been with a sense of urgency of passion that had been smoldering for moons, if not years. Their bodies had come together quickly, now it was gentle and slow.

Xena's fingers began moving lightly over Gabrielle's skin, smiling at the beauty of her mate, occasionally frowning at the various scars she found, remembering where some of them had come from. An arrow from the Persian army, a knife wound from some forgotten bandit that had gotten infected and numerous slashes Xena presumed had come from Gabrielle's training and combat as a gladiator.

The bard's pulse quickened as the warrior's fingers danced over her skin. To Gabrielle it also felt very much like the first time for them. The bard had been so afraid that Xena wouldn't want her after what Gabrielle had been through with Bacchus and every time she got near Xena the memories would come flooding back. The events of the night before had done much to reconnect them and Gabrielle was grateful for Xena's gentleness.

The bard knew her reactions were normal after the abuse; she still suffered from nightmares from being attacked when she was a Roman slave.

Xena moved slowly, letting her lips follow her fingers, lightly kissing Gabrielle's skin. She would linger over a spot whenever the bard moaned in pleasure and would back off whenever the bard would stiffen with a flash of memory.

Unconsciously, Gabrielle's hands reached up and pulled Xena close to her, pulling Xena back against her as the warrior explored the bard's body. Her hands were all over Xena's back and lacing through her long raven hair.

Slowly Gabrielle felt her desire slowly returning and pulled Xena's body almost on top of her, her own back arching to meet the warrior's body as Xena's knee went between her legs.

The warrior looked into Gabrielle's eyes, green meeting blue and the warrior was pleased to see the desire darkening the bard's eyes and she felt herself moan.

"Yes!" Gabrielle hissed and Xena began a tormenting slow descent down Gabrielle's body with her hands, tongue and lips until Gabrielle was almost thrashing with desire. Xena groaned again and gently parted the bard's lower lips and was rewarded with Gabrielle growling and tossing her head back. "Xena, please!" she begged.

The warrior noted how wet the bard was for her and knew it wasn't from the swim. With ease she slipped two fingers into her lover and began her exploring with her tongue over and around lips and then slowly encircling the clit, causing Gabrielle to cry out with the intensity of the energy building within her body.

As always Xena was amazed at how her own body reacted to Gabrielle's cries and rising passion with her own energy build up, she usually let herself ride to orgasm with the bard. Today, she held back, focusing all her attention on Gabrielle, carefully watching and judging. Watching for flashes of memories to overcome the bard. When none seemed to crowd her mate, Xena increased her speed with her tongue and Gabrielle's voice hit a higher notch.

"Xena!" she cried out. "Harder, please!"

Xena complied and Gabrielle's hips matched the rhythm the warrior was setting with her fingers and tongue, entering Gabrielle harder and deeper and was rewarded with Gabrielle screaming her name again. Xena felt the bard's muscles begin contracting and she pulled on Gabrielle's clit with her teeth. The bard screamed as waves of her orgasm overcame her, again and again.

When she could breath again, Gabrielle found she was in Xena's arms again, being rocked and the warrior was saying words of love and comfort in her ear.

"Gods, you are always amazing," Gabrielle whispered, feeling like a limp rag at the moment.

The first time they had made love the bard had momentarily lost consciousness and scared her mate, now Xena was a little more accustomed to it happening whenever Gabrielle hit that high. It still unnerved her but also pleased her.

"I love you, Gabrielle," and lightly kissed the bard's lips.

Gabrielle moaned at the softness and the taste of herself on Xena's lips.

"Thank you," she whispered.

"For what?" Xena smiled. "I love you more than life itself, Gabrielle. Nothing will come between that."

"No one can do to me what you do," the bard whispered, beginning to nuzzle the warrior's neck.

"That's because we make love, not just sex," Xena agreed.

"Yes, big difference," Gabrielle agreed, lightly nipping at Xena's earlobe, sending shivers over the warrior's body while her hand began playing with Xena's breast and nipple.

"Gods, your touch is always like fire!" Xena moaned, her back arching.

"Xena?"

The bard had pulled back and Xena wasn't surprised to see Gabrielle's eyes had changed from green to yellow. The bard hadn't taken much the night before because of her fears.

"Yes, little one," Xena said fiercely. The warrior sat up on her elbows, letting Gabrielle see the passion in her eyes. "Gabrielle, no more fear. I love you and trust you with my life and soul, even with this. Let it go, little one, and take back your power and control. I can handle whatever you need."

Gabrielle growled deep in her throat and felt her fangs extending as Xena's words sank in and the bard let the desire hit her body.

Xena saw Gabrielle's hands trembling and lay back onto Gabrielle's towel, pulling the bard with her.

"Now!" she hissed, thrusting her leg between Gabrielle's.

The bard growled and lowered her head to Xena's breast and her hand went between them. Xena screamed as Gabrielle's fangs sank into the area around one of her nipples and the bard's fingers entered her quickly, the warrior's body arching under the bard.

Xena clung to Gabrielle's back as their bodies rocked together. "Oh gods, little one!" The warrior thought she would go insane with the heights she was reaching; Gabrielle had never done that before!

The bard released her hold on Xena's breast and traced a trail with her tongue down the warrior's ribs and stomach, a slight reddish trail and Xena groaned at the sight. Gabrielle's eyes were still yellow and Xena whimpered as the bard's tongue danced over her clit, playfully watching Xena.

Xena could feel Gabrielle's fingers working deeper into her and concentrated on trying to relax for her mate as she bit her lip to keep from screaming as the waves began to build up.

"I love you, Xena," Gabrielle said softly. "Anything?" she questioned.

"Gods, anything for you!" Xena cried out, gripping the towel under her as her hips rocked, trying to take more and more of her mate.

Xena felt her voice break as Gabrielle's hand entered her and filled her. Both their bodies stilled for a moment as the warrior trembled with the sensation. Then Gabrielle began moving her hand slightly, expanding her fingers and pulling, causing Xena to whimper and cry out, her back arching again.

The warrior lost all contact with conscious thought and reality as Gabrielle's tongue found her clit and her fangs sank into her at the same time. The bard began feeding on both life juices of her mate as her tongue danced over Xena's sex and her hand filled her mate.

Xena's voice couldn't scream anymore as wave after wave hit her and darkness claimed her.

Xena woke up in Gabrielle's arms, covered by one of their traveling cloaks against the sun and wondered when the bard had gotten that to the other side of the river. She looked at the sleeping bard and smiled, brushing a stray strand of blonde hair from the bard's closed eyes.

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena whispered, letting the bard hold her for once.

Gabrielle felt better than she had in an entire moon. The two days by the river in the woods had been exactly what they both needed and the bard thanked Artemis silently for ensuring their privacy.

She rode beside Xena and smiled over at her mate. The warrior also looked better than she had in months as well.

"Seems like we've been on the run for seasons," Gabrielle said easily.

"Seems like most of our lives, my love," Xena smiled. The bard blushed at the gruffness of the warrior's voice. The warrior having strained a couple of vocal chords during the intense sex the day before and then repeated again that night.

"Do you think we can rest for awhile?" the bard asked hopefully.

"I hope so, especially with a little one of your own on the way," the warrior grinned and laughed at Gabrielle's blush. They were still trying to adjust to the realization that Gabrielle was pregnant but it wasn't a bad thing.

Gabrielle instinctively touched her hand over her womb with a frown. How could she have thought of ending her life and the life of a child?

Xena reached out and touched her mate's arm gently.

"It's okay," the warrior said softly.

Gabrielle shrugged and attempted to smile.

"Do you want a boy or girl?" Xena asked, hoping to distract her mate.

"Wow!" Gabrielle exclaimed. "Hadn't thought about it yet. I guess I don't care. Healthy is my choice."

"I agree," the warrior smiled and then frowned as she looked up the road.

"What is it?"

"Thought I heard something," Xena said and stopped Argo. Gabrielle stopped her horse and listened as well. Then they both heard the sound of someone shouting from the woods. Both hands were quickly on weapons.

"Female, sounds in trouble," Xena said and urged Argo into the brush with Gabrielle following.

Xena jumped off Argo and rushed over to the figure in the trees near the river. The bard followed quickly and was surprised to see Xena trying to unlatch a metal trap from around a female's foot.

Both raised their eyebrows in surprise when the woman turned over and it was Meg.

"Xena? Gabrielle?" she exclaimed, surprise in her voice as well.

"Meg? What happened?" Xena asked as she worked at the trap. With a growl of frustration she got it separated and Gabrielle helped pull the leg out. Together Xena and Gabrielle examined the leg and ankle.

"I came down here for water and was caught by this damn thing!" the tavern owner snapped.

"What are you doing in these parts?" Gabrielle asked as she went back to the horses for their medical pouch, bringing it back to Xena. She handed Meg a water skin and the women drank gratefully.

"Looking for you and Joxer," Meg muttered.

Both Gabrielle and Xena were dazed when Meg suddenly leaped forward and hit Gabrielle with a surprising right cross that landed hard at the bard' eye, sending Gabrielle falling backwards.

Xena jumped into the fray, attempting to pull an enraged Meg off her mate.

Gabrielle had curled into a ball, her legs protecting her stomach and arms over her head. Xena managed to pull Meg back but found her physical twin a bundle of furious energy and a mass of struggling muscles.

The warrior saw Gabrielle sitting up with a confused look on her face as Meg screamed, attempting to break away from Xena and attack the bard again.

Xena yelled out in frustration and threw Meg over her shoulder and stormed down to the riverbank and threw Meg into the cold but slow moving water. The warrior then followed Meg in and pulled the sputtering woman out onto the bank.

"You try that again and I'll put the pinch on you and it's not pleasant!" Xena warned as Meg sat up and brushed her wet hair out of her eyes.

Meg cursed and held her throbbing leg, swearing as Gabrielle walked up slowly and cautiously.

"What in Tartarus was that about, damnit!" the bard demanded.

"Where is Joxer?" Meg shouted.

"Joxer? What?" Gabrielle looked at Xena but the warrior merely shrugged, as confused as her mate.

"Where is he?" Meg shouted and then burst into tears. "Why, Gabrielle? Why after all these years. You could have had him at any time. Why take him now?"

"Meg, calm down," Xena urged, beginning to bandage Meg's injured ankle after retrieving the medical satchel. "Now tell us what is going on?"

"A moon ago, two days after the first earthquake, Joxer went out to get more kegs of ale from the barn. He was taking forever and I went out to see what daydream had gotten a hold of him. Joxer and Gabrielle came flying out of the barn on horses."

Xena's eyebrow furrowed in confusion and she saw the same expression on Gabrielle's face.

"I left your mother's tavern the day of the earthquake. I went to visit my family, I never saw Joxer," Gabrielle explained to Xena.

"So you don't know where she's been, either," Meg snapped. "They both had love bites on their necks and passion scratches. She smacked his horse and they rode off without explaining a thing! She was laughing at me!"

"Xena, I didn't go anywhere near Meg' tavern and I haven't seen Joxer," Gabrielle protested.

"Same sais, same outfit, same horse, same Gabrielle," Meg countered.

"Meg, where did they go?" Xena asked.

"I don't know. I lost them and I've been looking for them since. I thought she might run to the forest," Meg explained.

"Xena, who is with Joxer?" Gabrielle asked.

"Meg," the warrior looked at her twin, recognizing the pain in the other woman's eyes. "Gabrielle didn't take Joxer from you. I don't know who did."

"She was wearing a small leather top and has fresh scars. Do you, Gabrielle?" Meg demanded.

Gabrielle blushed a bright red. "Yes, I do. A recent lashing left fresh healing scars."

"Meg, it wasn't Gabrielle!" Xena protested.

The bard sat down on the embankment next to Meg, careful to stay out of reach, however.

"I swear by Apollo and Artemis that I haven't seen Joxer since we left Amphipolis. My love and vows to Xena are strong. I don't love Joxer like that Meg," Gabrielle said.

"Then who has my Joxer? He thinks it's you," Meg demanded.

Gabrielle looked to Xena and the warrior could only shake her head.

Neither of them could answer the question.

To the Reader: sorry that this ends on a cliff hanger but it just begged to be left here. Definitely to be continued…..

Hunter


	24. 24 Here Comes Trouble

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** Battles between gods, character death, a new God of War, and the return of an old enemy make this violence level a little higher than usual. Strong R.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** The mystery of who Joxer has been with is solved with the return of an old enemy who brings major life changes and the possibility of a war between the gods that could destroy the Earth and all the Realms.

* * *

Xena frowned as she looked over at her mate and then over to Meg. The warrior noticed that Gabrielle was keeping Xena and Argo between her and the innkeeper. Not that Xena could blame the warrior bard, not after Meg had suddenly attacked Gabrielle.

Xena thought everything was confusing before they met up with Meg but now it was even more puzzling. Prior to Meg, Xena and Gabrielle were told the child the bard was carrying wasn't a child of Bacchus as they once feared, but magically conceived as a child of both Xena and Gabrielle by the Forest Spirits of the Siberian Amazons.

Xena was still trying to process this new revelation and she knew Gabrielle was still in shock. The bard believed the only possible answer to her pregnancy was Bacchus when they fought him and Alti in the Spirit Realm. During this time Gabrielle was tortured and sexually abused and turned into a bacchae again. Only her blood connection to Xena brought her back and saved them both.

The discovery that she was pregnant and presuming that Bacchus was the father devastated the bard, sending her into a suicide attempt. The attempt had been stopped at the last moment by Xena and some of the gods; the gods finally called the Forest Spirits forth and they revealed the truth of Gabrielle's pregnancy.

Xena and her mate were facing another child in their lives, something created by both of them this time.

They were also wondering about Joxer now.

Meg had told them of how Gabrielle had appeared a month earlier, seduced Joxer and ran off with him. The bard had quickly denied even seeing the warrior turned innkeeper, pointing out to Xena and Meg that she had been with her family in Poteidaia.

Xena knew Meg didn't believe Gabrielle and only reluctantly agreed to accompany the warrior and bard to Amphipolis because she didn't know where else to turn to find her husband.

Of course, Xena and Gabrielle didn't have an idea about where to look for Joxer either or who was actually with him. Who could look and act enough like Gabrielle to fool Joxer into going with her and then staying away for a month?

Gabrielle continued frowning as her thoughts traveled along the same path. An unexpected and still mystifying pregnancy, being mentally and physically stressed out, these did not add up to a fun ride back to her home with Xena and Meg.

"You okay, little one?" Xena asked softly.

"Yeah," Gabrielle mumbled. "Any idea what is going on? I know I don't have a twin."

"I didn't think I did until we ran into Diana and then Meg," Xena grumbled back.

Meg glared at both the warrior and the bard and then concentrated on the road ahead of them.

"Enough like me to fool Joxer into leaving Meg?"

"I can't buy that either," Xena admitted.

"Who would want to do this?" Gabrielle pondered. "Only Aphrodite comes to mind but I can't really see that. She wants you and me together, so why would she mess with Joxer and Meg by making them think I wanted Joxer?"

"Gabrielle, you've been through a lot lately. Any way that the Furies or someone else could be using you?" Xena questioned and wasn't surprised when the bard's green eyes flashed angrily.

"You think I was with him?" she hissed, trying not to attract Meg's attention.

"No, I just know how Morpheus, the Furies, maybe even Bacchus can mess with people, especially us," Xena whispered back.

"I was with my family!" Gabrielle snapped. "Lila is pregnant again, my mom got married and I was busy most of the time throwing up my guts!"

The warrior wasn't surprised when Gabrielle urged her horse ahead of the other two in a fit of anger. Xena shrugged off Meg's glare, she didn't blame Gabrielle for being upset - nothing was easy about any of this.

Gabrielle was hurt and angry but knew she couldn't blame Xena for questioning her about her mental state of the last month and a half. After the mess with Alti and Bacchus she was shattered enough to try and kill herself.

She began to calm down as they got closer to Amphipolis and let her horse fall back alongside Xena's. Gabrielle was still upset enough not to meet her mate's eyes though.

She finally shrugged and saw Xena relax a little. Even after all the years they have been together, occasionally they would argue but they usually made up by that evening and Xena was grateful this seemed to be one of those times.

Gabrielle pulled her horse to a stop and Xena quickly did the same. The warrior had her chakram in hand even before she thought about it.

"What is it?" she asked softly as Meg looked over at the two warriors.

"I don't know, something is wrong," Gabrielle muttered and pulled her sais into her hands.

Xena motioned for Meg to be quiet and listened, her eyes going unfocused for a moment. "Gabrielle, close your eyes and listen."

The bard closed her eyes and let her sense shift into hyper alert.

"Sasha!"

Both Xena and Gabrielle urged their horses into a rapid trot with a surprised Meg following behind them.

"What in Tartarus is going on?" Meg demanded.

"My daughter is psychic gifted and is yelling for help," Xena explained

All three horses stopped on the edge of town, each woman trying to take in the sight of the village center.

Gabrielle heard a growl from her mate and felt her own ears roaring with rage.

Dexicreon, the village blacksmith and Xena's friend, was chained to a post nearest the women. The sight only got worse as they saw their friends and family chained to other posts: Cyrene; Solan; Reija and son; Joxer; Sasha; Torris and wife.

Xena heard Meg moan softly beside her as she saw Joxer hanging in his chains. The former soldier looked like he had been through a gauntlet with bruises, cuts and blood everywhere.

Everyone else looked okay but shaken.

There was no sign of anyone else in the village and there were no sounds either.

"Gods, it's a trap!" Gabrielle complained with a whisper.

"Yup, definitely set for us and well baited too," Xena growled. She resisted letting a battle cry loose and rushing forward, especially at the sight of the toddler Kiryk, her grandson, and her daughter, Sasha in chains. The boy kept pulling on the chain around his waist, trying to crawl to his mother.

Reija and Cyrene looked frantic; Solan and Torris enraged. It didn't help that they were gagged and couldn't reassure each other or even yell at whoever had them chained.

"Joxer looks dead!" Meg cried, trying to keep her voice low.

"I can see his chest moving," Gabrielle said softly. "What do we do?"

"Circle around and see where in Tartarus the trap is. There has got to be archers or soldiers waiting in the inn and the buildings around the square," Xena muttered.

"To rush out and surround us when we go in," Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes."

"Let me go in and scout it out," Gabrielle suggested.

"Not likely, Gabrielle!" Xena's eyes narrowed. "Not in your condition."

Gabrielle felt herself blushing, remembering the reason for the recent emotional and physical turmoil. It had taken years of growth and experience but she had become almost an equal partner with Xena in their battles and adventures. Now that was going to change for a while.

"Condition?" Meg asked and Gabrielle blushed an even deeper red.

"Never mind that, she's not going in," Xena said abruptly.

"Then what do we do?" Meg demanded.

"You wait here," Xena ordered. "If it is a trap, I want you to ride to the next village and gather the militia."

"I'm not leaving Joxer!" Meg protested.

"Just do it!" Xena growled and drew her chakram. "If we've been spotted they won't wait much longer before forcing our hand. Come on, Gabrielle."

"Right with you," Gabrielle said easily, her sais in hand.

"Fast and quick! You go for the far end, get them loose and into the stable or inn," Xena ordered.

"The chains?"

"When you reach Joxer, I'll cut the chains with the chakram and then help get the others out of the line of fire."

"Let's do it!"

Gabrielle wasn't surprised when Xena held back at the edge of the fountain while she dashed forward on her horse. The bard leaped off her horse before it had even skidded to a stop, landing on her feet easily, almost right under Joxer's nose.

"Joxer!" she yelled and raised the soldier's chin. She grimaced as she took in the sight of his battered face.

"Please don't hurt me anymore, Gabby," Joxer said softly.

"What?" Gabrielle thought her heart would stop as his words sank in.

The bard quickly spun, swinging her sais in an arching motion as arrows began flying through the air. She managed to deflect five of the arrows and gritted her teeth as an arrow went through her right calf.

"Gabrielle!" she heard Xena scream as another round of arrows came flying out of the air.

The bard turned and again deflected several arrows, most of them aimed at Joxer.

Xena growled and rushed Argo forward behind the posts and began cutting the chains as she went along. She also found herself catching and deflected arrows as she went.

The warrior cursed under her breath as she took in the sight of several soldiers rushing out of the inn on one side of the square and several from the blacksmith shop on the other.

"Soldiers!" she shouted at Gabrielle and turned Argo to take on the soldiers from the blacksmith shop while Gabrielle turned to take on the ones from the inn.

Solan, Reija, and Kiryk were still chained. Torris and his wife quickly grabbed Joxer and Cyrene and dived to the ground; Torris covering the women with his own body.

Gabrielle growled and then yelled in anger as she broke off the arrow embedded in her leg and faced the soldiers. The bard took on the rush of soldiers easily, parrying one sword strike and blocking another and burying one sai in between the ribs of one soldier. She ducked a sword swing and came up with the blunt end of the sai under the soldier's chin, knocking the soldier off his feet.

Seeing several more soldiers rushing her, the bard sheathed one of her sais and grabbed up a fallen sword.

Xena screamed a war cry and took Argo through the middle of the first rush of soldiers and with her sword and Argo's hooves, four soldiers went down quickly. Argo spun easily back through the bandits or soldiers and three more went down.

Xena yelled again and flipped off the horse and landed in between two of the soldiers. A backhand sent one onto his back and one slash of her sword sent the other to his knees, trying to hold his stomach back in place.

The warrior turned to her family when she froze at the sound of a female war scream.

Gabrielle, finishing off another soldier, turned to face another when both froze at the sound. The bard turning pale in the sunlight.

Xena and Gabrielle knew that scream very well and both turned to the source.

"No, please!" Gabrielle whispered as she took in the sight of Callisto at the edge of the square, a knife held at Meg's throat.

Xena glanced over and saw the shocked statement on her mate's face and felt the same emotions overwhelming her as well.

"Hi!" Callisto said cheerfully, her brown eyes frenzied.

The Goddess looked exactly like she did when Xena and Gabrielle last saw her falling into a river of lava. Except her eyes were now brown again instead of new-God white.

"Miss me?" Callisto asked, pulling roughly on Meg's hair.

"Not much!" Xena growled, raising her chakram.

"Now, Xena!" Callisto scolded, "Is that any way to greet an old friend?"

"What do you want, Callisto?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Oh, what I always want," the warrior said in her child-like maniac voice. "You screaming in pain, Xena's head on a platter, the usual."

"You're a god now, why bother with us?" Xena tried reasoning with her. "I helped you get the ambrosia."

"And put me in that lava river! Did you think I would forget that little part? One thing about immortality, I can't be killed but that lava did hurt a little bit."

Gabrielle turned and blocked a sucker punch from one of the soldiers and put her sai through his throat.

"Oh, interesting! You have changed!" Callisto said delightedly. "You know, it wasn't easy being you for the last month!"

"You?" Gabrielle pressed, the pieces falling into place as she looked down at the barely conscious Joxer.

"Trust me! It wasn't my best work!" Callisto laughed. "Although, he is better than he looks and torturing him was so much fun!"

Gabrielle and Xena's eyes widened in shock as Callisto… shifted and it was a twin of Gabrielle holding Meg.

'Gabrielle' looked over at Joxer and grinned as the former soldier raised his head and looked at her and then at Gabrielle.

"How's it going, lover?" 'Gabrielle' asked and laughed as he flinched and lowered his head again.

Meg yelled in anger and struggled in Callisto's arms and only stopped when the knife bit into her neck.

"Let her go!" Xena demanded. Then she growled when Callisto shifted again and merely laughed at all of them.

"Now," Callisto yelled and both Xena and Gabrielle quickly looked around at the soldiers appearing on top of the buildings, each with bow and arrow.

"No!" Xena screamed and launched herself into the air, flipping over and over, trying desperately to reach her family. Gabrielle dropped the sword and dived forward herself, somersaulting towards the remaining chained members of the family.

Gabrielle grabbed a shield up from one of the soldiers and dropped it over Torris' back as she flipped by them and turned to face the arrows as she shielded Sasha and Reija.

Xena flipped in front of Solan and Kiryk just as precisely at the same moment the arrows reached the Greeks. Three arrows in one hand, two in another and one buried in her side, Xena hit the ground hard, almost next to Gabrielle.

Xena heard Callisto's laugh and Cyrene's scream.

Gabrielle quickly turned and saw that the arrows had missed Sasha and Reija and rapidly looked down. "No!" she cried out when she saw the arrow sticking out of Xena's side and then she stopped, stunned as Callisto laughed.

Xena turned over and somehow wasn't surprised at the sight of an arrow sticking out of Solan's chest. Exactly like the vision Alti showed her months before.

Gabrielle reached down without looking and helped Xena to her feet. The warrior broke off the feathered end of the arrow in her side with a growl and turned her attention to her son.

Solan was still alive but blood was flowing freely from his mouth and Xena groaned at the look of pain on his face.

"Solan?" she whispered as Reija screamed next to her. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Torris trying to release Reija and the kids.

"Mom," he whispered and closed his eyes.

Xena screamed as Solan stopped breathing.

Gabrielle looked up from her mug, the weariness apparent to everyone, especially Meg as the other woman sat down.

"How is Joxer?" the bard asked.

Meg wiped tears from her eyes and Gabrielle could see her struggling.

"I don't know, they say he'll recover physically," Meg sobbed. "Mentally, he won't even talk to me. Just keeps saying he's sorry."

"Meg," Gabrielle didn't know what to say. She wasn't responsible for Joxer's condition but it almost felt like it.

"How is everyone else?" Meg asked, dismissing the beginning sympathy.

"The healer is about to remove the arrowhead from Xena, Reija is grieving for Solan, Sasha is in shock, Cyrene has lost her grandson, and my leg hurts."

The innkeeper fought against her remaining and misplaced anger at Gabrielle and helped the bard into one of the back rooms of the inn where the healer was working on her mate.

Cyrene wiped Xena's forehead with a cool cloth as the warrior grabbed the bedposts and gritted her teeth.

"Xena?" Gabrielle questioned softly, staying back out of the healer's way.

The warrior opened her fevered blue eyes and tried to smile at the bard and then bit back a scream as the healer prodded her side with a knife.

Meg pulled the bard back to the wall to a chair and quickly checked Gabrielle's bandage and nodded, satisfied with the stitching and cleaning of the wound.

Gabrielle found herself being held back by Xena's twin as the warrior screamed as the knife and tongs sought out the arrowhead still embedded in her body. The bard could see the pain on Cyrene's face as she watched her daughter.

Cyrene glanced over and nodded reassuringly to Gabrielle and the bard sank back down in her chair, biting her lip. She could almost feel Xena's pain herself.

Gabrielle tried not to think, it hurt too much. Solan was dead before Xena had cut his chains. It had taken Torris and Dex both to drag Xena away from her son's body so that her own wounds could be tended to inside the inn.

Gabrielle had sat in the dust with the boy's head in her lap while everyone else ran around franticly. Whatever magic Callisto had cast upon the town lifted with her disappearance and the villagers came pouring out of their houses and businesses, all wanting to help.

The bard could barely make out Cyrene's voice as she took charge and ordered the people about. Gabrielle became aware of Reija sitting next to her, holding Solan's hand and softly crying. The bard wanted to say something comforting, to lend the girl a shoulder to cry on, anything. Instead, Gabrielle found she couldn't move, speak or think.

So she sat in the dust, wiping the blood away from her adopted son's mouth, watching his blonde hair wave slightly in a breeze. Gabrielle found herself staring at the arrow still in the young man's chest, the blood turning very dark in the air.

The bard had no idea how long she sat there. She knew it couldn't have been long, but it felt like forever with Xena's screams still sounding in her ears and Reija's gentle sobs softly telling the bard of the passage of time.

Strong hands and a soothing voice reached her finally but somehow Gabrielle still couldn't respond. Those same strong hands gently lifted her into strong arms and the bard closed her eyes against the sun and the pain that filled her body and soul.

Hands and voices kept trying to intrude into her darkness and force her to pay attention to something. The abrupt pain of the arrow being forced through the rest of her leg brought the bard out of her shock with a scream.

Dex, the blacksmith, held her back onto the bed with gentle but firm hands while Reija wiped her forehead with a cool cloth. It felt like fire shooting from her leg but the pain soon eased into an irritating and painful throb and with help, Gabrielle was able to get back into the main room of the tavern.

Now Xena was screaming in pain, Reija was nowhere to be seen and Gabrielle had no idea how bad Joxer truly was.

The bard let Meg wrap her arms around her and they both finally wept as Xena sank into a troubled and fevered sleep after the healer bandaged her wounds.

"Joxer?" The soldier opened his eyes slowly and grimaced at the pain as it radiated throughout his body.

Gabrielle almost broke into tears when her best male friend whimpered and tried to move away from her.

Meg quickly lay next to him and took him in her arms. "It's okay, Joxer," she said softly. "It's okay. That's Gabrielle, remember? She's not the one who hurt you."

Gabrielle moved back away from the bed several feet, trying not to cry.

"Don't hurt me, please," Joxer muttered.

Gabrielle gave up and left the room with a sob. In the hallway she sank down against the wall.

Xena was still unconscious and the healer feared the arrow was poisoned. An examination of the last round of arrows had shown they were coated with something. Reija wasn't talking to anyone, only her son Kiryk could get her attention away from the coffin the carpenter had made for Solan.

Cyrene was still trying to maintain control but Gabrielle could see the strain beginning to overtake the older woman.

Torris and Dex reported that Callisto's bandits had escaped north at a fast speed and there was no sign of the insane goddess herself.

Gabrielle looked up with a hopeful look as the healer entered Xena's room but the healer shook her head. Gabrielle already knew the answers from sitting with her mate for most of the day.

Xena was feverish, the wound was infected, and her system was poisoned.

Cyrene frowned as she wiped Xena's forehead with a cool wet cloth again and then held Sasha close. The child hadn't left her mother's side since the battle.

"You said awhile back that you could heal, can't you help her?" Cyrene questioned the bard.

"Yes, but not a lot. To heal I have to use my own energy and now with being pregnant I don't know how dangerous it is," Gabrielle said softly, stroking Xena's cheek. "I'm going to try a little bit at a time."

"Gabrielle, you know, being the daughter of gods she should heal from this," Cyrene reasoned, suddenly changing her mind now that it concerned her grandchild, Gabrielle's unborn child.

"I know but it might take time and I want her back," Gabrielle said simply. The bard had waited until her own body had mostly healed the arrow wound to her calf and she had gotten over some of the shock of the day.

It had been an emotionally rough ride during the last two months for the bard; all of which was draining emotionally and physically.

That included running into Meg and finding that Joxer was with someone he thought was Gabrielle.

Joxer was devastated by whatever he had been through, Xena was poisoned and Solan was dead.

Gabrielle closed her eyes and placed her hands on her mate's arm. The bard began concentrating on her breathing and focusing, drawing her energy into a focal point.

After a moment Gabrielle felt dizzy and broke off the connection and when she felt Cyrene's hands steadying her. When she opened her eyes she was relieved to find the redness around Xena's bandage was lessened.

"What do we do?" Cyrene asked.

"I don't know," Gabrielle admitted. "Wait for Xena to wake up, grieve and hope Callisto doesn't come back."

"Xena won't sit still for that," Cyrene frowned.

"I know but how do you kill a god? Xena may be a demi-god but Callisto is still a god and damned hard to kill," Gabrielle protested.

"Callisto isn't finished," Sasha said simply.

"What happened, Cyrene?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"Raiders came from all directions," Cyrene began, touching Xena's face gently as the warrior tossed in fevered sleep. "We could hear the villagers yelling and pounding on their doors and windows but they couldn't seem to get out. The raiders grabbed all of us and threw us in the center of the square, Dex included. They beat Torris and Solan badly when they resisted and threatened Reija with a sword and rape if anyone continued resisting."

Gabrielle closed her eyes, feeling Cyrene's painful memories.

"Then you appeared with Joxer thrown over his horse. We thought it was you, anyway. Then she changed into Callisto, I had heard enough tales about her to recognize her," Cyrene continued. "She just dropped Joxer at my feet. Poor man was barely alive."

"Joxer was begging her not to hurt him anymore," Sasha said quietly.

"They chained and gagged us and we waited while Callisto ranted and paced," Cyrene explained. "She then disappeared and we saw you and Xena riding towards us."

"You said that Callisto isn't done, Sash," Gabrielle turned to her adopted daughter. "What did you mean?"

"I just know, she said she was only beginning," Sasha shrugged, reminding the bard of her warrior mother.

The days and nights began to run together for Gabrielle as she kept her vigil next to Xena's bed. The warrior was getting better and on the third day her fever finally broken and her sleep was restful.

Gabrielle had expended as much energy as she could towards Xena and Joxer's recovery without draining herself too much.

By the third day Joxer was able to sit up and walk a few feet with Meg's help.

Cyrene, Meg and Gabrielle were shocked at Joxer's condition when they examined him. He had been beaten almost to the point of death with numerous cuts along his arms and legs, obviously the result of torture. All the fingers on his left hand were broken as well as his nose.

On the fourth day Torris and Dex was able to help Joxer into the back of a wagon and Meg climbed up into the seat and took the reins from Cyrene.

Gabrielle looked over the sides at the former soldier.

"Joxer, you could stay longer," Gabrielle suggested and felt her heart breaking when he wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I want to go home with Meg," he said simply.

Gabrielle gave up and turned to his wife. "Meg, I'm sorry you both got caught up in this."

"I know," Meg looked down from the wagon. "Joxer and I need some time. I still love him and I think he loves me."

Gabrielle and Cyrene watched the wagon leave, both women frowning.

"Give him some time, Gabrielle," Cyrene suggested.

"He's loved me for so many years and now he'll always see me as his worst enemy," Gabrielle said sadly. "He wanted me for years and then Callisto gives him his dreams only to shatter them along with his image of me."

"That was her plan," Cyrene said firmly. "Just like killing Solan was part of her plan to destroy Xena."

"Gods, Solan," Gabrielle whispered. "What more can she do to us?"

"Never ask that out loud," Cyrene cautioned.

"True," Gabrielle tried to smile as they walked back into the inn.

Xena opened her eyes with a groan and then managed a small smile when she recognized familiar green eyes looking at her. Then the memories came flooding back and the pain washed over her face in a flash.

Gabrielle didn't say anything but simply took her mate into her arms as Xena began to cry.

Neither woman was aware of how much time passed as Xena's cries began to subside to gentle sobs of anguished grief. Tears streaming down both their faces as Gabrielle held Xena tight.

"I lost so many years with him," Xena cried.

"We had some good years with him and now we have his son," Gabrielle responded softly.

"How can I give up Sasha after this?" the warrior demanded.

"I don't know, love, I truly don't know."

Screams and shouts broke the women apart, both diving for weapons and Gabrielle for the door before the first scream had finished echoing throughout the inn. The bard hit the hallway at a dash and looked out over the railing to see Callisto sword fighting with Torris and Reija and a man in leather trading blows with Dex, the blacksmith.

Gabrielle felt a growl in her throat and judged the distances and positions of everyone. She felt Xena move up beside her and glanced over at her mate and wasn't surprised to see Xena sweating and gritting her teeth in pain against her wound.

Instead of scolding her mate, Gabrielle pointed to the man fighting with Dex and then at herself. Xena nodded, lifting her chakram, her eyes narrowing as she took in the back of Callisto's head since Gabrielle was going to tackle the stranger, that left the insane Goddess to Xena.

As Gabrielle vaulted over the rail Xena released her chakram. Just as the circular blade hit the chaotic goddess in the back of the head, the warrior's eyes spotted Sasha and Kiryk under a table against the wall and Cyrene sprawled near the fireplace, either dead or unconscious.

The bard landed lightly in a crouch and drove her sais upwards in the man's back as he sent Dex flying backwards over a table. The sais went deep into the man's chest, driven by the force of Gabrielle springing to her feet from the leap and thrusting the energy into her sais.

Xena screamed Gabrielle's name as the man turned and backhanded her mate, slamming Gabrielle painfully into the bar. She fell to the floor on her hands and knees.

The warrior couldn't believe her eyes as the chakram returned to her hand and Callisto merely brushed her hair back into place, looking up at Xena. Then Xena's eyes widened as the man reached behind his back and pulled the sais out and there was no sign of any blood.

"Damn!" she muttered, hanging onto the rail as her energy quickly evaporated.

"Xena!" Callisto called and casually sent Reija flying into the table over Sasha and Kiryk with a motion of her hand. "So glad you could see this!" Torris fell back, holding a wounded side and slashed thigh.

Gabrielle shook her head and looked up at the man standing over her holding her sais. Her back was hurting badly and he appeared unharmed and slightly amused.

The man was taller than Xena, which meant he towered over the small bard, but had similar black hair that was brushed back and had a full beard. Dark eyes laughed down at Gabrielle and the bard had a feeling of familiarity. The beard made him look older but the bard could see the youth behind the beard and the viciousness in the eyes. He was dressed in a leather vest with no tunic and tight leather pants. The leather gauntlets and wide belt were studded with silver and gold inserts. A large sword hung on one side of his belt and a long dagger on the other.

Gabrielle looked at the silver necklace around his neck and grew pale. She knew that design.

"Ares, the sign of Ares," she whispered and was rewarded with a grin from the obviously young god along with a kick to her jaw; sending her back into the bar where she ended up sitting with her back to it. She fell forward onto the floor onto her hands and knees again.

"Yes, very good, bard," he hissed as he knelt down in front of her.

Xena pulled herself back up to a standing position with the help of the railing as Callisto's brown eyes danced with delight at the warrior's pain. As the warrior's eyes darted back and forth between her mate and the male god, Callisto, and the others. Callisto seemed to be waiting.

"What do you want, Callisto? Leave my family out of this, I'm the one you want," Xena growled, gauging whether in her condition she could flip over the rail and land on her feet.

"Oh but, Xena!" Callisto protested and moved over to pull a stunned Reija to her feet. "That's exactly what I want! You destroyed me when you killed my family. I thought I'd return the favor."

"No!" Xena screamed, taking in several things at once.

The other god, anticipating Gabrielle's reaction to Callisto's movements, backhanded the bard again and then smashed a fist down across her eye, stunning her.

Cyrene, shaking her head and trying to raise her hands, screamed as Callisto dragged Reija to her feet.

Sasha and Kiryk had terrified eyes as the young toddler screamed for his mother. Sasha tried holding him back and shielding him under the table, her blue eyes pleading with Xena for help.

Reija tried to fight back, even though she still couldn't focus her eyes, as Callisto easily turned her around and threw the Amazon across a table.

As the male god glanced over to Callisto; Gabrielle shook her head and closed her eyes, focusing on her breathing rather than the pain. The bard let herself drift for a moment and then keyed into the energy she had felt once before in the caves of Bacchus, in the Spirit Realm. She slowly sat up with her back to the bar and used it to help her get to her feet.

When the bard opened her eyes she could see the energy beginning to build around her hands, golden energy of her father, Apollo, god of the Sun.

"Stop her!" Callisto screamed and pointed to the bard.

Xena released the chakram once again, hoping to at least distract Callisto but the chaotic goddess merely deflected it with her hand, barely noticing its passage. Then Xena screamed as the male god turned with Gabrielle's sais in his hand as her mate's eyes began to flash.

Everything happened too fast.

The male god thrust forward with the sais as Gabrielle was about to release her energy bolts at him. The bard screamed as she was impaled through both shoulders with her own sais, the energy bolts dissipating into nothing.

"Gabrielle!" both Cyrene and Xena screamed at the same time as Gabrielle fell to her knees and onto her side.

Xena vaulted over the railing and landed hard on the wooden floor, falling over as she clutched her side.

The warrior looked up as Callisto laughed heartily and the blonde turned with a vicious grin and slashed out with her sword, hitting one of Reija's legs behind the knee. The young Amazon screamed and went to the floor, holding her leg.

"Damn you, Callisto!" Xena screamed, trying to sit up, blood flowing past the hand holding her wounded side.

"Oh, I have no doubt of that, Xena," Callisto grinned. "But then, you'll probably be with me so that makes it alright."

The male god grinned as he walked over and kicked Dex in the head, ensuring the blacksmith's continued unconsciousness and then joined the insane goddess.

"Hello, Xena," he said simply, looking down at the warrior, not even glancing at Cyrene, as she got to her feet and dashed over to Gabrielle. "I'm Mars, son of Ares and the new God of War."

Xena felt a chill run over her body at this introduction. He obviously was as bad as his father or maybe even worse.

Mars walked over to the table where Sasha and Kiryk were hiding, and he simply threw it aside. Sasha rushed with a scream forward, aiming for the god's face with her fingernails as Xena struggled to get to her knees. Mars merely grinned and threw the teen under one arm, then he reached down and grabbed Kiryk by his collar and turned to Callisto.

"No!" Xena screamed and finally got to her knees, feeling the blood coming up into her mouth and noticing Torris trying to get to his feet as well, sword in hand.

Callisto, Mars, and kids disappeared as Xena got to her feet and Torris slashed forward at where Callisto had been with his sword.

Xena screamed in rage as she fell back, clutching her side.

Xena winced as Gabrielle bit her lip to keep from screaming as Dex pulled the sais out of her shoulders.

The inn looked like a hospice again: Xena stretched out on the floor with Torris next to her on one side and Reija on the other. Dex with a bandage around his head and Cyrene nursing a couple of broken ribs.

The only one undamaged was Torris' wife, Serita. She and Cyrene quickly laid the bard down and pressed compact bandages against both sides of Gabrielle's shoulders as the bard cried out in pain. Xena looked down and saw that the bleeding through her bandaged side had slowed down and she no longer tasted fresh blood in the back of her mouth.

"Hold that tight!" Cyrene ordered as Gabrielle bit back another scream and then went limp.

"Mom!" Xena cried out and Cyrene glanced at her daughter as she worked on Gabrielle and then turned to Reija's wounded leg.

"She's passed out, Xena," Cyrene finally answered. "Gods, where in Tartarus is that healer!"

"Right here," she called as she opened the door. "I should move in here free of charge."

"I'd be glad never to have your services again, friend," Cyrene countered.

Cyrene shut down the tavern for the night. She set the kitchen staff to work handing out meals out of the back of the kitchen for those with nowhere to go, she was keeping the main room of the tavern/inn shut.

Cyrene, Serita, Dex and the healer worked late into the evening on the wounded family until they were satisfied everyone was going to survive and Reija was going to be able to keep her leg. Cyrene held the young widow as the healer was forced to inform Reija that she probably wouldn't put much weight on the leg ever again and would need crutches to get around. Both Cyrene and the young girl cried as the realization of her crippling injuries, her missing son and her dead husband sank in.

Dex carefully carried Gabrielle into Xena's room as the warrior watched anxiously, still holding her aching side. Her blacksmith friend placed her mate next to her on the bed and Xena quickly checked the bard's breathing and pulse.

"Thank you, Dex, for everything," Xena said softly as the large man started out the door.

He simply nodded with a smile and was gone.

Cyrene entered the room with fresh bandages, clean water and a pitcher of wine. She handed her daughter a goblet to drink, with a stern look that which told Xena she wouldn't win an argument against drinking the slightly numbing and pain killing liquid.

Cyrene pulled up a chair next to Gabrielle's side of the bed and quickly examined the bard's wounds.

"Xena, her shoulders are going to be fine, I think," Cyrene began and Xena nodded.

"With her god-healing abilities, they should be," Xena agreed.

"I'm worried though," Cyrene admitted and Xena frowned. "I saw her hit the bar hard with her back."

Xena realized what her mother was worried about and turned pale. "No," she whispered, quickly taking Gabrielle's hand in hers.

"It's possible, she's still early in the pregnancy, dangerous times for a child," Cyrene said gently. "That was a bad blow and then the massive blood loss didn't help. We need to keep a watch on her for a couple of days, we need to watch for bleeding."

"Days? We need to go after the kids!"

"To where? Callisto and Mars are both gods, they could be anywhere in the known world!" Cyrene argued, fighting back her tears. "Even with your healing abilities you'll be in bed right beside her for at least two days."

Cyrene left her despondent daughter and daughter-in-law to join Reija in her own grief.

Gabrielle woke up feeling like Zeus had thrown two lightning bolts right through both her shoulders and cried out with pain when she barely moved them.

"Shhh," a gentle voice said softly and Gabrielle looked up to find familiar blue eyes looking down at her. The bard attempted a small smile as Xena brushed a lock of hair from Gabrielle's forehead. "You're gonna hurt for a few days."

"My sais, he used my sais, didn't he?" the bard managed to whisper.

"Yeah, you stabbed him in the back and he should have dropped but he's the son of Ares and a god," Xena explained. "It's not your fault he got your sais."

"Gods, this hurts!" the bard complained. It seemed that she couldn't even move any part of her body. It affected her shoulders or back and she growled in frustration. Then her eyes widened.

"The kids!" she cried out and managed to sit up but bit her lip to keep from screaming with the pain. Xena gently helped Gabrielle lay back down, trying not to move the bard's shoulders or back any more than necessary.

"Callisto and Mars took them," Xena felt her eyes threatening to spill over with more tears but she fought them back as she took in Gabrielle's pained face.

"No," the bard whispered. "Why? Why didn't she simply kill us?"

"She wants to destroy everything around me before she comes to kill me," Xena said bitterly.

"How long was I out?" Gabrielle asked, her jaw taking on the stubborn set which Xena knew quite well.

"All night and most of the morning. Your wounds are healing nicely and there's no sign of bleeding from your womb," Xena managed to smile. There were advantages to being the children of gods.

"Womb?" Gabrielle questioned, fear sweeping over her face. "Oh gods, the blows to my back."

"Yes, Mom was worried because it's still the first season of your pregnancy. No sign of cramping or bleeding," Xena leaned on her elbow on the bed next to her mate.

"Thank the gods!" Gabrielle closed her eyes, sighing gratefully.

Xena had to grin at that one, it hadn't been but a few days before when Gabrielle was ready to kill herself rather than have a child of one of those gods. Now she was thanking them for saving her child during the fight.

Then the bard opened her eyes again. "The others?"

Xena lost her smile. "Dex got a pretty good headache out of it, Mom has a few broken ribs but will be okay, no punctured lungs."

"Gods," Gabrielle whispered.

"Torris has a bad sword wound to his thigh, a graze across his ribs and is pissed as hell and Sarita was untouched," Xena continued.

"Good, Reija?"

Xena felt a tear escape her eye as she met Gabrielle's demanding gaze. "Callisto cut the back of her leg at the knee, crippling her. Reija will keep the leg but will be on crutches the rest of her life."

"No, no, please!" the bard lost her control and began crying again. It seemed like that's all they had been doing for days; and much longer for the bard with her confusion over the pregnancy.

Xena almost whimpered, she wanted to take Gabrielle into her arms and couldn't because of the bard's wounds. All she could do was cry with her wife and gently stroke the bard's forehead and wipe the tears away until Gabrielle could open her eyes again.

"The kids?"

"Mars and Callisto took them without a word," Xena whispered.

"How long am I in this bed and how do we find the kids?" Gabrielle demanded, her grief turning to anger at the thought of Callisto and Mars with her adopted daughter and grandson.

"At least two more days and I'm not sure how to find them," Xena admitted.

"Two days!" Gabrielle demanded.

"At least, little one," Xena countered firmly. "You could have lost your own child and were nearly killed. Another inch either way and those sais would have hit an artery or vein."

Gabrielle yelled in frustration, wanting to hit something but it hurt too much to even clench her hands into fists.

Xena rose up with a frown when a knock sounded on the door. Her tension eased up only slightly when Cyrene cautiously entered the room.

"Hey, Mom," Xena said easily, hand still on her chakram. After the last few days, the warrior wasn't taking any chances.

"Xena, you and Gabrielle have a visitor," Cyrene announced, her voice reflecting her puzzlement as she stepped aside.

Part 2

Both Xena and Gabrielle were expecting maybe Meg and Joxer or Hercules and Iolaus. The Greek couple both looked puzzled when a cloaked and hooded figure entered the room.

Sharp eyes spotted the strong and masculine hand wrapped around a covered spear and Xena's eyes began to narrow. After everything that had happened, neither Xena nor Gabrielle was really surprised when the figure pulled the hood back and it was revealed their guest was Odin, god from the North.

"Odin," Xena said simply, resisting the urge to grin at her mom's puzzled face.

"All-Father God of the Northmen," Gabrielle explained, wishing she could at least sit up.

"Xena, Gabrielle, wish I could see you under different circumstances," Odin said simply, removing his cloak. Cyrene quickly offered to take it for the god as he sat down at a chair and table near the bed.

"What do you know of it?" Xena questioned, lowering her chakram to the table next to her side of the bed and leaning back on her elbow to look at the god over Gabrielle.

"I saw everything through the Well," the god answered. "I was too far away to do anything."

"Can you help now?" Gabrielle asked, ignoring the growl from Xena.

Odin smiled at Xena's reluctance in dealing with the gods, especially when it concerned asking for help.

"Yes, actually the gods need your help as well," Odin shrugged and, with a gentle smile, invited Cyrene to sit down at the table with him.

"Viking Gods asking for help?" Xena asked skeptically.

"Yes, your new God of War is messing with the strands of Fate. He intends on turning Sasha into a War Goddess, someone even more blood-thirsty than you once were," Odin explained.

"No," Xena whispered, her face stricken with horror.

"Yes, we have no idea what her inherited powers will be from you and Ares but we do know that she will be a goddess."

"Where do you fit in? I know you want to train her and have said that her future is in the North but you've been pretty vague why you want her up there in the North," Xena growled.

Odin's one blue eye flashed and Gabrielle wasn't sure if it wasn't in anger or not at being challenged by the Greek warrior.

"All the Norns have revealed is she is to be a hero and more in the North. She will ride with the gods and goddesses and be one of us," he admitted.

"Sasha?" Gabrielle questioned. She knew the child was already gifted with Sight from her parents but trying to imagine the pre-teen as a goddess was beyond her imagination.

"So, now Mars has her and intends on messing with her future and screwing up your plans," Xena said simply.

"Yes, and possibly altering the future of the world. Mars is gathering some of the minor Olympian gods and goddesses in support in keeping Sasha," Odin explained.

"You're going to march against Mars and other Olympian gods?" Xena demanded.

A war between gods hadn't been heard of since man was still figuring out how to keep fire going in a cave. The warrior felt Gabrielle shudder beside her at the thought of it as well.

"Yes, Loki and Hella are siding with Mars," Odin looked suddenly grim. "No surprise there, you never know where he's going to land. Others are standing with Freya and me, most want to stay out of it."

"Oh gods, not Ragnarok!" Gabrielle whispered.

"No, not Ragnarok but probably a good practice run at it," Odin grinned ruefully.

Xena's mind whirled. Ragnarok, the battle among the gods and the dead, among Vanir, Aesir and giants and the ending of the world. A new world would be born but the old one would be wiped away, including all but a small handful of humanity and gods.

"If Mars keeps and trains Sasha it could well lead to Ragnarok for all the cultures and world," Odin shrugged, looking very much like Xena.

"So what do we do?" Xena demanded, easily moving from reluctance to impatience.

"You and I plan a war and get her back," he said simply.

"What about me?" Gabrielle demanded, trying to sit up and falling back with a cry of pain.

"You're stuck here," Odin again shrugged and refused to meet the bard's flashing green eyes.

"He's right, little one," Xena said softly, not surprised when the green eyes burned her way. "We still don't know if your baby is in danger or not and you can't even sit up yet."

"Why can't you heal my shoulders?" Gabrielle demanded from the god of the Norse.

"Not my gig, not your fate," he said easily. "Healing is that of the goddesses and I didn't bring one with me."

Gabrielle started to say something about smart ass gods and attitudes when Xena clamped a hand over the bard's mouth and glared at Odin.

"Are you trying to piss her off?" she demanded.

Odin laughed softly and held up his hands in a gesture of peace. "Sorry, I haven't gotten to know your mate and I was testing her a little. For a small one she is strong and stubborn, a well enough match for you, Xena."

"I hate gods," Xena muttered, removing her hand from Gabrielle's mouth as the bard continued to glare at the god and then back at her mate.

"I'm not staying behind!" Gabrielle protested. "No more separations!"

"Gabrielle, we're going into battle," Xena countered. "Against gods, even if your shoulders were healed I wouldn't let you near the field. You know that, not with a child coming."

"Damnit!" Gabrielle yelled, trying not to tense her muscles in anger.

"I know, little one, I know," Xena whispered, gently touching Gabrielle's cheek.

"She can't fight against gods!" Gabrielle protested, glaring at Odin again.

"She'll be given back that power, so will you," Odin said simply.

"I don't want the power to hurt or kill gods if I'm not with Xena on this one!" Gabrielle protested.

"You may need it now since Mars has acted against both of you with Callisto's help," Odin countered and the bard fell silent.

Odin rose to his feet and offered his hand to Cyrene and helped her to her feet.

"I'll be in the stable, Xena," he said simply and walked out the door with Cyrene following.

Gabrielle fell deadly quiet as Xena got up and began stuffing things in her travel packs. The warrior tried to ignore the pain in her side as she lay back down on the bed next to her mate. One look at Gabrielle's face and Xena knew the bard was more than a little upset with being left behind.

"Gabrielle," Xena began softly.

"I know, I know!" the bard snapped. "Don't expect me to be happy about it!"

Xena moved as close against her mate as she could as Gabrielle craned her neck, her lips reaching for the warrior's. Both women fought back tears as their lips met and Gabrielle leaned into Xena's hand.

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena said softly, quickly getting off the bed and grabbing her packs.

"I love you, Xena," Gabrielle choked out. "Come back to me."

"I'll never leave you, one way or another," Xena promised and was gone.

Gabrielle fought back tears as she heard the warrior going down the stairs. She knew Xena was in no condition to fight and hoped that one of the Northern goddesses would at least heal Xena's wounded side before they went into battle.

Gods, the thought of a battle between the Viking gods and Greek gods was frightening.

Gabrielle frowned as the door opened again and Odin walked in. He smiled slightly and went to the table, grabbing up his cloak.

"Forgot this," he said simply but Gabrielle's eyes were narrowed.

"And?" she demanded and the god merely laughed and slowly approached her side of the bed.

"You are good, bard," he commented. "What would you give to save Sasha and the known world?"

"I answered that once when Apollo told me her fate was to destroy the world if I didn't return to Xena from slavery. I'll do anything to save her and Xena," Gabrielle answered easily.

"Then I need your help," Odin began explaining. "I need Callisto distracted when we take to the battlefield and I think you can do it. I need Xena focused during the battle and frankly the sight of Callisto will send her into a berserker fury."

"After killing Solan, that's assured," Gabrielle agreed.

"Can you do it? Can you keep her off the battlefield?" Odin questioned.

"I can't even sit up!" the bard complained. "I can't heal myself fast enough without endangering my child."

Odin grinned and closed his bright blue eye and held his hands over the bard's shoulder and Gabrielle felt the familiar tingling and rush of energy flowing from the god into her body. This was followed by the strange sensation of her muscles, skin and bones healing rapidly.

Gabrielle sat up easily after a moment and narrowed her eyes as she looked into Odin's face.

"The child is fine and now you're healed. Don't let Xena know or she'll insist you come with us," he suggested.

"You planned this all along," she muttered, half angrily.

"Yes, you'll have the power to hurt and maybe even kill Callisto. Mars and Callisto wouldn't dare risk letting Xena near them before a battle but they would be delighted to get their hands on you," Odin said simply.

The thought of willingly giving herself over to those two maniac deities didn't inspire hope in the bard and Odin nodded at her frown.

"It's a lot, they may just kill you right away," Odin agreed with her thoughts.

"Or torture me for awhile before the battle; even with god-killing gifts there's no way I can handle both of them at once," Gabrielle protested.

"You underestimate yourself, warrior bard," Odin grinned. "You can take Callisto and Xena can handle Mars. Go to the temple of Ares where you fought before. Keep your shoulders bandaged and act wounded and then take her out."

"Xena will kill both of us," Gabrielle smiled at the devious deity.

"Nothing new there, bard," Odin grinned back.

Xena frowned as Odin came down the stairs. "What took so long?"

Odin smiled easily. "Reassuring your mate I'd keep you as safe as possible. She's really upset she's not going with you."

Xena continued frowning. "Me too. Let's go."

Gabrielle watched from her window as Odin and Xena left the village. She knew Odin would zap them to Asgard once they were out of view. The bard was careful to stay out of Xena's sight.

Gabrielle knew Xena would never agree to Odin's crazy plan to divide Callisto and Mars apart during the battle but the bard knew that it might be the only chance they would have to get close to Sasha.

Xena couldn't help but smile after Freya ran her hands over the warrior and all her aches, pains and the wounded side were healed instantly. It always felt strange to be healed by the gods but Xena was grateful. If she was going up against Mars and Callisto, Xena wanted to be in top form.

The Northern Goddess smiled in return and turned to Odin with a satisfied look.

"You've got your warrior, Odin," she said simply.

"We'll need her, Freya," Odin responded. "Xena, time to plan a battle that will rattle the world!"

Xena shook her head at his enthusiasm. "Vikings and their fights," she grinned. "How did I hook up with you Vikings?" she asked with a grin. "You can be as bad as Ares and Mars."

"Not quite," he argued. "We fight for the joy of it, yes, but not for the blood and carnage like Ares."

"Very little difference at times," Xena countered and wasn't surprised when the deity merely shrugged.

"You know how the Greeks and Romans do battle," Odin began, changing the subject.

"Yes, I don't expect the gods to fight like a Roman legion but I do know how they think, especially if Mars has learned from Ares," Xena agreed, walking over and leaning over a table. On the table was a model of the ground where the gods from two different cultures would clash. It was a wonderful model, showing the hills, valleys, rivers, plains, everything down to the smallest detail. Xena envied the ability to have these kinds of maps and then shook her head. She didn't need maps like this anymore, she argued with herself. Xena wasn't the Warlord anymore.

Then why did she keep ending up a warrior and in battles?

Caesar had once said that his destiny was to rule the world and Xena was part of it. She had been; she had also been part of his downfall from that rule. He had felt the best thing anyone could ever know was their own personal destiny and how to fight for it.

What was Xena's destiny? She questioned with a frown. Especially now since she knew she was immortal and practically a god. No longer did she have to look at retiring and being a full time mom or innkeeper.

It had always been unspoken that Xena would take over for her mom when Cyrene couldn't work it anymore. Now was that the plan? The last two years had seen Solan and Reija working towards that goal, now Solan was dead and Reija crippled.

What was their destiny? What was right for her family?

Xena almost wished she could grow older and follow the pattern that life had set down for humans. Some things would be taken for granted and forced on you. Warriors either died or retired. They became Captains of city guards, teachers or generals. Very few warriors made it to old age in their profession.

Now Xena supposed she could go on forever as a warrior unless she was killed. Was that her destiny? Was that what she was meant to do forever? Was that the future she wanted for Gabrielle and their children?

Children, their children. What did destiny mean with children? A child with Gabrielle and Sasha and a grandson by Solan.

Xena frowned and caught Odin smiling at her.

"You think too much sometimes," he teased.

"And you don't? God of poetry, after sacrificing your eye for the gift of prophecy, knowledge and poetry. Hanging on a tree, stabbed with your own spear to gain the knowledge of the runes. Was it worth it?" she countered.

"Yes, I can tell you the future of the world but you wouldn't believe it, any of the possibilities. Do I know that I can't prevent some things from happening, yes? Do I know that I will die eventually, yes?"

"And Sasha? You've been rather quiet about that subject," Xena growled.

"If we get her back to you, her future is glorious. If not, the future is short for most of us," Odin shrugged, vague as usual.

"Let's get to planning," Xena said simply.

"We know some of the names of the Greeks joining with Mars, maybe you recognize the names," Freya suggested.

"Who are they?" Xena questioned.

"Pluto and Morpheus," Odin began.

"Pluto is the Roman name for Hades, king of the Underworld. Morpheus is the god of dreams. I've tangled with him before, he wanted Gabrielle in his kingdom," Xena answered.

"Which would have meant her death," Odin surmised and Xena nodded. "Erebus and Ixion."

"Erebus is the son of Chaos, his specialty is darkness. Ixion is the son of Ares, brother to Mars," Xena responded easily.

"Dis and Alphaeus," Freya continued.

"An Underworld god and a river god," the warrior answered, looking over the model map.

"Neptune I know is an ocean god, what about Orcus?" Odin questioned.

"A Roman god of death," Xena muttered.

"Phobos," Freya finished.

"Another son of Ares, his specialty is causing fright. What Vikings have joined with Mars?" Xena asked.

"So far only Loki and Hella and some of the giants," Odin answered.

"Any Greeks on our side?" the warrior asked, moving around the table to get a different angle on the battleground.

"Yes, Cupid and Apollo," Odin began.

"God of Love and the God of the Sun," Xena grinned. "I expected them. Cupid likes us and Apollo is Gabrielle's father."

"Mercury and Museos," Freya continued.

"God of Speed and Messages and a male muse, the son of Hecate," Xena responded. "I guess that makes him my half-brother. Haven't met him."

"One named Evander and Artemis," Odin finished.

"Strange, a son of Ares but a god of writing," Xena frowned. "The Goddess of the hunt and Amazons, Gabrielle's patron goddess."

"Evander has pledged loyalty to Apollo and Zeus," Odin mentioned.

"Good, not every son takes after the father, I guess," Xena muttered.

"Now, about this valley here," Odin pointed, beginning the strategy session.

Gabrielle hated leaving a note for Cyrene, especially after the last note she had left. The note telling her mother-in-law she was about to take her own life because of her pregnancy. Now she was leaving another note for Cyrene to find and worry over, but Gabrielle knew if Cyrene was aware of what the bard was planning all of Tartarus would break loose.

The bard wondered, as she climbed out her window with a small travel pack, whether she was going crazy. The plan was insane and she knew it but was still willing to try it. To turn herself over to Callisto and Mars with no backup was more than insane, it was suicidal and the bard didn't consider herself suicidal anymore.

Especially now since she was pregnant and knew without a doubt the child wasn't the result of Bacchus' sexual assault. A child of Xena and herself through magic.

Gabrielle hesitated in the stable as she put the bridle on her horse. How could she risk her own life now that she was carrying a child? Especially since the child was also Xena's?

On the other hand, Odin was counting on her to distract Callisto during the battle. The details had been few and rough; he would somehow let Gabrielle know when the gods and their armies were marching against each other and it would then be up to Gabrielle to keep Callisto from the field.

The bard wasn't sure how she was going to do that; Callisto was so unpredictable and Mars a total unknown. Odin had whispered a suggestion in her ear before walking out the door, leaving a stunned bard behind. A suggestion Gabrielle found she didn't even want to think about yet alone consider.

Xena and Odin finally quit hovering over the model map with the other gods and goddesses after several candles-marks. The warrior found she was actually relaxing with the Viking and Greek deities as they argued strategy and weapons.

The warrior then found herself frowning; it almost felt too comfortable to her. Then she smiled as Cupid sat down next to her as Valkyries merrily served food and drink to the crowd gathered at the eating table.

"You're thinking about your warlord days," he commented.

"You reading my mind?" she demanded, losing her smile.

"No, it's easy to read your body language and I know you," he responded easily. "You have been wrapped up in the planning and then bantering back and forth about war. Then you frowned, actually scowling at yourself," he explained. "You aren't falling back into old patterns, Xena."

"How do I know what you say is true? War was what I lived for and I have no idea what I'm doing now in life. We've been surviving for years without any real direction," the warrior complained. "Coming together and then losing Gabrielle for almost two years, no time for planning while that was happening. Since then we've been off balance."

Cupid nodded, "And most of those events were because of Ares messing with you both."

"Now it's Mars and Callisto. Just when I think we can settle down and raise our families, something happens," Xena complained.

"Why can't you accept that you're a warrior?" he asked with a grin.

"I know I'm a warrior, I just don't want to slip back into being a warlord," Xena countered.

"You are a naturally talented warrior and more, just like your bard is. Maybe you two should raise your families outside the Empire for awhile," Cupid, God of Love suggested.

"I've been thinking about it," Xena admitted. "Especially if we don't take care of Mars and Callisto."

"Even if we do take Mars out, another God will come along to replace him, probably one of Ares' other sons," Cupid complained.

"What are Gabrielle and I destined for?" Xena muttered.

"You think too much right now," Cupid grinned. "Right now your destiny is to get your daughter and grandson back, get back to your mate and help her during the pregnancy."

Xena grinned back at the God of Love and nodded, accepting a horn of mead and almost choked when the god leaned over and nuzzled her neck.

He almost choked on his own drink as he laughed at Xena's surprised statement.

"Hey," he grinned. "You are beautiful, irresistible, and such fun when you blush!"

The warrior laughed and playfully smacked the God on his arm.

"Just never try that when Gabrielle is around, you imp!"

Cupid laughed as the warrior shook her head. He could be a handful, Xena thought to herself, like his mother. One thing about both of them, the warrior didn't feel threatened by his playfulness. She knew he wasn't serious and had gotten her to laugh and she was grateful.

She also noticed him carefully watching a couple of the Valkyries moving around the table and some of them watching him back. They seemed more than curious about his wings, which he tried to keep tucked behind him.

The night before a major battle could guarantee several things, the warrior knew; one would be alcohol and another would be sex. Not too much alcohol and not too much sex but it would happen among a lot of them, Xena knew. Some of the midnight connections would be out of the knowledge that death might wait for them the next day; others out of the incredible energy that would be building up between everyone.

Xena wished even more that Gabrielle was with her, the warrior's eyes clouding over with thoughts of her bard.

Gabrielle camped two marks away from the Temple of Ares. She knew the gods would be meeting on the battlefield during the daytime, probably at first light.

The bard leaped to her feet, sai in each hand when a figure appeared suddenly on the other side of her campfire. Gabrielle blinked as she took in the male smiling at her.

Wearing nothing more than a pair of cut off trousers, a shining helmet and tight shoes, the well fit youth looked like a swimmer. Or a runner, Gabrielle corrected herself and smiled, lowering her sais slightly.

"Hermes, or are you calling yourself Mercury these days?" she greeted.

"Either works for me," he grinned as she took in the wings at his ankles and the ones behind his back, like Cupid's, only these were smaller.

"What's up?" she asked as she invited him to sit by the fire with her. The God of Speed and Messages sat with a smile.

"Xena and the others have planned the battle and now are settling in for the evening," he said easily.

"Gods, I miss her," Gabrielle muttered.

"She is missing you, badly," Hermes smiled, "Especially with Cupid trying to nibble on her neck."

"Excuse me?"

The Greek Trickster God laughed heartily. "He doesn't mean it, he got her to laugh and relax a little."

"I assume Odin sent you," she guessed.

"Yes, just checking on things," he confirmed.

"How in Tartarus am I supposed to get Callisto and Mars apart before a major battle?" Gabrielle complained.

"Well, they actually plan on it," Hermes said cryptically.

"What do you mean?" Gabrielle asked, her curiosity now heightened.

"They plan on Callisto kidnapping you from your sick bed while Xena is in the middle of the battle," he explained.

"And how do you and Odin know this?" Gabrielle's eyes narrowed.

"Loki has joined with Mars and Callisto," Hermes said easily. "What they don't realize is he's been feeding Odin information about everything. Hella may stand with them but when the battle begins Loki will be by Odin's side."

"Trickster Gods, so damned unpredictable," Gabrielle complained with a smile and was pleased when Hermes joined her laughter in agreement.

"So, I go into the Temple when I get some kind of signal and I'll find Callisto alone about to go off and kidnap me?" Gabrielle frowned.

"That's pretty much it," he agreed.

"Then I need to keep her busy, hopefully not busy killing me," the bard said thoughtfully.

"Yes, and you have got to keep her busy and not simply turn yourself over," he stressed.

"Why?"

"She can't be given time to follow through with her plans for you, you have got to keep her off balance," Hermes urged.

Gabrielle felt a chill run up her spine. "What is her plan for me?" she asked softly.

"To torment you, Mars to rape you and then turn you over as a slave to the Romans again," he answered bluntly. Gabrielle fought down the urge to throw up at the rough description of Callisto's insane plans for her. The bard clenched her hands into fists as her eyes closed in rage. The memories of her time as a slave came rushing back and she resisted the urge to scream.

When Gabrielle opened her eyes again Hermes was gone, leaving the bard with her thoughts.

Xena growled as sunlight hit her eyes as she mounted her horse. The few horns of mead she had the night before were making her grumpy this morning. The warrior was pleased with the horse, a beautiful black mare which reminded her a lot of Argo. Xena missed her beloved and well-trained warhorse and felt another stab of pain. It was getting time to retire Argo from her rough life-style and Xena knew it.

It was another loss coming up and another reminder of the passage of time for the warrior.

Xena frowned as she took in the sight of the deities also mounting their horses. Each lost in their thoughts before the upcoming battle. They each knew this was serious; everyone on the battlefield would have the ability to hurt or kill each other. No one was exempt from the potential of death in this battle. That was something the deities weren't accustomed to.

Even the soldiers and warrior priests of the gods could kill them. Somehow the Fates, Norns or whoever had evened the odds between everyone.

Xena saw Cupid leaning on a doorpost as a Valkyrie leaned into him and began kissing him passionately and the warrior shook her head with a smile. Another Valkyrie walked out behind the Love God and pinched his ass with a grin and Xena continued to shake her head. At least he had kept busy the night before, she thought.

The warrior quickly checked her gear, once more. Everything in place, strapped down, buckled, and tied down. The shield was an excellent piece of work which had pleased the warrior when Odin had presented her with it. Her sword was as sharp as it ever had been, as was her chakram. Several daggers were hidden on various places of her body and a whip was hanging at her side.

Even Xena was impressed when Odin rode out of the stables to join them. His armor was bright and perfect; the tall God was imposing with his long spear in hand. Several whistles greeted the god and he grinned in response.

"Let's do this!" he shouted and was greeted with massive cheers.

Xena felt her body beginning to hum.

Gabrielle watched the temple and everything around her from a position in the woods, out of sight.

It was about a candle-mark past dawn and the bard was waiting impatiently. She had no idea yet how she was going to distract Callisto long enough for the battle to be decided. Some battles had been known to last all day, some even days.

Gabrielle looked up as two ravens began circling overhead, cawing loudly and circling her tree until she waved at them. The two ravens landed on a branch near the bard and she smiled slightly.

"Some sign, tell Odin I'm going through with it. I still don't know what in name of Zeus I'm going to do but I'm going in," she said softly to the birds as they watched her closely.

One more set of caws and the two dark winged creatures flew off, heading up into the sky and out of sight.

Gabrielle looked down at the temple and steeled herself.

Xena screamed a war cry and slashed out at one of the dark soldiers trying to impale her with a spear. She parried the spear easily and slashed backhanded, as the mounted soldier drew closer, and struck him solidly. Her sword ripped through his leather armor from the neck into his chest.

He was forgotten in an instant as she turned and met danger coming in from the front and the side.

Xena had been in the last wave of those going into battle. She and Odin had stayed on a high hill, overseeing and directing the battle.

Xena had been content to let Odin plan most of the battle; the warrior knew Mars would be familiar with everything that Xena had been taught by Ares and her experiences with the Romans. She was trusting Odin to be unpredictable enough to counter that knowledge.

The first unpredictable thing had been the opening feint of both armies. Mars had sent his priest army onto the field with the spearmen first and Phobos riding in front of them, instilling fear in the scout troops of Odin. One thing Mars hadn't counted on with the Vikings, they didn't run when afraid, they went berserk.

The scouts went insane and threw themselves into the middle of the mounted spear soldiers, many of them impaling themselves on the spears in order to break them. The small scout units were massacred but not before they had fought past the spears to sink their swords or even their teeth into their enemies. A third of the spearmen went down to the scouts.

Instead of meeting cavalry with cavalry, Odin met them with arrows and stake traps. With one of her famous war cries, Xena signaled the release of massive logs from the surrounding embankments leading to the woods. The logs had been embedded with spikes and pitch. At the sound of her cry the logs were set on fire and released. The cavalry found blazing spiked logs hurling at them from the sides and a massive wall of stakes facing their horses from the front.

Just as the logs hit the horses and men and the screams of both horse and man began, fire arrows rained down on them from the safety of the trees.

It was all common sense battle planning but it was something Xena excelled at. She was spectacular at all out battle and frontal assaults but she was also talented in ways of wearing down an army and thinning out its ranks before meeting it head-on. These were some of the same tactics she had used on Brutus.

The next tactic was unexpected though, something she had never used.

In typical Roman style, the army of Mars attacked in ranks. There were advantages and disadvantages; one advantage was the separate units could be directed quickly into changing directions and battle plans. The disadvantage was one the Roman god was about to learn.

As the next wave came to the forefront, foot soldiers with spears this time. They left a gap between the last row and the next rank.

The foot spearmen were surprised and confused when they had gotten near the front rank of Odin's troops without any confrontation. They were even more confused when four riders broke out of the trees on each flank behind them and in between the ranks of Mars' army.

Mars himself was confused until he saw they were trailing burning bundles of hay. The Roman God of War began cursing loudly when he realized the ground between his two ranks had been prepared before the battle with oil. The ground became a burning inferno in a matter of moments, cutting off the spearmen from the rest of their troops.

Screams of rage from Mars sounded out across the meadow and then were drowned out by the screams of pain from men burning or being killed by sword, spear and arrow.

Xena gritted her teeth against the horror as she slashed out again. One flank of Mars cavalry had broken through and had threatened Odin's position. Xena had urged her horse into action and into battle.

Gabrielle managed to hold open the door with her foot after a petitioner left the temple. She took a deep breath and pushed the door open further and walked inside, still pretending to nurse her shoulders but mentally prepared for anything.

Odin had suggested playing she was still injured and the bard had ensured that the white bandages and wrappings showed from under her simple tunic. It was times like this she wished she could still wear her old favorite clothing. What little of it there was, she reflected with a smile. Nowadays she didn't dare for fear of being mistaken for a slave because of the lash scars across her back.

Gabrielle lost her smile and felt a shudder run up her spine. Which was exactly what Callisto wanted for her again, slave to someone brutal, maybe even the gladiatorial games again. A guaranteed short life, even for an immortal.

Gabrielle wondered for a moment how much Callisto knew about them since she had been in the lava rock. Obviously enough to fool Joxer into believing she was Gabrielle. Callisto must know that she was the daughter of Apollo and immortal now. The bard frowned, how much did Callisto know about them? She knew about Solan, Sasha and even Dex being Xena's boss and friend. Did she know Gabrielle was now pregnant with Xena's child? That would not be good, Gabrielle thought to herself.

The temple only had one priest this early in the morning and he wasn't paying attention to the female in the cloak that kept to the back of the temple. When the half-asleep priest went outside for something the bard quickly moved behind the altar and towards the step to the hard wooden and leather throne.

Gabrielle really didn't know what she was doing but she trusted her instincts. Whenever Ares had appeared in the temples or Olympus it was always on his throne first. The bard quickly moved up the stairs and sat down before the priest could come in and cause problems.

"Callisto!" she shouted loudly, startling several doves that had taken refuge in the rafters.

Xena shouted and waved her bloody sword over her head and the troops of Mars looked up with startled faces at the screams of horses and women above their heads. Even Phobos looked surprised and a little fearful at the sight of the well armed and battle frenzied Valkyries on winged horses diving at them.

At the same time, Odin's troops pressed forward, two units of berserkers and werserkers leading the charge. The combination of the half-bear, half-wolf warriors and flying Valkyries was more than some of the Greeks could take and panic began to spread throughout the soldiers of Mars.

Xena grinned and saw Odin stand up in his stirrups, his cloak flowing behind him, his wolves standing on each side of Sleipnir, his eight legged horse. She was surprised when his two ravens appeared and landed on each shoulder.

The warrior's sharp eyes took in their cawing in each ear and the Norse gods' close attention to his messengers. Then the deity stood higher and shouted a war cry of his own and raised his spear.

"All who fall come to me!" he shouted, his god-voice carrying over the din of the battle, causing an almost supernatural silence for a moment. In that space of silence, the god threw his spear over the heads of Mars' army.

All of them, even the Greeks knew that was a dedication of souls to Odin upon their death. Whoever died this day as a hero would go to Valhalla and to Odin. A hero's fate.

It also meant he was dooming the enemy army to failure.

Mars roared his anger and began shouting at his own troops to get back to the front and hold the line.

Xena sent her chakram flying as two of Morpheus personal priest warriors managed to use their ability to cloud minds to work past the front lines and were heading for Odin. The priests never knew what hit them. One moment their heads were attached to their bodies and the next moment they weren't. The faces on the severed heads actually managed to look puzzled before dropping to the ground.

Odin looked over and grinned viciously at the warrior.

Both armies were holding their own but it was becoming obvious that Odin's side was beginning to make progress. Mars may have started out with almost double the number of troops, but the surprises Odin and Xena had sprung at him and his troops had cut the advantage down.

Gabrielle blinked as she took in the sight of the living space around her and wasn't surprised to find it very masculine. Leather covered furniture, shields and various weapons decorated the walls with black, red and silver tapestries with intricate interwoven designs. A long table with gold goblets and plates ran down the center of the room. Off to her left was a large and comfortable looking bed of rich linens and furs.

In the center of the bed was Callisto, looking somewhat surprised to be looking back at the bard sitting on the throne of Ares, now the throne of Mars.

"Well, well," Callisto purred, sitting up on the bed. Her movements reminded Gabrielle of a snake or a harem dancer - erotic and deadly at the same time.

Gabrielle resisted the urge to dive off the throne with sais in both hands. The bard knew she now had the ability to hurt the goddess in front of her and Callisto didn't know it. Gabrielle didn't dare risk it until she knew where Sasha was, however. One wrong move and Callisto could blast Gabrielle into flames and Xena would never see Sasha again.

"I didn't expect visitors!" Callisto exclaimed easily.

Gabrielle stood up slowly, keeping her arms close to her body and moving stiffly.

"I thought I'd save you the trip," Gabrielle taunted back.

"How did you know I'd be coming for you?" Callisto stopped as she stood up and drew her sword; Gabrielle losing her chance to surprise the goddess immediately with an attack.

"Logic," Gabrielle said easily, moving down from the steps to meet the blonde chaotic goddess. "Xena is off battling Mars, leaving me unprotected and injured. You don't want Xena dead, you want to hurt her."

"Yes, go on," Callisto muttered, her eyes burning brightly as she watched the bard move slowly to a well cushioned chair near the fire at the head of the room.

"You've killed her son, kidnapped her daughter and grandson," Gabrielle continued, picking up a goblet of rich wine and pretended to drink. "Crippled her daughter-in-law, injured her brother badly, destroyed our friend Joxer, broke her mother's ribs. What could be next except me?"

"Very good, you always were smart," Callisto smiled, her eyes dancing with a manic gleam. "Many have underestimated you, haven't they?"

"Yes," Gabrielle admitted.

"You know something," Callisto suddenly said thoughtfully. "You never did thank me."

"Thank you?" a puzzled Gabrielle asked.

"For killing that boring farmer you picked for a husband," Callisto grinned evilly. "If not for me you might never have gotten together with Xena after that disaster."

Gabrielle felt her eyes flashing with anger, her breathing quicken and she quickly resisted the reaction of tightening her hands into fists and then attacking Callisto.

"Oh goodie!" Callisto cried, delightfully clapping her hands. "It still gets to you, does it? Is that because you really loved him or do you feel guilty because you're glad he's dead and you're with Xena?"

Gabrielle somehow kept her anger in check but she could feel her cheeks blushing with anger and guilt. Callisto had hit a little too close to home for the bard. In fact, she had hit dead center, Gabrielle did feel guilty that Perdicus was dead because she was happy to be with Xena and only his death had made that possible.

Callisto laughed heartily at the bard's statement of anger.

"So what do you have planned for me?" Gabrielle demanded, hoping to change the subject.

"Oh nothing much," Callisto purred, moving closer to the bard and raising Gabrielle's chin up with the point of her sword. "I thought I'd torture you for awhile and then turn you over to one of the more vicious gladiatorial schools in Rome."

Gabrielle let the fear show in her eyes as well as the anger.

"Been there, done that," she said bravely, hoping Callisto caught the tremor in her voice. "I survived and won my freedom."

"I know, I saw that!" Callisto exclaimed and laughed at Gabrielle's baffled look. "I had the ability to watch the two of you while I was stuck in that damned lava!"

The goddess looked furious for a moment and Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat as the sword bit into her throat slightly and then Callisto looked amused again.

"I got to see you sleeping with that other Amazon gladiator of yours; you are definitely more talented than you think!" Callisto said and then laughed as the bard blushed a bright red. "Both in bed and in the Arena. I never thought you'd get out of that one!"

Callisto lowered the sword and sat down in a chair across from Gabrielle.

"Then I got to see Xena's brat being born, quite a sight!" she continued. "Vikings and blood everywhere, Xena screaming and helpless! Oh it was such fun!"

"Have you ever thought of having children, Callisto?" Gabrielle asked and wasn't surprised by the shocked statement on the goddess' face.

"Why would I subject a child to my life?" the blonde goddess demanded suddenly angry.

"Good question, then what do you have planned for Sasha and Kiryk?" Gabrielle countered.

"Mars gets Sasha to raise as he sees fit," Callisto shrugged. "As for the other brat, you'll have to guess about that one."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in anger but she resisted snapping back at the goddess.

"Amazing," Gabrielle commented and wasn't surprised when Callisto leaned forward, her eyes flashing with anger.

"What?" she demanded.

"That you would make the same mistakes as Xena," the bard said thoughtfully, appearing not to notice Callisto's rising anger.

"Mistakes?" Callisto hissed.

"Creating another Xena. Really stupid."

Gabrielle wasn't surprised when Callisto backhanded her, almost tipping the chair over backwards. Again the bard resisted reacting physically.

"You better explain that, bitch," Callisto growled.

"Xena was partly created by Ares. The Warlord Xena killed your family and created you. Now you're going to turn a child over to Mars so he can create another Warlord Xena," Gabrielle reasoned. "Sasha is as innocent as you were, now you get to create a monster, just like Xena did."

Callisto frowned.

"You've killed Sasha's brother and are going to turn her over to Mars to be turned into a monster. Xena may well have raised you herself," Gabrielle snapped. "You want revenge on Sasha or Xena?"

"And what would you suggest, bard?" Callisto laughed. "I let Sasha and Kiryk go, send you back and forgive Xena for everything?"

"I know you won't do that," Gabrielle said simply. "I do know a way to get revenge on Xena without turning Sasha into the monster Xena was and which you've become."

"So you haven't come to argue for yourself or Xena," Callisto commented, nodding to herself as if accepting the observation.

"No, that would be useless," Gabrielle said simply.

"You are sharp," Callisto admitted. "So in your mind what could I possibly do with Sasha that would hurt Xena without hurting Sasha."

"Nothing," Gabrielle admitted. "But I do know a lesser evil for Sasha. Give her to the Norse gods."

"What in Tartarus are you talking about? They're the ones fighting Mars right now!" Callisto demanded.

"Haven't you asked yourself why they are fighting Mars?" Gabrielle threw a question back at the goddess.

By the frown on the blonde's face, Gabrielle knew Callisto hadn't bothered with the question and probably neither had Mars.

"They are fighting with Xena not because they're friends with her!" Gabrielle said forcefully, as if instructing a slower student. "They want Sasha for their own. The Northern gods know she's going to have powers and want her for their own. They intend to turn her into a Valkyrie and take her from Xena and me."

"What the difference between Mars and the Norse and why should I care?" Callisto demanded.

"Do you want to do to a child what Xena did to you?" Gabrielle demanded. "Mars will warp her and turn her into what Xena was. Sasha will turn around and destroy many more families than Xena ever did. Families like yours. The Warlord Xena will win over you, Callisto."

Callisto seemed lost in thought.

"The ultimate irony, Xena created you by killing your family. Now you'll create a hundred more Callistos by creating the next Xena with her daughter." Gabrielle said bitterly.

"So why the Norse?" Callisto was still frowning.

"They want to take and train her to become one of them, Xena isn't happy with that and won't give up her daughter to them," Gabrielle said, hoping the truth would cloud over the slight lie under the sentence.

"What if I want her to become the next Warlord Xena?" Callisto asked with a grin.

"Why, everyone will know it's your fault, you and Mars. Xena will be seen as the suffering mother who lost her child to an insane goddess and a power hungry war god," the bard said simply.

Callisto continued pondering.

"Instead of Xena being blamed for her past crimes, you'll be the one blamed for the terror. Cirra will be forgotten and you'll be cursed for taking an innocent child and turning her into a monster." Gabrielle pressed.

Callisto growled.

"You talk too much," Callisto growled and Gabrielle nodded her head in agreement.

Gabrielle watched as Callisto snarled at her and then at herself.

"They'll possibly turn her over to you again after the battle!" Callisto protested.

"No, were you watching when we fought the monster Grendel?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yeah, you actually stayed dead for awhile over that one!" Callisto grinned in pleasure and Gabrielle glared at her. "I saw."

"Then you know Freya and Odin are demanding Sasha for their own."

Callisto growled.

Part 3

Xena was getting tired, battle took energy very quickly and this one was lasting towards noon.

The warrior spotted Cupid falling back from the battle, wiping sweat from his brow and ignoring blood dripping from a serious cut along his left bicep and another under his right ribs.

He saw Xena and rode his horse over to her and smiled slightly.

"How goes it?" he asked.

"So far, so good. We're holding our own and Mars is getting more and more frustrated," Xena answered.

"Good, some of them are getting really tired out there," he commented.

"I know, hopefully the last surprise we have in store for them will break it," Xena grinned.

"What do you have planned?" the god of Love asked.

"Just wait and see, don't get yourself killed before then," she joked and he merely grinned at her and turned his horse back towards the battlefield.

Xena rode over next to Odin and they watched the battle for a few moments. They could both see Mars on an opposite hill doing the same. He was pacing his horse back and forth, obviously impatient and frustrated.

"Getting close, Odin," Xena said simply.

"Not yet, I'm waiting for something," he grinned.

"What? The troops are getting tired and we need a boost," Xena asked.

"I'm waiting for your daughter," Odin said, intentionally watching the battle and not the warrior. He didn't want to laugh at her amazed statement.

"What?" she demanded after a moment.

"I'm hoping Sasha will show up," he smiled.

"What have you done?" she demanded, her eyes narrowing. "What have you and Gabrielle planned?"

"We'll have to wait and see, Xena," Odin said simply.

"Gabrielle?"

"Don't even think about it, Xena!" Odin said sharply. "If you leave now you could destroy everything and kill both Sasha and Gabrielle."

"If either of them die, Odin," Xena began threatening.

"I know, I know."

Gabrielle resisted shifting uneasily in the chair under Callisto's unrelenting stare and finally the goddess broke the stare and growled as she drained a goblet of wine.

She glared at Gabrielle again and snapped her fingers.

It took every bit of Gabrielle's self control not to leap to her feet as Sasha appeared next to Callisto's chair. The child rushed forward and hugged her adopted mom.

"Mum!"

Gabrielle carefully wrapped her arms around the child, cautiously watching Callisto.

"Say goodbye to Gabrielle, brat," Callisto snapped and Gabrielle pulled Sasha back to look the child in her blue eyes.

"Callisto is going to send you to Odin a little early, okay? Your mom and I are going to get you back someday," Gabrielle said simply, hoping Sasha would keep quiet and just listen.

"I don't want to leave you and Mom!" Sasha cried and Gabrielle almost sighed with relief, somehow the child knew what to say.

"Just don't anger Odin and remember I love you," Gabrielle hugged the child tightly.

Sasha backed out of Gabrielle's arms with tears flowing down her face and was gone.

"She's with Odin?" Gabrielle demanded from Callisto, who now looked bored.

"Yeah, yeah, yeah," the goddess waved her hand, dismissing the subject. "Happy?"

"Yes," Gabrielle admitted.

"Now what to do with you?" Callisto turned her attention back to the bard, her eyes dancing with insanity.

Gabrielle felt her heart skip a beat with fear. She had the power to hurt Callisto but Callisto had the power to zap things and she was unpredictable as Tartarus.

The bard knew the next few moments could determine whether she would go through torture and end up as a slave or maybe get out alive.

Gabrielle stood up and shrugged her cloak off as Callisto's eyes narrowed with suspicion. The bard kept her movements simple and her hands away from her sais as she reached up and pulled her tunic off. It was revealed that Gabrielle was wearing one of her old favorite outfits, a leather top which barely covered her ample breasts and a leather skirt that left little to the imagination but her legs free for movement.

The bard noticed the flash of interest before Callisto masked it with a look of disdain.

"That god healing ability take care of your shoulders?" the goddess asked, trying to sound bored.

"Something like that," Gabrielle shrugged. "So, after you send me to the Romans, kill Torris and his wife, then what?"

"I don't know," Callisto admitted.

"What would be left for revenge?" Gabrielle continued, throwing her tunic onto the chair with her cloak.

"You talk too much," Callisto complained again.

"Yup, I admit it," Gabrielle said softly and walked up to the goddess as Callisto's eyes narrowed again with suspicion. Before Callisto could respond, the bard pulled the goddess to her and kissed her passionately.

Callisto protested for a moment and then began responding to the kiss, pulling Gabrielle closer.

The bard tried to shut off of her mind and let her body respond to the sensations. She had done it often enough when she was a slave and separated from Xena. Forced into a relationship with her female trainer, she had started out the sexual relationship by shutting off her mind and letting her body respond. Later she had needed the contact with Nikki, but the first time with Nikki had felt like this, somehow unreal and distant.

The bard moaned and kissed the goddess back even more roughly than before.

Not surprising the bard, Callisto suddenly thrust Gabrielle back, a shocked statement on her face.

"What in Tartarus are you doing?" she shrieked.

Gabrielle slowly pulled her sais out and threw them on the chair behind her. She saw Callisto's eyes narrow in suspicion.

The bard also caught Callisto's eyes roaming over the bard's body now the tunic was gone and Gabrielle was dressed more like she had in her traveling days with Xena. Skirt and very little for a top.

"Tell me something, Callisto," Gabrielle said softly, letting her voice go a little husky. "Why haven't you killed me yet?"

"What? Don't be an idiot," Callisto snapped. "If I send you to the slave pits, then Xena will go insane trying to find you."

"I think there's more to it," Gabrielle said softly and gently stroked Callisto's cheek and the chaotic goddess closed her eyes for a moment. Then the other blonde snapped her eyes open and grabbed the bard's wrist tightly. Gabrielle ignored the pain. "Did you enjoy watching me with my trainer?"

Callisto refused to answer but released the bard's wrist with a frown. Gabrielle moved slowly behind the goddess, keeping her hands trailing over Callisto's shoulder and maintaining contact.

"Did you?" Gabrielle persisted, running her hand through Callisto's hair.

"Yeah, you hated it so much and then couldn't help yourself!" Callisto growled.

"Did I hate it?" Gabrielle purred and grinned when Callisto squeaked as the goddess felt her armor buckle being undone at her shoulder and then Gabrielle's lips on her skin.

"What in Tartarus are you doing?" Callisto snapped again, this time her voice a dangerous growl.

"I don't think you could even kill Xena if she were kneeling in front of you totally unarmed," Gabrielle said, ignoring Callisto's question.

"Of course I could! It's just more delightful to torment her," Callisto protested.

"Nah," Gabrielle said thoughtfully and the goddess turned, her brown eyes blazing. Gabrielle appeared not to notice but continued 'contemplating.' "You've been so obsessed with her since you were a child. I don't think you could kill her."

The bard turned and sat down on the edge of the bed and leaned back on her elbows casually, seeming to be oblivious to the body she was presenting to the chaotic goddess in front of her.

"I know I confuse you," Gabrielle smiled at Callisto and her sharp eyes caught the goddess clenching her fist and silently hoped she could play this out. "I'm not a warrior; I couldn't even fight when you first met me."

"That's for sure!" Callisto agreed, grinning at the memory of Gabrielle dangling from the end of a burning rope and Xena desperately fighting Callisto to get to the bard in time.

"Yup, I become a warrior when I didn't want to," Gabrielle admitted. "I've heard you ask Xena several times why she kept me around. Have you figured out the answer?"

"True love?" Callisto sneered.

"Yes but also great sex," Gabrielle caught the jerk of Callisto's body and resisted letting her own revulsion show through. "Tell me the truth, Callisto; do you enjoy watching Xena and me together? I know you and Ares think my relationship with her makes her weak as a warrior, Does it help to watch us together?"

Gabrielle rolled out of the way as an energy bolt shot up the bed, catching the quilt on fire. The bard rolled the cloth onto itself, pulled it off the bed and stomped on it to put the fire out and turned to the goddess with a smirk of her own.

"Did you like watching Xena in such a vulnerable position, my hand deep inside of her?" Gabrielle taunted. "Her back arching, her hands clutching at my shoulders, crying out my name?"

Callisto screamed and released another fire bolt and Gabrielle back flipped out of its way and looked over at the scorch mark on the stone wall.

"Good thing Mars doesn't like a lot of flammable stuff around, huh?" she grinned as Callisto's eyes blazed at her.

"I can't see the two of you!" the insane blonde goddess screamed.

"What?" Gabrielle asked, her voice reflecting her amusement at Callisto's frustration.

"Aphrodite put a spell on the both of you!" Callisto admitted with a shout of anger. "No one can watch you two when you're having sex!"

Gabrielle fell onto the bed laughing and continued laughing even when Callisto screamed again and jumped on top of the bard, hands wrapped around her throat.

"No wonder you're pissed off!" Gabrielle said breathlessly with an impish grin, her hands holding onto Callisto's arms lightly. "Not only can't you have Xena, you can't even watch!"

"Damn you!" Callisto growled. "I'm going to kill you!"

"How about letting me show you why Xena keeps taking me back?" Gabrielle offered, her voice soft.

"What?" Callisto demanded, her hands easing up slightly.

Gabrielle thrust her arms between Callisto's arms and broke the hold the goddess had on her throat and knocked her arms out to the sides, sending Callisto right down on top of the bard. Gabrielle took advantage of the position and grabbed the back of Callisto's head, kissed her roughly and brought her leg up between Callisto's.

"You want to know what Xena feels? You want to know how I drive her insane," Gabrielle whispered, nibbling on Callisto's earlobe and resisted grinning when she felt the warrior shudder.

"Damn you!" Callisto growled. "You're trying to trick me. You'd never betray Xena!"

"Use your powers, Callisto," Gabrielle whispered, unhooking the other shoulder of Callisto's leathers. "Do you seriously think Xena got me pregnant?"

"What!"

The bard wasn't surprised when Callisto fell off her with a stunned statement as she tried to recover and then leaned over Gabrielle on one elbow. Gabrielle saw Callisto's eyes brighten somewhat and become slightly unfocused and felt a tingling all over her body. The bard instinctively grabbed at her abdomen and Callisto suddenly laughed.

"I know Xena has many skills but I didn't think that was one of them!" Callisto grinned and Gabrielle couldn't help but blushing. "She took you back?"

"Yeah, but do you think she'd take me back after being with you?"

Callisto's face grew serious. "Why should I believe this?"

"Because I get to stay alive and you are irresistible in an insane way," Gabrielle shrugged instead of shuddering. "I stay with you, it drives Xena insane and I stay out of the hands of the Romans."

"I don't believe you'd betray Xena just to stay alive. Not your style," Callisto grumbled. "You've even died for the bitch."

"If I become a slave gladiator again then I'll either be killed when they find out I'm pregnant or be turned over to the kitchen. My child will be taken from me after he or she is born and I'll be turned into a sex slave," Gabrielle reasoned. "You know I've been through that. With you I'd have a chance of talking you out of whatever you might come up with."

Callisto grinned a rueful smirk at the bard's last bit of logic. "Now that sounds like you!"

"Don't you want to take and conquer everything that is Xena's?" Gabrielle taunted, her eyes flashing finally with the anger she felt and Callisto laughed.

"You know I do," the goddess agreed and bent over to kiss Gabrielle roughly, her hand reaching around the bard's ribs to pull her close.

Gabrielle put a hand on the goddess' chest and lightly pushed Callisto back.

"Your word, no Roman slavery?" she demanded.

"You wouldn't trust my word!" Callisto grinned.

"You sent Sasha back to Odin, I'll chance it," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Oh, alright," the goddess said after a moment. "As long as Xena looks for you and you being with me drives her crazy, I won't send you away."

"And after the child is born you'll send him or her to my family," Gabrielle persisted.

"I am not a goddamn fishmonger to be bargained with!" Callisto snapped.

"It's my life, damnit! You're a god, I've got a child to think of," Gabrielle snapped right back.

"Okay, fine! I agree!"

"Then let me show you what drives Xena insane," Gabrielle whispered, turned her mind off and began pulling at Callisto's leathers.

Xena broke into a smile when her daughter suddenly appeared next to the Norse god Odin. She quickly dismounted as Sasha caught sight of her and dashed towards her Mom. Xena easily lifted her daughter into her arms, hugging her tightly.

"Sasha!" Xena set her daughter down and wiped a tear of joy from her eye as the dark haired child hugged her tight around the ribs. "How?" the warrior questioned Odin.

"Apparently your bard is quite persuasive," Odin grinned.

"What about Gabrielle?" Xena demanded. "How do we get her back?"

"I'm not sure if we can, that part is probably up to her as well," Odin said reluctantly and wasn't surprised when the warrior growled.

Sasha looked up her mom. "She was okay when I saw her," the child said.

"Where was that, Sasha?" Xena asked gently.

"The Hall of Mars in Olympus," Sasha answered easily. "Callisto was about to leave and kidnap Mum. Then Mum showed up in the hall and they talked. Callisto released me because Mum tricked her into thinking the Norse gods want me without your permission."

"Gabrielle," Xena muttered, her voice reflecting her admiration. "What does Callisto plan for Gabrielle?"

"To turn her over to a Roman gladiator school again," Sasha said.

"No," Xena whispered and turned to Odin.

"How do we get her back?" she demanded again.

"Just be patient and watch Mars, if he disappears then we spring our last surprise and, hopefully, get your mate back," Odin urged.

"Hopefully?" Xena almost shouted. "You planned this with her, didn't you?"

"Most of it," Odin admitted. "I knew she'd be willing to sacrifice herself, if necessary, for your daughter and a chance at stopping Callisto."

"Without consulting me?" Xena snapped.

"Without you, Xena," Odin said. "You would never have agreed."

"No, I wouldn't have! I can't lose her, damnit!" Xena protested.

"And she wasn't willing to lose Sasha to Mars. Hopefully she can get Kiryk back too," Odin said simply.

"Odin, you'll wish you stayed on that damned tree with your spear stuck in your ribs if she gets hurt!" Xena threatened.

The Norse god laughed and turned to see how the battle was going, watching the opposing god closely.

Gabrielle felt Callisto running her hands through the bard's short hair and moaned into the goddess' lips, her own hands running up and down the smooth back of Callisto.

"Oh gods," the bard muttered as the goddess' lips left hers and trailed to Gabrielle's neck and she begin nibbling lightly. The bard cursed her own body as it responded to the chaotic goddess.

"I'm going to make you forget Xena ever touched you," Callisto promised, pulling Gabrielle on top of her. Her hands were undoing Gabrielle's top, freeing the bard's breasts for her hands. They were different than Xena's, Gabrielle reflected for a moment, rougher but her body was still responding and the bard fought down a sensation of shame and repulsion. Trying not to think or feel, just let her body react.

"Release Kiyrk, please," Gabrielle whispered.

"Shut up about the boy brat or I'll fry him!" Callisto warned, her hand firm in Gabrielle's short hair in warning. Gabrielle continued what she was doing and stopped asking about Kiryk.

She had managed to get Callisto undressed and was now on top of the goddess, her leg pressing between Callisto's, a hand on the goddess' breast and her lips on the other nipple. Gabrielle pulled on the nipple with her teeth and felt Callisto jerk under her at the sensation and moved her lips up to the insane woman's lips. The bard wondered if a Tavern wench felt like this, like something mechanical, going through the motions of being aroused and enjoying it? Did they hate this a much as she did or was it just because it was Callisto?

After a moment of dueling with Callisto's tongue and lips she trailed down to Callisto's ear and neck.

"You know what drives Xena right over the edge?" Gabrielle whispered.

"What?" Callisto gasped.

"My fangs," the bard whispered and ran a tongue over Callisto's neck.

"Your what?" Callisto sounded confused until Gabrielle bit down into her neck, hitting a vein perfectly. Callisto screamed in both fear and sensation as the Bacchae erotic magic hit her.

Xena paced relentlessly back and forth in front of Odin, glancing every other second at Mars, who was also pacing. Mars was watching the battle, Odin and Xena were watching Mars.

"What in Tartarus are we waiting for?" Xena demanded again.

"Not much longer," Odin said gently. "If he doesn't move soon then we'll have to."

"What are we waiting for? Gabrielle to die?"

"I hope not," Odin said simply.

Xena shouted in frustration.

"Gabrielle!"

The goddess dug her nails deeply into the bard's shoulders and Gabrielle growled with the pain. The bard refused to release the hold with her fangs and felt Callisto shuddering again and again with waves of orgasms.

Gabrielle wasn't sure if Callisto was pleading with her to stop or to continue but didn't care. Her grip on Callisto's neck was firm and she drank deeply from the woman she didn't trust and almost hated.

The chaotic goddess fell back limply against the linen and furs, weakly trying to pull Gabrielle back from her neck but the bard held firm and continued to feed.

Gabrielle could feel the tears flowing down her face.

A few minutes later the bard felt Callisto's heart slowing down until it almost stopped and finally released her fang hold on the goddess and rolled to the edge of the bed. Gabrielle looked back at the goddess and took in the sight of Callisto's body as it began changing subtly, shaking as if still in the throes of sexual climax. The paleness became more apparent and the lips a fuller red. The goddess' eyes took on a darker color around the lids and Gabrielle knew if Callisto opened them they would be a bright yellow rimmed with red.

Gabrielle recognized the signs of a Bacchae, exactly as she had hoped and planned.

The bard turned away and went to her knees, tears streaming and began vomiting up the blood she had seconds before drank from Callisto.

Odin caught Xena's eyes and pointed across the battlefield.

The warrior's sharp eyes took in Mars. The War God had stopped pacing and seemed to be listening to someone or something that they couldn't see. Suddenly he screamed in rage and disappeared.

Odin rose up on Sleipnir and waved his sword in a signal.

Xena and Sasha looked up at the sound of the Valkyries taking flight again. This time the warrior grinned as she took in the bundles they trailed behind their winged horses with ropes. A team of exceptional archers stood by with fire arrows and, when the Valkyries reached a certain point in the sky, released their arrows. The arrows set the ropes on fire and the Valkyries cut the bundles loose over the enemy army.

Xena turned Sasha around away from the view of the pots catching fire and exploding just as they reached the soldiers of Mars. Greek fire rained down unrelentingly.

The warrior felt a shudder run over her body and she closed her eyes. Xena discovered once again she no longer delighted in the screams of the dying.

Both Xena and Sasha were knocked to the ground by a massive thunderclap which rattled everything for miles around. The warrior sat up in time to see monumental thunderclouds form almost immediately above the battlefield and let loose with an overwhelming torrent of rain.

Lightning bolts began raining from above in between the two armies, effectively separating them like a parent separating two fighting children.

Odin looked almost indifferent as Zeus appeared in front of them.

"This stops now!" he shouted.

"I agree," Odin said easily. "I didn't want this in the first place. Just put a stop to Mars taking Sasha. Your grandchild's fate belongs elsewhere," Odin said firmly.

"With you?" Zeus demanded.

"You damn well know it does," Odin snapped, his bright blue eyes flashing at the challenge.

"Yes, I do and I'm pleased you're willing to fight for her and the world," the Greek god turned to his daughter and granddaughter. "Come, Xena, time to end this madness."

The warrior accepted his hand in getting to her feet and she turned to help Sasha to her feet.

"Gods, Xena," Zeus exclaimed. "She looks just like you and has gotten taller!"

Xena couldn't help but grin proudly and wrapped an arm around Sasha's shoulders.

"Yes, she's a good kid," Xena said, her voice reflecting her pleasure.

"And she would have been a demon if Mars had kept his hands on her," Zeus muttered, losing his smile. "Come, my kin, let's settle this."

Xena's mind could barely take in the sight which greeted her and Zeus a moment later.

Mars and Callisto were attempting to choke each other; Callisto sprawled backwards over the large long table, her claws digging into Mar's neck and his hands around hers.

Xena's eyes widened as she took in the fangs and claws Callisto now had and the fact those same fangs were attempting to bite Mars as he tried to hold her down to kill her.

The warrior also tried to process the fact Callisto was naked in the middle of this battle.

A quick glance around told her Zeus hadn't brought Sasha with them and Gabrielle was keeping behind the throne of Mars as the two deities in the room fought it out. The bard was holding her tunic against her chest.

"Xena," she shouted with relief and Mars looked up with a snarl at Zeus and Xena. Then he growled and backhanded Callisto as her fangs managed to sink into his right arm.

"Damnit!" he shouted.

"Enough!" Zeus shouted and sent a lightning bolt between the two deities. Before Callisto could gain her feet, Zeus sent an energy bolt her way and the goddess disappeared, leaving Mars fuming and facing his grandfather and aunt.

"Alright, Mars," Zeus said firmly. "Enough of this."

"Where's Callisto?" Xena questioned, keeping a close eye on Mars and a hand on her chakram. Out of the corner of her eye she saw Gabrielle starting to move slowly out from behind the throne towards Xena and Zeus.

"I sent her to Tartarus," Zeus said simply. "As for you, Mars, it's over. Sasha is not yours to play with and neither are Xena and Gabrielle. Your father is paying a heavy price for meddling in their lives and I'm not likely to look any more kindly on you."

"Yes, great Zeus," Mars responded, his jaw clenched in anger.

"The war is over. None of the gods were killed but several will require some special healing. Everyone is to return to their lands and people and not interfere with the humans like this again," Zeus commanded. "Everyone is hearing this right now. This was too close, for both peoples. If this had spilled out into the mundane world it could have destroyed the earth and everyone on it!"

Gabrielle moved around an obviously angry Zeus and into Xena's arms, tears of relief and regret racking her body.

"Sasha will stay with the Northern Gods, as agreed. Her powers are about to manifest and I agree she will need more training than you can give, Xena," Zeus continued. "You will see her frequently, though. Even if I have to take you there myself or Apollo in his chariot. All those who fought on the side of Mars, Xena and Gabrielle and their kin are off limits. No revenge, no meddling and that is an order!"

Zeus turned to the two Greek women. "Stay here as long as you need to. Simply go back to the throne and it'll take you back to the temple Gabrielle traveled from. Mars will go with me for awhile until he calms down."

"Kiyrk?" Xena demanded and Zeus turned to Mars but the War God shrugged.

"I don't know," he said in a sullen voice. "Callisto zapped him somewhere and I didn't care. He was human."

"Zeus, how do we find him?" Xena asked.

"I don't know. I'll question Callisto but if she won't tell us then I don't know what to do."

"Callisto?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Deep in Tartarus, powerless and out of your hair," he promised.

"Is she still a Bacchae?" the bard questioned softly.

"No, I took that away from her, just like you no longer have the power to hurt gods after this day," he said gently and noticed the relief in the bard's green eyes.

"Sasha?" Xena questioned.

"She'll be at your mother's inn when you get back. Sasha needs to travel North soon but I'm giving you all time to grieve and to adjust to the situation," he said gently and then nodded at Mars.

The War God disappeared without a word and a moment later Zeus was gone.

After a moment Gabrielle turned out of Xena's arms to put on her tunic and the warrior's eyes caught sight of the deep scratches on the bard's back and the fact the bard's sais were on a chair with the bard's cloak.

Xena felt her jaw muscles tightening as she remembered Callisto's state of undress as she fought the God of War as a Bacchae. The warrior's hands clenched into fists and she saw Gabrielle flinch, even though the bard had her back to her.

Her empathic powers, the warrior realized. She's picking up on me.

Then Xena frowned, Callisto had been a Bacchae, she remembered. Bacchae, turned into a bacchae by Gabrielle. The bard having used her Bacchae curse to turn the deity into a blood crazed vampire. Xena realized how Gabrielle got close enough to sink her fangs into Callisto's neck long enough to drain the goddess to the point of turning. Xena had seen marks like those on Gabrielle's back before but she had always been the cause of them, not someone else and especially not Callisto!

The warrior could see how tense Gabrielle was and that the bard was waiting, not moving and not reaching for her boots or anything. Waiting for Xena to explode and reject her.

"Gabrielle," Xena said softly and noticed the bard flinch again, as if struck with a lash. "Please talk to me."

Xena's voice seemed to break the bard's stillness and she moved forward to grab her sais, still keeping her back to her mate.

"I don't think I can," she whispered.

"You saved Sasha," Xena pointed out. She wanted to take Gabrielle into her arms but wasn't sure how the bard would respond and Xena wasn't totally sure of her feelings right then either.

The warrior had to admit the image of Callisto and Gabrielle together sexually was more than she could take right then, no matter what the reasons.

"I betrayed us to do it," Gabrielle countered bitterly. "I seem to be doing that a lot lately."

Xena wanted to break something. Her first impulse was to shout, scream and rant but she tried to think rationally. It wasn't like Gabrielle had sought Callisto out for an affair. Was it any different than what she had done as a warlord when she used sex as a weapon?

Yes, it was different, a voice shouted at her. She hadn't been mated and it hadn't been Gabrielle, damnit!

"Gabrielle, we need to talk about this," she tried to reason.

The warrior felt her heart skip a beat when Gabrielle turned around and her normally green eyes were Bacchae yellow.

"I don't know how we can talk about it, Xena," she snapped. "I seduced Callisto to get close enough to bite her!"

The bard put on her tunic and then sat down in the chair and started with her boots.

"I let her kiss me and take off my top so I could use my damned fangs to change her!" the bard suddenly shouted and threw a sai across the room, flying barely a foot away from the warrior and embedding itself deep in a wooden pillar. "I lied about our relationship! I convinced her I was unfaithful to you all the time."

"Well, we know differently and you used a weapon which she didn't think about," Xena countered, her rational mind trying to stay on top and not let her emotions take over. She wasn't sure what would come out if she did that. She was angry as Tartarus with a lot of things and knew this wasn't the time to hash them out or the relationship might be damaged beyond repair.

"I should have tried the sais," Gabrielle muttered, lacing up her boots and swiped angrily at tears overflowing her eyes.

"What happened?" Xena asked softly, sitting down in the chair Callisto had occupied earlier.

"You figured out that Odin healed me and planned a bit of this with me before leaving the inn, right?" the bard questioned.

"Yes, once he said he was waiting to see if Sasha showed up, I knew you were somehow here," Xena nodded.

"He healed me and said to keep Callisto distracted and from the battlefield," Gabrielle continued. "He didn't have any idea of how to make that happen except that I would have the power to hurt gods and he whispered in my ear before leaving that maybe I should consider my fangs."

The bard looked up, her eyes glinting in the light of the hall.

"My fangs, I should consider turning someone else into a damned Bacchae!" she shouted, slamming a fist down on the arm of the chair.

Xena kept quiet, absorbing the information and Gabrielle's emotions. The tears began flowing freely from her mate's eyes.

"Turn someone into a Bacchae, Xena," she whispered. "Using this damned blood thing to curse someone to an existence worse than mine! Even if it was Callisto, how could I do that?"

Xena's anger broke and she moved forward to kneel in front of Gabrielle and took the bard into her arms. After a moment she pulled back and Gabrielle nodded.

"I talked her into turning Sasha over to Odin," the bard continued. "I convinced her they wanted Sasha against our wills."

"Why would she turn Sasha over to Odin instead of Mars?" Xena questioned.

"Because she didn't want to be responsible for creating another Warlord Xena and repeating the cycle which had created her," Gabrielle answered softly and wasn't surprised to see a blush of guilt run across her mate's face. No matter how many years they faced it, it seemed they would never escape Xena's past or her guilt about it.

"She didn't want to become you in that regard and let Sasha go to Odin, thinking that would hurt you just as badly," Gabrielle continued.

"Sasha said she planned to turn you into a gladiator slave again," Xena mentioned.

"Yes, that was her plan. After she sent Sasha to Odin I knew I had to think of something quickly. She was intent on torturing me and sending me back to that hell," Gabrielle said simply, her thoughts becoming lost in the fear of what that would have meant.

"You stopped her," Xena prompted and Gabrielle blinked, coming back to the present. She laughed bitterly.

"Oh yeah, I stopped her from that plan," she said softly, fresh tears beginning again. "I initiated it, Xena, I'm the one who seduced her. She said she could watch us when she was in the lava. She saw me with Nikki when I was a slave. I taunted her with her obsession with you and asked if she liked watching you give yourself over to me."

Xena fought to control the roaring in her ears and held her gaze firmly with Gabrielle. "You were lucky she didn't kill you."

"Yup, she fried the hell out of the top blanket," Gabrielle agreed, a bit of humor coming through. "She let it slip that she couldn't see us when we're sexual with each other."

"What?" Xena blinked as she tried to take this current revelation in.

"Yes, Aphrodite has apparently put a spell around us so none of the gods can see us when we're sexually intimate with each other," Gabrielle continued.

"But she saw you with Nikki?" Xena frowned.

"They can't see me with you and apparently she didn't see into the Spirit Realm any of the times we've been there," Gabrielle explained.

"Why do you say that?"

"I figured if she couldn't see us when we're together sexually, she might not know about me being part Bacchae. Maybe that was what Odin was hinting at when he told me to use my fangs. She didn't know I was pregnant and she believed me when I hinted it couldn't possibly be you."

"She didn't know about the Forest Spirits helping us out in that department and she didn't see the bacchanalia," Xena said thoughtfully.

"She did see the Bacchanalia, she told Joxer about it, that's how she convinced him we had broken up," the bard snapped. "She couldn't see us together and didn't seem to realize I have bacchae blood already in me. I guess she just thought Bacchus wanted me as a Bacchae again and didn't pay attention."

"She probably wouldn't, her warped mind was too busy watching and not listening," Xena agreed.

Gabrielle clenched her fists tightly in anger. "Xena, I convinced her I was willing to leave you to save my life, I betrayed us!"

"Why did you do it?"

"So I could keep her distracted and to give me a chance at turning her," the bard answered. "She had a sword at my throat at one point and was watching me closely. I couldn't think of any other way to get her to drop her guard. It was unexpected for her."

Xena grinned ruefully at the description. "I'll bet! Last time you saw her you whacked her up side her head with your staff."

The bard managed to smile slightly at the memory. "Not that it did any good. I kissed her and she responded and then demanded to know what I was doing."

Xena reached out and took Gabrielle's hands in her own, wanting to keep contact with the bard to reassure her.

"I pointed out this would be the ultimate revenge against you and that she was irresistible. She believed me, Xena," Gabrielle said, turning her eyes away.

"Gabrielle," Xena waited until the bard looked at her again. "I'm not going to lie to you and say I don't feel anything about this but I'm beginning to understand. You've had to do worse before to survive."

"Not with Callisto!" the bard attempted to grin.

"That's true!" Xena managed to smile. "Although, she is kinda cute in a warped sort of way and extremely sensual without knowing it."

Xena grinned when Gabrielle playfully hit her on the arm, looking more like the normal Gabrielle.

"It wasn't hard to get her into bed once she figured she was getting revenge on you, enjoying herself and corrupting me. I was able to get my fangs into her and drain her."

"Gabrielle?" Xena said softly. "How far did it go?"

The bard lost her smile and Xena wasn't sure if Gabrielle was going to throw up right then, unaware the bard had already thrown up most of the blood she had taken from Callisto.

"I got her undressed and she got my top off," Gabrielle admitted. "Some foreplay and then I sank my fangs in. Xena," Gabrielle said softly and closed her eyes. "I changed someone, I fed on someone enough to change them."

"I know but it's probably what Odin was planning and it saved all of us. It distracted Mars into coming back here, broke the spirit of the battle, kept Callisto distracted and caused enough chaos so Zeus and Odin could put things right again," Xena countered.

"I know all of that but it's not helping! I consciously called my Bacchae curse to the surface and used it!"

"Maybe it's time you faced it and dealt with it, Gabrielle," the warrior said firmly, almost brutally.

Gabrielle opened her Bacchae yellow eyes with a frown.

"You are part Bacchae and you've found you can call it to the surface and it also comes up when it wants to," Xena continued, firmly. "Learn to live with it, Gabrielle. It's not going away and now you can use it if you need to."

Gabrielle continued to frown.

"You've got some amazing gifts, lover," Xena said, a little softer. "You have the ability to heal, you have premonition dreams at times, you charm everyone you meet…"

"Except Ares and Mars," Gabrielle said with a grin.

"Well, maybe not the bad boys," Xena agreed with an answering grin.

"I guess I leave them to you," and smiled at Xena's glare and then grew thoughtful. "Okay, I'm a Bacchae. I am a Bacchae, I can grow fangs and my eyes change color."

Xena smiled, it was if Gabrielle was trying out a new pair of boots.

"I don't know about this, Xena," the bard said after a moment.

"I know, it's taken years for you to finally get over the guilt of drinking my blood once a month," the warrior said gently. "Speaking of blood, if you just drank enough to kill Callisto and change her, why are your eyes yellow and your fangs still out?"

Gabrielle began blushing. "I threw up her blood. I couldn't take the thought of having turned someone."

"Can you send the Bacchae part back consciously?" Xena questioned. This was a new development for both of them.

"I can't, I've been trying since Mars showed up and started fighting with Callisto, especially when you and Zeus showed up. I didn't want you to see me like this," Gabrielle admitted.

"You need blood then," Xena said simply and wasn't surprised when Gabrielle jumped to her feet and angrily threw the other sai into the post next to the first one.

"You tell me to accept this!" she snapped. "I'm tired of it!"

"Well," Xena began easily, watching Gabrielle's eyes narrow in question. "I'm not."

"What?" the bard demanded.

"I happen to like those fangs of yours, Gabrielle," Xena said simply, getting up and grabbing her mate by the arms. "I like the connection we have. It doesn't hurt me and I enjoy the daylights out of the sex that comes with it. I'm also grateful to a goddess for once, thankful to Aphrodite that none of those perverts like Ares, Mars or Callisto can watch us."

Gabrielle blushed but looked calmer.

"So you need blood like everyone needs food," Xena said firmly. "So what? It can be a pain if it gets out of control, we just won't let it. It also gives you powers which most others don't have and control that all other Bacchae don't."

"Okay," Gabrielle said softly.

"What?" Xena asked, not sure if she heard the bard right.

"Okay, I give up," the bard answered. "We learn to live with it. I'm tired of fighting it and it did stop Callisto."

"Probably the only thing that would have right then," Xena agreed.

"Let's go home, Xena," Gabrielle said softly.

"What about your fangs?"

"Not here, please!" the bard frowned, looking over at the bed and shuddering. She could still smell the blood and smoldering cloth in the room.

"Let's go home then, take care of your fangs and find out if Zeus knows where Kiryk is," Xena decided.


	25. 25 Northern Scrolls

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** very little actually - not even a good fight.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws. The sex can get a little graphic, but I hope not crude.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Xena and Gabrielle head North for Sasha's training, some time to relax and to see the pregnancy through.

* * *

We have arrived at the steading of Eddval; I still can't believe the names they give each other up here. The Germans are happy to see us, as always and it is good to see them. They have news that Hercules and Iolaus are due in a couple of moons, before the High summer.

It'll be really good to see them and to have someone from home around when I deliver this child. I'm at six moons along and definitely showing! I feel like I'm attempting to smuggle a melon under my skirt!

Gods, I would have loved to have been with Xena when she was pregnant with Sasha and then when she gave birth. I do give thanks that I'm with her now with mine. My back is killing me though! Xena says it's because I'm small but that being in such wonderful physical shape will help with the delivery.

Although we're glad to be among people who consider us family and would die to protect us, coming here wasn't totally joyful. We spent four moons looking for Kiryk, Solan's son with nothing to show for it.

Sweet Artemis, so much happened at once. I need to try and go over it once again for these scrolls. I know I haven't written about it enough since that horrible time when Callisto came back. I haven't had the heart to write about it but I guess I need to.

Seems like things went from messed up to worse in the matter of a day. After finding out the child I'm carrying wasn't a child of Bacchus, as I had feared, we ran into Meg. She accused me of seducing Joxer and running away with him. How weird is that?

I love Joxer like a brother but never more than that. I know he's loved me for years but I thought he had moved beyond the "head over heels" stage into an easy and comfortable stage between us. When Cyrene told me he had married Meg I was delighted. Yes, it felt strange that he wouldn't be there anymore but it also felt right that he moved on and I know he was more than attracted to Meg.

Several questions came up at once: who was with Joxer that looked and acted enough like me to convince him? Who wanted to break up Joxer and Meg and hurt me and Xena? How could they look like me? Where were they and what did they have planned for Joxer?

When we got to Amphipolous we got the answers. Our family was staked out in the main square of the village like goats staked out to bait wolves. Everyone was there, even Dex, our blacksmith friend, and Joxer.

Xena and I rode into the trap, as someone had planned, to try and free our family. Soldiers attacked us and that wasn't unexpected. Xena and I were holding our own pretty well until we heard that damned familiar scream.

Callisto.

How I hate that name! Somehow she had gotten free of the lava Xena and I sent her into with Valesca. She had taken my shape and pretended to be me to seduce Joxer away from Meg. Callisto fed him his ultimate dream of being with me in every way and promised a long future with "me". Then she tortured and beat him almost to death, all the time posing as me. It was too much for Joxer and his emotional state as well as his body was shattered by the time that bitch chained him to a post in Amphipolis.

Next part of her plan was simple: kill as many of our family members as she could while we watched. Archers sent arrows flying and Xena and I grabbed and shielded as many of the family as we could. I took an arrow in the thigh and Xena took a poisoned arrow in the side but still caught most of the arrows.

Gods, how can I write of this? She saved Kiryk but one of the arrows got past her and hit Solan in the chest. He was dead within moments, before Xena could even cut his chains.

I thought it couldn't get much worse than that. I was wrong.

I worked some of my healing gifts on Xena to fight the poison in her system. I didn't dare risk too much of my own energy because of my own wound and my pregnancy. This is all so new to me, I was still adjusting to the news I was pregnant.

Xena had just broken her fever when Callisto attacked again. This time she brought help in the form of the new God of War for the Greeks and Romans: Mars, son of Ares.

During the fight I was pinned to the bar with my own sais through my shoulders and my back injured. Xena opened her wounds again leaping from upstairs. Cyrene had several cracked ribs and a massive headache. Dex was knocked unconscious and then kicked in the head again. Torris took sword wounds in his ribs and his thigh. Reija was crippled when Callisto intentionally slashed the back of her knee.

The worst of it was when Mars and Callisto took Kiryk and Sasha and disappeared.

I was laid out flat on my back with my wounds and the fear that my child might have been in danger because of the blows to my back. Xena could barely stand upright herself and then Odin showed up.

Odin, along with several Northern gods and some Greek gods were willing to go to war against Mars to get Sasha back. Mars had planned on turning Sasha into a chaotic War Goddess, someone even more deadly and blood thirsty than Xena had been. Sasha would be a goddess with her mother's lust for power and blood. They were willing to stand against that.

Xena agreed to go with Odin while I stayed behind recovering from my wounds. Odin snuck back in the room and healed me. He wanted me to keep Callisto busy during the battle and get Sasha and Kiryk from her while they fought Mars.

Xena told me later that the battle was vicious and bloody. Odin and Xena came up with several ways to thin out Mars' troops and worked up a few surprises.

I went to Mars' space in Mount Olympus. I was told by Hermes that Callisto's plans were to kidnap me while Xena was fighting, she wanted to torture me, rape me and beat me senseless and turn me over to a brutal gladiatorial school again as a Roman slave.

Just the thought of that was enough to almost freeze me with fear. I knew I'd never last as a slave again and Xena would go crazy trying to find me.

I surprised Callisto by showing up on her doorstep. Somehow I managed to talk her into sending Sasha to Odin. I convinced her that the Northern gods wanted Sasha without Xena's permission and it would hurt Xena just as much as leaving her with Mars.

Callisto showed one of the few traces of humanity left to her insanity. She didn't want Sasha to turn into the monster that Xena had been. She didn't want to be responsible for Sasha destroying countless families like hers had been. Callisto didn't want to create another Xena or another Callisto.

I promised myself long ago to be honest in these private scrolls but I find myself having problems keeping that promise.

How can I write about what happened next?

Xena was busy with the fight, Northern gods and Greeks against Greeks and the Northern goddess Hella. It was quite a battle, enough to shake the earth and cause a volcanic eruption on one of the islands and cause several earthquakes throughout the land.

Callisto. My task was half done in getting Sasha away from her. Now I needed to get Kiryk free and keep her busy. Busy enough not to torture me and send me to slavery again. Or busy enough not to kill me out-right.

Odin promised that he would try and save me when the battle turned against Mars but couldn't guarantee anything.

I had to think fast with an insane goddess considering various ways of hurting me. I reacted without thinking and kissed her. Gods, can I write this? I seduced Callisto, my worst enemy other than Ares. An enemy who had been more dangerous than Ares ever thought about being.

She was surprised but enjoyed the idea of sex with me as an ultimate revenge against Xena, thinking she could still torture me later, and corrupt me was a kick for her. Maybe it is part of my inheritance from my father Apollo and that irresistible sexual energy he has that she gave into the feelings and let go of the control.

I lied about my relationship with Xena and convinced Callisto that I've strayed from Xena before and that's why I'm pregnant. She couldn't believe it but finally accepted it when she realized I am, in fact, pregnant.

She also revealed that she and the other gods can't watch me and Xena when we're sexual together. Aphrodite's gifting to us, so Callisto didn't know about my Bacchae side or the Spirit Realm journeys.

Having Callisto kiss and touch me was enough to sicken me, having that woman making love to me was maddening. Somehow I kept my anger from coming out as I touched her and seduced her. It didn't get below the belt-line, thank the gods! I'm not sure I could take that after the Bacchanalia and I'm not sure Xena could either, willing or not.

I was able finally to sink my fangs into her and begin drinking her blood. I willingly called my Bacchae self to the surface in order to drain Callisto to the point of death and change her into a blood hungry Bacchae.

I'm getting sick just remembering this and writing about it. My body wants to throw up, my hand is cramping, my head is aching and the baby is kicking up a storm.

I did get sick after turning her. I couldn't face keeping her blood in my system for long and threw most of it up.

I'm just praying that the blood of an insane chaotic goddess doesn't affect my child. It's bad enough that he or she might inherit my blood cravings, what could he inherit from Callisto's blood? I shudder at that thought!

Then things got confusing again.

Somehow Mars knew something was wrong and showed up. Callisto attacked him immediately. Xena and Zeus showed up and Zeus put his foot down. He declared that Mars couldn't touch Sasha, Xena, me or our families. He sent Callisto to the deepest ends of Tartarus and removed her Bacchae curse.

The thing remaining was where Kiryk was and Callisto wouldn't tell where she had sent him. Zeus couldn't track him because he's totally human and Mars didn't even ask what Callisto had done with him.

Then I had to face Xena with the fact that I seduced Callisto and that she had responded, that the sex hadn't gone far but far enough for me to sink fangs into her neck. Xena says she forgives me and understands but it hasn't been easy.

We went home and had to let our family know that we had lost Kiryk. Sasha was safe with us again but we had no idea where to look for Kiryk. A small little boy zapped somewhere away from his family by an insane goddess.

We didn't mention how I had managed to distract Callisto, thankfully.

Xena and I buried Solan and sent word to Joxer and Meg about Kiryk. Joxer still isn't talking to me. Xena and I then went looking for Kiryk, trying to figure out Callisto's warped mind and way of thinking. We've been everywhere in Greece in the last few moons and no sign of the boy.

Xena and I finally had to put our search on hold while we traveled North with Sasha for her training with the Northern gods.

How much stranger can it get? Sasha, the daughter of a god and demi-god, is about to come of age and the gods say her powers will develop and she'll go insane without training. Our daughter, our Sasha could be dangerous.

So here we are, I'm very pregnant, we still don't know where Kiryk is, Xena is unhappy with turning Sasha over to Odin and Freya and it gets worse.

Something is wrong with my relationship with Xena.

At first I thought it was our grief over Solan's death and worrying as to where Kiryk was. Then worrying about bringing Sasha north and my pregnancy. Now I'm not so sure.

We've made love a few times but something is off.

I think my time with Bacchus and Callisto is coming between us and I'm not sure how to fix that. Maybe I'm just over emotional because of the child, all the women say that's normal. Breaking into tears for no reason doesn't feel normal to me but Svenda, Eddval's new wife, just smiles and holds me and tells me it's normal.

I feel a distance between Xena and me. The last few moons I've managed to get by with only animal blood but the cravings are getting worse each time. I need that connection with Xena again for that damned Bacchae blood in my veins and I need her love for my sanity.

Gabrielle wasn't surprised that it took Xena well past dinner to seek her out. The bard had been feeling down and even more distant from Xena than ever. She knew that Xena was emotionally distant because they were getting close to having to let Sasha go but Gabrielle was still feeling down about it. The bard had slipped out of the large hall of Eddval's and began walking around the area inside the defensive log wall.

She merely nodded at the guards and those roaming around the area in the warm evening night that called to her. Gabrielle kept her hands inside her open cloak because she knew they were shaking.

Xena had barely noticed the bard during dinner; the warrior had been caught up in conversation with Alfhild, a priestess of Freya and Sasha. The discussion had been detailed and intense and normally Gabrielle would have been fascinated with the conversation but tonight she couldn't follow along and she felt disconnected.

It was almost a candle-mark past the last platter being passed around the long table that Xena had apparently looked around and noticed Gabrielle wasn't in the Hall. The bard felt Xena come up behind her and the warrior placed her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders.

"What's up, Little One," the warrior asked softly.

"Can we talk?" Gabrielle asked easily.

"Sure," the warrior answered just as easily but Gabrielle caught a touch of question and doubt in the answer and knew that Xena was probably picking up on her nervousness or tense body.

A few moments later Gabrielle led her warrior to the stable. The Steading of Eddval was large enough to have a stable for the livestock, unlike smaller holdings that usually had a building that was open on one side for summer care. The animals would be taken inside during the snow months for warmth, along with the humans.

The lack of privacy and sharing space with the cows, sheep and horses was something the bard wasn't sure she would ever get used to in the North.

Once inside the stable Xena held back as Gabrielle began to pace, her face troubled and Xena's concerned.

"What is it, Gabrielle," she asked.

"I need you to talk to me and I need you to be honest," Gabrielle said after a moment's hesitation.

"Okay," Xena's voice was cautious and Gabrielle was nervous. The warrior motioned for the bard to sit as she sat down on a hay bale herself. "What is it, Little One?"

"Do you still love me?" the bard asked softly.

Xena was stunned and blinked in surprise. "Of course I do! What's brought this on?"

"Do you believe I love you?" Gabrielle continued.

"Of course!"

"Are you sure, Xena?" the bard fought back the tears that threatened to fill her eyes and she struggled to continue the conversation. "You barely touch me, my love."

"We've been a little stressed out," Xena frowned.

"It's more than that, there's a distance between us and I can feel it," Gabrielle responded softly.

Xena started to protest and stopped. Gabrielle wasn't a whining or nagging wife that complained her husband no longer loved her if he forgot to kiss her good morning. She owed her bard careful thought. Xena felt her jaw muscles tightening.

Finally the warrior couldn't take it and jumped to her feet and began pacing herself.

"What is the first thing that comes to mind when you think of me sexually?" the bard asked softly.

"What do you mean?" Xena asked with a frown.

"What do you see?"

Xena didn't answer but continued frowning.

"Do you see me with Bacchus? With the others at the Bacchanalia or with Callisto?" Gabrielle suddenly demanded.

Xena looked like she had been hit with a cold fish upside the head and felt like it. She sat back down hard on the hay bale. Again she immediately wanted to deny those images but hesitated as Gabrielle's green eyes watched her closely.

"I don't know," Xena finally admitted. She was surprised when Gabrielle almost seemed relieved by the answer.

"Okay," the bard muttered. "Maybe we can talk through this. I can see Mattita with you in my head too."

Xena was stunned. She knew that Gabrielle's sexual abuse during the Bacchanalia wasn't the bard's fault but it was still hard to deal with. Especially when Alti had shown her a vision of Gabrielle enjoying the sexual arousal. It didn't help imagining Bacchus with the bard either.

Then Callisto! She wasn't sure which she hated more in the universe, Alti or Callisto. Okay, she thought, Alti. She felt hatred plus guilt for Callisto and some of that guilt lessened the hate. Maybe.

That didn't make the thought of Gabrielle being sexual with the insane blonde easier.

It surprised Xena that Gabrielle was having the same problems with the thought of the vampire Mattita feeding on the warrior. Xena knew she shouldn't have been surprised but she was.

Xena continued frowning, deep in thought.

Neither of them had been at fault in any of the incidents but it still was apparently coming between them.

Xena's eyes were bright when she looked back up at her bard.

"Okay, how do we fix it?" she demanded, equally of herself as well as of Gabrielle.

Gabrielle couldn't help but grin. "Typical warrior, if there's a problem, what's the immediate solution?"

Xena smirked back at her mate.

"I don't know," the bard admitted. "I know I love you more than life itself and that I need you."

"Back at you, Gabrielle," Xena said easily. "I know it hasn't been easy being pregnant and coming up here. I know your mom wanted you to stay in Greece."

"I know but my place is with you, always," Gabrielle said softly, taking Xena's hands in her own. "If we're going to lose Sasha for a couple of winters or more, then I belong here with you."

"Won't be easy letting her go," Xena agreed.

Both mates seemed lost in thought for a few moments.

Suddenly, Xena went to her knees in front of Gabrielle, who looked very surprised. The warrior moved slowly and pulled her sword out and laid it at the bard's feet. Next she laid her dagger and then her chakram.

Gabrielle's breath caught in her throat along with the lump from her heart.

How many years before had Xena done the exact same thing in her parents' barn?

"Gabrielle, I love you as I have never loved anyone or anything before," Xena said softly. "I will always love you and pledge my heart and soul to you. I also need you physically and I want that back between us."

Once again, a warrior's pledge to the bard and Gabrielle felt the emotions filling her eyes.

"I swear before all the gods that there is no one but you in my heart and soul and I desire no one but you," Gabrielle answered, a tear escaping her eyes. "I will love you forever, my love."

Xena smiled and picked up the dagger and looked at the bard with her eyebrows rose in question and Gabrielle smiled and nodded.

With quick strokes the warrior slit the palms of their left hands open once more, just like at their Amazon bonding ritual.

Both women closed their eyes as blood and energy began to mix as they clasped hands, drawing their blood bond closer again.

After a few moments Xena got up and grabbed a clean rag from a pile near the tool area and split it in two. She gently wrapped the bard's hand and let Gabrielle wrap hers.

Xena felt the heat beginning all over her body and could almost hear her heart pounding.

Gabrielle, feeling an equal level of arousal, could see the passion in the warrior's eyes as Xena began to reach for her and caught Xena's surprised look when Gabrielle held out her hand and stopped her mate.

"Not yet, my love," she said finally, trying to get her voice back without it cracking. "I want the past images totally gone. I want to take the next few days and drive you insane again. I want to come up behind you and run my hands up the inside of your thighs until I can hear your breathing increase. I want to nibble on your neck at night until you whimper and then go to sleep."

Xena sat back on her heels, her blue eyes intensely watching the bard closely.

"Okay, I get you," she answered and moved closer to Gabrielle. Her sharp eyes saw the flush on Gabrielle's face and caught the increase in the bard's pulse at her neck. She pulled the bard close for a kiss that was tender; soft and yet spoke volumes of what she wanted to do to Gabrielle. She pulled back after a moment and heard the small whimper from her mate.

"Turn about is fair play, Little One," she whispered and stood up before they both forgot about the plan to rekindle things between them. The warrior wasn't sure if things weren't already rekindled just having talked things out.

"How in Tartarus do you do that?" Gabrielle demanded, her breathing quick.

"I have many..."

"Arrrgggghhhh!" Xena laughed and ducked as Gabrielle threw hay at her mate.

For the next two days the Greeks found themselves behaving like lovesick teenagers who could barely keep their hands to themselves. More than once the bard felt the heat rising to her face as Svenda grinned at them both. The bard's plan for rekindling the spark between them was working, working so well that they were almost driven insane with desire for each other.

Then Sasha approached them and said that they needed to go for a ride that day and wouldn't say anything else.

"What do you mean, Sasha?" Xena questioned her rapidly growing daughter.

"We need to take a ride," the child had answered, a slightly puzzled look on her face as well.

"Which direction?" Gabrielle asked. She felt a little more comfortable with Sasha's vagueness than Xena did. Occasionally her own vision-dreams left her with little information and feeling confused.

"Any direction," Sasha answered, still vague and a distant look in her eyes.

"The gods want to talk," Xena deduced with a frown and Gabrielle touched the warrior's arm reassuringly.

It didn't matter that they all three agreed that this was the best thing for Sasha, it still wasn't going to be easy to let the child go this soon in her life. At 11 summers, Xena and Gabrielle both felt it was too soon.

The bard decided they would make the best of the ride and packed a picnic lunch and insisted she was still able to ride a horse over Xena's objections.

"I am not that helpless!" the bard had snapped.

Xena had caught the unconscious movement of Gabrielle's hand over her very large stomach and smiled and pulled the bard to her for a hug.

"No, but you're getting harder to hug," Xena teased and was pleased to see Gabrielle's momentary irritation turn to a blush as she playfully smacked Xena on the arm.

They settled on a spot near the river and Gabrielle and Sasha both tried their best to get Xena to relax and enjoy the lunch that the bard had packed for them but Xena was constantly glancing around impatiently.

Finally Gabrielle threw a piece of bread at her mate.

"Settle down, damnit!" she snapped. "Don't rush it."

Xena grinned and leaned back. "Sorry, guys."

"Expecting Odin to fly in from the sky on Sleipnir with a chorus of Valkyries shouting to the skies?" a voice asked simply, the humor thick.

Xena was on her feet with sword in hand and Gabrielle had sais in both hands. The bard couldn't quite get to her feet as fast as she once did so she had one arm moving Sasha behind her as they looked towards the source of the voice.

A beautiful woman in Viking clothing stepped out from behind a clump of trees and approached the Greeks easily. Xena, frowning, lowered her sword and Gabrielle sheathed her sais with a slight smile.

"Freya!" the bard exclaimed.

Gabrielle couldn't remember a lot about the time she was dead for five days in the North but she had vague memories of the time being made easier by Freya and so held a fondness for the goddess.

Sasha's eyes went wide at the sight of the Goddess. The last time she had seen the Northern Goddess of Love had been right after the battle with Grendel and the child had been tired, stressed and had been grieving over losing Gabrielle along with her mother. Now she got a good look at the most beautiful woman she had ever seen and her eyes kept going back to the massive necklace of amber, gold, silver and jet the goddess wore around her neck.

"Hello, Freya," Xena said simply, her eyes still unhappy.

"Let's sit, shall we?" Freya invited and Sasha's eyes lit up brightly at the sight of two large grey-stripped tabby cats emerging from the trees and following the goddess. They meowed and ran straight to the child; Sasha went to her knees and began petting the exotic animals as they in turn delighted in rubbing up against the child and purring loudly.

Xena's eyes went up at the sight of them and Gabrielle was grinning as well.

"We've heard of cats, especially among rich Romans. It's hard to get them out Egypt," Gabrielle mentioned.

"They are my favorites and you'll discover that Egypt doesn't have a total claim on them. These are bigger and stronger than the cats of Egypt and are native to the forests here. They are just very hard to see and even harder to catch," the goddess explained as Sasha laughed, delighted with her new friends.

Xena, who had seen cats in her travels, agreed that these were bigger. Almost the size of small herding dogs and they looked very strong and agile. The claws that showed as they danced in delight as Sasha petted them were almost the size of some of the other forest creatures.

"What do we talk about, Freya?" Xena asked, inviting the goddess to share their picnic with her hand. Gabrielle handed the goddess a drinking horn of good mead.

"When Sasha will come with me and when she can visit and some of what her training will consist of," Freya said easily.

"Freya, this isn't easy for us," Gabrielle said softly and Freya's face softened even more.

"I know and I understand," Freya responded. "But with her potential it has to be done. None of us can think of any alternatives, the only teacher strong enough to handle her and her training is on a small island off the island of Eire. She's stubborn and probably wouldn't let you visit the child."

Xena's growl was audible to everyone, even Sasha looked up from her new friends for a moment.

"Exactly!" Freya agreed. "Scathach might be an option for warrior training if that's where Sasha's talents lie but not now. It's either someone like Mars or me, Xena."

"I know, I know," the warrior grumbled, "doesn't mean I like it."

"What will Sasha be learning from you, Freya?" Gabrielle asked.

"She already has strong mental abilities, from seeing the future to empathic abilities. Sasha will have prophetic visions and she will have the ability to control people's bodies through her mind. She will be able to stop someone in mid-swing of a sword, or force them to even drop that sword, just by thinking about it."

Xena blinked in surprise and Gabrielle looked as stunned as she felt. The warrior quickly glanced over at her daughter and was pleased that the child wasn't paying attention to them. Sasha was playing with the cats with a twig and squealing with delight as they cats playfully swatted at the moving branch.

Xena and Gabrielle both agreed that might not be the exact knowledge someone should have before developing those abilities. It would be easy to get cocky or even arrogant with such powers. They had both seen something of that in Mars and his father Ares.

"She'll also be a natural at shamanism, like you," Freya continued. "And she's inherited that energy bolt throwing thing from your family."

Gabrielle grinned at that one: Zeus, Ares, and Xena had the ability, why not the child?

"Anything else?" Xena sounded tired and Gabrielle thought she probably was, it was a little overwhelming discovering your child was going to be a god and have awesome powers.

"She'll be able to read strong thoughts from people," Freya finished.

"Gods," Xena muttered.

"You'll teach her how to control these and not abuse them?" Gabrielle asked, her face reflecting her concern.

"As much as anyone can," Freya said simply.

"What will happen to her?" Gabrielle asked.

"She'll also be taught shamanism and when she had her powers pretty much under control she'll be offered the position of Spae-woman for Axel Skull Splitter's area until she's grown," Freya explained.

Xena's frown deepened. "She won't come back to Greece?"

"Are you going back to Greece?" Freya countered and the warrior looked over at her mate and Gabrielle shrugged.

"We haven't talked about it but I think Xena is wanting to settle somewhere and she knows I am. Neither of us care for Rome and its expanding power," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "No matter where we go trouble finds us."

"Your mate is warrior born and you've learned you have a natural gifting for it as well, it happens," Freya shrugged. "The North might be friendlier to you both and you would see Sasha."

"Why won't she go back to Greece?" Xena asked again.

"You know the changes happening in your homeland, Xena," Freya said softly, watching Sasha laying face down on the grass and giggling as the cats playfully leaped over her and chased the twig in her hand. "How would they treat someone as psychic as she is going to be?"

Xena frowned. She knew that her mother kept her own worship of Hecate quiet from most everyone because of the hostility towards anything to do with Dark Goddesses and Dark Gods. Both Xena and Gabrielle had seen some village women stoned who were thought to be witches because they were psychic and it was getting worse.

"They'd demand that she be an oracle in a temple or kill her," Gabrielle answered, echoing Xena's thoughts.

"Yes, here those with giftings are still respected if the gifts aren't used for darkness," Freya responded.

"What happens when she's considered an adult?" Xena questioned.

"She becomes a Valkyrie, a hero, a wife," Freya shrugged. "The future isn't set in that regard. Most likely all of those."

"When do you take her?" Xena continued frowning.

"Now," the goddess answered softly. "She will be protected, loved and trained."

"When can we see her?" Gabrielle asked and Freya looked pained.

"At least one moon," she said in a low voice.

Xena didn't seem surprised. "Or longer, right? To give her time to adjust and get past the homesickness."

"Yes," Freya looked relieved that Xena understood.

The warrior growled her displeasure.

"Now?" Gabrielle whispered.

"Want me to wait three days and build up the anguish?" Freya asked gently.

Xena jumped to her feet and began pacing under the trees.

Sasha, catching the movement and her mom's mood, turned away from the cats and approached Freya and Gabrielle. She noticed the bard attempting to hold back tears.

"It's now, isn't it?" she asked simply.

"Yes, it'll be easier on everyone if it's sudden," Freya explained.

The child looked confused and with the frown on her face, looked very much like her Mom. Gabrielle held out her arms and Sasha's attempt at being an adult crumbled and she crawled into her mum's arms, attempting not to sniffle.

Gabrielle held the child and fought back her own tears. After a few moments she pulled Sasha back to look into the child's blue eyes.

"You heard what was said and what powers you could develop. Serious stuff, kid," the bard said gently. "You'll need help dealing with that stuff."

Sasha nodded unhappily and Gabrielle could hear Xena pacing and growling.

"You be smart and take advantage of everything that Freya and the others will teach you," Gabrielle continued.

"I will, I'll make you both proud of me!" Sasha declared.

"I know you will, you already have," Gabrielle said, almost choking. "I love you very much, Sasha. We'll be around waiting to see you."

"I love you too, Mum," Sasha whimpered and Gabrielle drew her into a hug again.

"Now, go talk to your mom," Gabrielle said simply and brushed away the tears as Sasha scampered to Xena.

Freya reached out and gently took two fresh tears onto her fingers and Gabrielle's eyes widened as they turned into two perfect pieces of amber. The goddess placed them in Gabrielle's hand with a sad smile.

Xena felt the familiar irritation that came with feeling helpless about anything. She hated that feeling, both of them. Sometimes it felt like she didn't have control over much in her life, especially lately.

She had heard Gabrielle talking with Sasha and heard the child approaching her. The warrior turned and took the child into her arms without a word, as mother and child cried softly. It was more than a few moments before Xena could look down at Sasha.

"You listen to Freya, okay?" she said softly. "She's good people for a god."

"I will," Sasha promised.

"Remember we love you and always will! You were the only thing that kept me going when I lost Gabrielle, this is hard for me."

"Me too, I'm nervous," Sasha admitted.

"You'll be great, Sash," Xena quickly hugged her child again as Freya and the cats walked up behind the child. The goddess placed her hands on Sasha's shoulders and Xena saw the momentary panic in the child's eyes.

"I love you, Sasha," she said softly and looked up into Freya's eyes.

Before Sasha could protest or break down totally, they were gone.

Warm arms enveloped the warrior as her strength faded and her strong front collapsed. Together two mothers cried.

We're both hurting so bad with Sasha gone. We didn't think it would hurt this bad but it does and always in the back of our minds is Kiryk. Where is that little boy? What hell did Callisto send him into? He's so small, younger than Callisto was when her family was killed. What if we can't find him soon, will he still remember us?

Trying to figure out Callisto's twisted mind isn't easy. She would send him somewhere that would hurt Xena as much as possible, but where? As a slave, never to be found among the thousands of slaves in the Empire? To the Arabs as a slave, a fate even worse than a Roman slave? To someone who will raise him as an enemy to Xena?

Gods, it gives me a headache even thinking about it. How do you protect your children?

Xena is one of the greatest warriors the world has seen and yet she couldn't stop Solan from dying. We're both fairly formidable opponents and we couldn't stop Callisto from crippling Reija and hurting Cyrene and Torris. I think about the child I'm going to have and become frightened.

When we learned that we are immortal I had a lot of thinking to do about that one. Part of those thoughts was relief, eventually those who had been affected by Xena's past would grow older and die and maybe we could move past that finally.

Then Callisto gets out of that damned lava. As a god, she'll never die and may haunt us for centuries. And Mars is a god, the new War God and we're not exactly on his good side either. Hades, we haven't even dealt with Anthony yet and his slaughter of my Amazons.

When does it end? Will we continue to make enemies that last for years as we go along? Will we be dealing with conflict and battles the rest of our lives, which could be forever?

What does the future hold for my child? A child of Xena, a demi-god and me, an immortal. We both have powers inherited from our parents who are gods and the child is from both of us, will that mean he or she will also be gifted and maybe immortal? What if he or she isn't? How hard will that be to watch a child grow up into an adult, have children of their own and then watch them die and you don't grow older? We were beginning to feel that with Solan before his death. He had turned into such a fine young man, married with a son of his own.

Xena certainly doesn't look old enough to have had an adult son.

How will our families deal with the immortality? How will the children of Torris and Lila explain Xena and me to their children? With people beginning to turn away from the gods, how will we, the children of gods, be received over time? I remember how hostile Asher, the Hebrew Zealot, was to any god other than his.

Gods, I'm tired all the time and getting grumpy. Xena just smiles and says that it gets worse the closer my time. My feet hurt, my back hurts, I can't walk anymore, I waddle!

The closeness between Xena and me is better. With Sasha leaving the plan to drive each other insane until we couldn't stand it any longer has been put on hold. Xena is either depressed and brooding or angry and brooding. The warriors she's been training have paid for it too and I smile as I write this. I've seen them coming in at the end of the day dragging their swords, exhaustion all over their faces.

Xena's fighting skills are well known up here as well and we're starting to get inquiries from other steadings about Xena training some of their warriors too. Jarl Axel says we always are welcome in his steading. They also want me to train them with daggers, sais and staves after I deliver the child. I know I surprise a lot of them with my fighting skills, being so much smaller than most of them.

It's coming up on my blood craving time and I'm starting to get really irritable. I've been working with rare meat all week, the women of the steading aren't surprised by the request for almost raw meat, seems they expect it out of pregnant women. That helps hide my Bacchae side. In some ways the Northerners are more superstitious than we're accustomed to and they really fear the vampiir, umpir, and werewolves up here. I'm not anxious to announce to everyone that I'm part "vampiir" and drink blood.

I don't know if I can get by on drinking just animal blood. It's hurting worse than usual this time.

Gods, it brings up all kinds of fears I don't want to face.

Is the blood hurting the baby? Seems that trying not to drink would hurt my child worse, I nearly died when I couldn't get blood a couple of times. Will he or she inherit this damned craving? I still feel guilty that I nearly took my own life but just thinking about having a child from Bacchus but I can understand how I got to that point. Xena says I may never get all my memories back from the Bacchanalia Bacchus tortured me with, especially if I did end up with Bacchus sexually. I suppose that's best, I'm not sure I could take those memories. The few that are there are bad enough to deal with.

Xena had a different way of dealing with her grief, anger, irritation and feeling of being helpless. She slashed at things with her sword, practiced fighting drills until she dropped, and worked the warriors she was training into exhaustion.

After several days most of the edge of the pain had worn down, much to the relief of her recruits, and Xena began to take a closer notice of her mate.

Neither one of them had been sleeping well; especially with Gabrielle being uncomfortable but the last few days were worse. Xena had attributed that to the grieving over losing Sasha but her sharp warrior eyes began to take in the bard's shaking hands, darting eyes, and request for rare/raw meat.

For some reason the bard's blood craving coincided with the moon turning full. Xena wasn't surprised by this, knowing that most rituals and spells were planned around the movement of the sun, the earth and especially the moon. She had almost lost Gabrielle to Bacchus the first time during the Harvest Full moon of the Fall season. Since the craving had surfaced, it became unbearable on full moons and it was getting close to a full moon.

With the recent distance between them and all the stress, the warrior decided this full moon shouldn't be torture for the bard and began planning.

"Come on, Little One," a voice whispered in the bard's ear and she moaned, pulling the blanket over her head.

Xena chuckled in Gabrielle's ear and a warm hand moved slowly under the bard's sleeping tunic, lightly playing over Gabrielle's large womb lovingly and then moving up along the bard's ribs.

The warrior felt Gabrielle's breath catch for a moment and her body shift slightly closer to Xena and the warrior grinned and began nuzzling Gabrielle's neck from behind.

"Hmmmm," the bard muttered softly.

Xena moved her hand slowly down Gabrielle's body, softly over her waist, now resembling something of its former shape with the bard on her side, and over hips that had expanded nicely to accept the child. The warrior always marveled at Gabrielle's body and how it felt to touch her mate. Xena frowned to herself for a moment, how could they have let something come between them, she wondered. What had happened to both of them wasn't their fault. Then again, Xena reflected, they were both human.

Gabrielle's body shifted slightly again and Xena knew the bard was somewhat more awake and her body was beginning to respond to the touch of the warrior.

As Xena's hand and fingers slipped between her legs from behind, Gabrielle twisted enough to capture Xena's lips with her own.

"Oh gods, you do know how to wake me up," the bard muttered as Xena's head dropped to the bard's neck once more. She gasped as Xena began stroking her, bringing her even more awake. Then the warrior bit down on the bard's neck and entered her at the same time and Gabrielle's body jerked and she clutched at the sleeping fur under her. She bit into her pillow as the familiar sensations rocked her body and Xena held onto her tightly.

After a few moments, she turned over and grinned at her mate's intense eyes.

"Good morning to you too," Gabrielle muttered and pulled Xena to her lips.

"After breakfast I have a surprise," Xena announced, her hand gently touching the bard's belly, feeling the baby kicking or punching lightly.

"Really? What kind of surprise?" the bard's voice took on the childish curiosity that Xena adored about her mate. Even after all the years together, Gabrielle still had an air of naiveté around her that Xena didn't think would ever go away. Even with everything they had been through, the bard could still only see the good in things first and always looked for peaceful solutions.

Xena grinned. "Not telling," she taunted and laughed at the bard's narrowing eyes. "Just pack some overnight clothes."

"We're going to another Steading?"

"Nope, and that's all I'm telling you!" Xena laughed and managed to crawl out from under the covers and jump over the bard on the sleeping bench. That was a feat that brought a smile to the bard's face again - jumping over her large belly wasn't easy, thank you.

After breakfast and helping out with morning chores around the steading Xena brought out a small wagon and grinned down at the bard. With exaggerated chivalry, the warrior leaped down and held out her hand for the bard to help Gabrielle onto the seat. The bard looked in the back and wasn't surprised to see several packs already there, including her travel pack.

She smiled and accepted Xena's help up into the seat. The bard blushed slightly as Svenda walked around the corner of the Hall and saw the Greeks. The Norse woman grinned brightly.

"Enjoy, you two!" she called and Gabrielle waved back as Xena climbed into the seat and took the reins.

"What about your warriors?" Gabrielle questioned as Xena started the small cart towards the main gate.

"They'll get along fine without me for a couple of days," Xena smiled.

The weather was good and Gabrielle fell into a comfortable silence as they rode along a rough wagon trail. At times she clung to both the seat and her warrior in order to stay on the wagon and Xena merely shrugged, as if apologizing for the rough road.

After a short ride further up into the woods and away from the local dwellings, they came to a small clearing and Gabrielle smiled at the sight of a small cabin at the edge of one of the tree lines.

"The hunting cabin where Sasha was born," she guessed.

"Yes," Xena smiled a slightly sad smile. "This is where Sasha was born and Eddval's wife Sasha died. I thought we could use a few days to ourselves."

Gabrielle smiled gratefully. "I'd like that, very much."

"I'm going to get us settled in and then I'm going to see if I can hunt some small game for dinner, sound good?" Xena asked easily.

Gabrielle wasn't fooled, she knew Xena was offering her animal blood and that her mate had figured out how close Gabrielle was to the most intense nights of the blood craving.

"That'd be good, if you brought some vegetables I can get those started later this afternoon," Gabrielle said, just as easily.

"Good," Xena agreed.

Both of them had acknowledged the blood craving coming upon the bard without talking about it. Gabrielle knew Xena must have noticed that she hadn't turned to the warrior for blood for several moons and wondered if Xena was going to offer it this time.

With long time travel experience, it didn't take long to settle into the cabin for the few days Xena had set aside for her and Gabrielle. It did take longer than usual for Gabrielle because she was beginning to tire easily and her back was aching after the wagon ride.

Gabrielle was grateful when Xena took most of the duties on herself and the warrior just grinned.

"I remember what it was like," she merely said.

"Wish I had been there," Gabrielle said wistfully.

"Me too, my love," Xena agreed. It had been one of the worst times of Xena's life. They didn't know where Gabrielle was for almost two Spring seasons. Taken as a slave by rogue Roman soldiers, those almost two years had been spent as a Gladiator and the bard had missed most of Xena's pregnancy and Sasha's birth.

The two travelers quickly settled into the cabin; Gabrielle had a fire going in the hearth and Xena was shaking out the bedding from the bed. The bard had been surprised to find that the bed was bigger than the usual sleeping benches the Vikings were fond of and Xena had explained that the cabin was used by other couples over the years when they wanted privacy. Gabrielle had grinned and then blushed as she thought about sharing that bed with Xena with no one else around.

The bard was pleased, she could feel the sexual spark between her and her mate again and was thankful.

Xena has surprised me with some quiet time together away from the Steading. She knows it's time for my blood craving and it's time for us to reconnect sexually. We've been playful with each other until we're beside ourselves with desire.

My wonderful wife has brought me to the same cabin where Sasha was born. I know she feels a bit of guilt around it because of the death of Sasha, Eddval's wife but I think it'll be good for us to be alone.

I'm as big as a stable now and it feels strange. Our son is really kicking up a storm lately, it's almost like he doesn't want me to get any sleep before he or she is born.

Xena has that old gentleness and light in her eyes when she looks at me and touches me. I'm glad I found the courage to talk to her about the problems between us sexually. I feel like we're back on the right track and not as scattered.

By evening Xena had already been hunting and returned while Gabrielle had set about cooking the vegetables and then preparing the two rabbits Xena had caught.

Neither of them said anything when Xena handed Gabrielle a familiar wine skin. They both knew what it continued and the bard noticed the warrior turn away to finish skinning the rabbits.

Even after years of dealing with her Bacchae side, Gabrielle still hated drinking the animal blood in front of Xena and felt guilty about having to do it. The bard had promised to work on accepting this part of herself but that was easier said than done, she found. She still thought of Bacchus and his blood running through her veins as evil and was having a hard time getting past it. Gabrielle felt her eyes change from their usual lovely green to a Bacchae yellow and her fangs instantly extended to full length, even the lower ones.

The bard stifled a whimper at how bad it was this moon, she normally didn't have two sets of fangs, upper and lower but when the craving was really unbearable she did, like now.

Even after finishing off the entire contents of the flask she could still feel the craving and spent several moments willing her fangs back into place. Gabrielle wasn't sure if her eyes had gone back to their normal color or not and knew she needed more. She needed her mate. Gabrielle needed human blood and the heightened sexual energy that went along with Bacchae feeding.

When Xena looked up from the rabbits to hand them over to Gabrielle for cooking, they both caught the warrior's hesitation and Gabrielle knew that her eyes were still yellow and Xena knew she was hurting.

"Gabrielle," Xena began but the bard merely shook her head and took the rabbits from her mate.

"After dinner, love," she said softly.

The dinner was good and reminded the bard of their many travels. Gabrielle was quiet but it was a comfortable silence between the two women.

Xena had cleaned up the plates quickly and settled in next to the fire. She pulled Gabrielle between her legs and the bard leaned back into Xena's arms with a contented sigh.

Xena felt Gabrielle relaxing and smiled to herself that the trip to the cabin was probably a very good idea. She had noticed that the bard hadn't come to her in the last several moons for help with the blood craving. Xena had thought it was because they were both grieving over losing Solan and trying to find Kiryck. Now she realized it was the distance their recent adventures had thrust between them.

Gabrielle had been right, there had been the images of the bard being tortured and then sexually abused in the warrior's head. Then, there were overwhelming images of Gabrielle sexual with Callisto. Xena scolded herself over and over again that Gabrielle hadn't been at fault in any of it but it didn't seem to help. It also didn't help that Callisto was so damned attractive and sensual in a warped sort of way. Xena knew that Gabrielle would never be attracted to Bacchus, the warrior wasn't sure of anyone who would outside a Bacchanalian drunken frenzy, but Callisto was a different matter. Callisto was desirable, the warrior had to admit and the images of Gabrielle with Callisto had thrown a cold bucket of water on any arousal between them for several moons.

The warrior cursed the images Gabrielle had been dealing with as well. Images of Xena being fed on and probably sexually abused by Matitta, their Amazon enemy turned vampire by Alti. Xena counted herself lucky in most regards with that mess: Gabrielle had saved her and the Northern Amazon village and she hadn't been turned into a full vampire as Alti and Matitta had planned.

She was also fortunate that she didn't remember much about the times Matitta had fed on her blood. Both Gabrielle and Xena knew what a vampire feeding could be like and how sexual it could get.

On the negative side, Xena knew that Gabrielle remembered a lot about the torture and sexual stimulation she had been forced to go through at the hands of Bacchus. It was not going to be easy to get totally around all those images and memories.

"I've got a question for you, love of my life," Xena said somewhat playfully.

"What, my love?" Gabrielle responded softly, pulling Xena's hand to her lips and beginning to kiss each finger and then the palm.

A flicker of her tongue across Xena's palm caused the warrior to flinch and catch her breath. It took the warrior a moment to continue the conversation.

"Well, I'm certainly up for a go around with those lovely fangs of yours, are you?"

Xena resisted laughing as she the blush spread over Gabrielle's body and the bard playfully hit her mate on the leg.

"Imp!" the bard laughed. "You know I am, why?"

"Well, given the current size of your womb, I'm not sure about positions."

Gabrielle knew that Xena was grinning from ear to ear at the opportunity to tease the bard.

"We've been driving each other crazy for several days and now you're worried about minor details?" the bard teased back.

"Nope, just curious," Xena laughed and began unlacing the bard's tunic.

"Well, how about I get the fangs out of the way?" Gabrielle suggested and ran her tongue over the inside of Xena's wrist, right at the sensitive nerve endings. The bard didn't miss the shudder which ran through her mate's body.

Xena felt her body twitch and shudder and was once again amazed at how the Bacchae magic could instantly turn her body into a mass of quivering need at just a touch. The warrior moaned and Gabrielle lightly nipped at Xena's wrists without sinking her fangs into the skin yet.

Xena could hear Gabrielle's breath become rapid as well and could feel the energy radiating from her mate. She pushed the bard out of her arms enough to pull Gabrielle's tunic off and then her own. Both mates groaned with the sensation of skin-to-skin as the bard settled back into Xena's arms.

Gabrielle whimpered as Xena's free hand found how aroused the bard already was when Xena began massaging Gabrielle's breast and nipples. One advantage of impending motherhood, she thought, sensitive and enlarged breasts that begged to be touched.

Xena also thought so and began nibbling on Gabrielle's neck at the same time.

Gabrielle moaned and sank her fangs into Xena's wrist.

To Xena it felt like a bolt of lightning shot through her body and she cried out. The warrior sank her own teeth into Gabrielle's neck feeling the bard's body jerk in reaction.

"Gods, don't stop, Little One," Xena muttered, clinging to her mate.

Gabrielle had no intention of stopping as her own body connected with Xena's and began to tremble as well.

Xena had no idea how long Gabrielle fed from her except that she was light-headed and wasn't sure how many times she had gone over that sexual edge as a Bacchae feeding could always bring out of her.

Xena managed to get her breath back as Gabrielle gently stroked the warrior's skin, the bard's eyes now her beautiful green shade again.

The warrior was lying on the fur next to the fire in Gabrielle's arms, the bard gently stroking the hair from Xena's forehead. Xena began running her hands over Gabrielle's body, lightly touching and sending shivers through the bard's body. She noticed the bard's breath begin to quicken and Gabrielle's pulse increase.

The warrior gently encouraged the bard over onto her side and curled up behind her mate, skin to skin and felt as well as heard Gabrielle moan with desire. Xena wrapped one arm under Gabrielle for easier access to her mate's lovely breasts and the other began dancing over the bard's hip and through Gabrielle's reddish blonde curls.

"Oh gods, Xena!" the bard gasped.

"Yes, my love," the warrior whispered in her mate's ears and moved her hand between Gabrielle's legs from behind.

"How do you know about these positions?" the bard managed to tease and then gasped when Xena entered her. Gabrielle's hands clenched at the fur under her. She could still taste Xena's blood on her lips and the feeling of Xena's breasts against her back was exquisite.

"Unfortunately you weren't there when I was pregnant with Sasha, but I was with Borias when I was pregnant with Solan," Xena whispered, beginning to set a rhythm with her mate. She wasn't sure if Gabrielle was paying attention to her answer or not. "We got pretty inventive there close to the end before he left me."

"Gods, you are incredible!" the bard moaned.

"Of course, Borias was incredible in the sleeping furs but nowhere near as talented as you are, Little One," Xena continued, pleased when Gabrielle began making little noises as her desire heightened.

"No one touches me like you do, Gabrielle," the warrior said softly. "I don't mean the fangs, either."

"Shut up, woman!" Gabrielle snapped, crying out and then biting her lip. "Xena!"

The warrior thrust a little deeper and harder and ran her thumb over the bard's clit, sending Gabrielle over the sexual edge she had been hovering at with a scream of Xena's name again. Xena felt the bard's muscles contracting and trying to hold on and thrust Xena out at the same time.

After a few moments she wrapped her arms around her mate.

Xena's eyebrows shot up in question as Gabrielle gasped and then the warrior grinned. The bard pulled Xena's hand onto her stomach and both grinned as the baby inside kicked or punched once again.

"I wish I had felt that with you," the bard said a little wistfully.

"Me too," Xena answered simply.

"I love you, Xena."

"I love you more than anything, Gabrielle."

"Let me show you how much, woman," the bard said softly in a husky voice and moved down the warrior's body. Xena turned on her side so Gabrielle could be more comfortable and then the warrior's thoughts became jumbled as the bard's talented fingers, lips and tongue began dancing all over her body, especially around her sex.

"Oh gods, Little One!" she heard herself crying out. "It's been so long, please!"

Gabrielle was more than willing to please her mate and added more fingers, depth and strength to her strokes. The bard was taking her time; she wanted this time to be everything they had been missing.

Xena moaned in frustration, her hands clenching into fists. Her body was trembling uncontrollably and she heard small whimpers escaping her throat. There had been a time when it was a struggle to get the warrior to vocalize her arousal and desire and only Gabrielle had ever gotten that out of her. Now it was natural to make those noises whenever Gabrielle touched her like this.

"Gabrielle!" Xena cried out and grabbed the fur under them.

"Begging, my love?" Gabrielle teased.

"Yes! Damnit!"

The bard moaned with her own passion and gladly returned her attention to pleasing the warrior. Once again the thought flew through the bard's mind that she could never get enough of her mate. She whimpered as she felt her own edge approaching and pulled Xena's clit lightly with her teeth and held on tightly to Xena's hips as the warrior screamed and bucked. Gabrielle refused to release her hold on her mate until Xena was a trembling mass in her arms and almost whimpering with the intensity of the orgasms that the bard pulled from her.

It was a quarter of a candle-mark before Xena really took in her surroundings and pulled a blanket over the bard and herself. Gabrielle was asleep in the warrior's arms and Xena's whole body felt like jelly.

"I love you, Gabrielle," she whispered softly. "I'm sorry about losing the connection with you."

The bard mumbled in her sleep and snuggled closer to her mate.

Xena grinned and held her arms open as she heard Gabrielle laugh with delight as Sasha yelled enthusiastically as she ran to hug her mom and then her mum.

It had been two moons since they had seen the teenager and Xena had been more than ready to see her daughter. Freya had shown up at the steading hidden under a cloak hood and had approached the warrior while she worked with the blacksmith. Xena had practically sprinted in order to find Gabrielle when Freya offered them the chance to see Sasha.

Xena stood back and looked her daughter over with a mother's critical eye and reluctantly thought to herself that Sasha looked good.

Sasha, her black hair now pulled back, looked healthy and happy. Xena felt a pang of pain at how much her daughter had grown. It felt like it had happened overnight and much too soon, especially for the warrior who had missed most of her son's growth.

Gabrielle, grateful to Freya for the magical transportation rather than having to ride a horse or wagon, continued to grin and sat down heavily into a chair. At eight moons into her pregnancy, the bard was more than anxious to get off her feet.

Sasha laughed and placed a goblet of apple cider in front of her Mum and a goblet of excellent ale on the table in front of a chair for her Mom.

The young girl was dressed in typical Viking style and the small hall they had been transported to was magnificent with silk tapestries, shields and beautiful paintings decorating the walls. A warm and welcoming fire filled a hearth of granite stones and gold was everywhere, it tinted the paintings, it was woven into the tapestries and the goblets were of gold. The table was beautifully carved with mythical beasts and scenes of Viking legends and gods. It, too, was inlaid with gold.

"Freya's Hall?" the bard asked as Xena sat down at the table as well.

"One room of it," Sasha asked.

"How's it going?" Xena asked, trying not to choke up.

"Freya says I'm doing well," the young girl answered easily. "I'm learning beyond the basics of trance that I learned from you and the Amazons. I'm also learning how to balance feelings, emotions and power in the middle of stress."

"Not easy to do," Xena commented.

"No, neither are the voices that's beginning to bother me," Sasha admitted.

"Voices?" Gabrielle questioned with a frown.

"Thoughts from others, I can pick up strong thoughts now. I'm learning how to block that, how to listen and how to tell them apart," Sasha explained as she sat across from her parents.

"Whoa," Gabrielle muttered.

Sasha smiled a rueful smile. "Yeah, it's not easy stuff."

Gabrielle and Xena both thought once again how much older Sasha seemed than her 12 summers.

"I miss you both," Sasha also admitted, her eyes beginning to mist over.

Xena resisted the urge to grab her daughter in a massive hug again, understanding that Sasha was struggling to be an "adult" in front of her moms right then.

"We miss you too, kid," Xena said simply and Sasha finally broke down a little and jumped up from the table into her mom's arms again. After a moment the young teenager sat back down as they both dried their eyes.

"How do you like Gabrielle's expanding waist-line?" Xena teased with a grin.

"Yeah yeah yeah," the bard muttered. "Just you wait, warrior."

Sasha joined in their grins. "The child is a boy, you know."

"What else do you see or know, Sash?" Gabrielle asked.

Sasha's eyes clouded over and became unfocused.

"You'll name him after a friend but one day he'll be called Robin. He'll be a good man and will revere the forest and the land," she said softly.

After a moment she blinked and shook her head.

"Sorry, that's it," she muttered.

"That's fine, Sash," Gabrielle grinned. "I'm not sure we should know the future of our families and children."

Xena, remembering being tormented by the vision of Solan with an arrow through his chest months before the actual event, agreed and nodded. She also caught a flash in her daughter's eyes and quickly glanced at her mate, she found Gabrielle looking down at her stomach, hands on her body protectively. The warrior knew the bard hadn't seen the concern rush through Sasha's eyes and face.

The next two candle-marks were spent in general talk, discussion of Sasha's training, the happenings around the Steading, and the message they had received that Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli would be delayed for another two moons.

After a while, Sasha's smile turned sad and she began to glance around.

"Time to go?" Gabrielle asked.

"Yes, I'm sorry," the girl answered.

None of them were surprised when Freya appeared.

Gabrielle managed to hug Sasha without too much trouble with her current condition and watched with a sad smile as the young teen turned to hug her other mother.

Xena held her daughter tight, reluctant to let her go again.

"What is it?" she whispered.

"Can't tell, it's not clear. Danger of some kind," Sasha whispered back.

"What else is new?" Xena complained.

"Be close for the birth," the teen answered and then was out of her Mom's arms and dashed out of the room.

Xena was still frowning when Freya worked her magic and the Greeks found themselves back outside Axel's Hall.

Gods, I am tired of this! My back is killing me, I can't sleep, I can't get comfortable and everyone just smiles and tells me it's normal to feel like this. I want to scream in frustration.

I keep reminding myself that the pain is nothing like when I was poisoned on Caesar's orders at my wedding but that's not helping. That was so long ago and this is now. Now hurts!

I wish Sasha was here with us, I wish Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli were here. I wish this child was here already!

I still have another moon to go before our son is due.

Xena is adapting to not having Sasha around but it still hurts her. I see her eyes become pained when she watches the young girls listening to the older women as they work at their spinning. Watching them checking out the young men over dinner.

I miss Sasha too. I know the training is needed and Xena and I certainly couldn't handle everything that Sasha needs but it doesn't help.

I'm so tired and the pains are annoying. I've been having them off and on for a while - again I'm told that it's normal. I want to scream at the next woman that tells me that!

Xena watched Gabrielle as the bard worked a drop spindle, spinning raw wool. Her mate looked tired, uncomfortable and irritable. The warrior's blue eyes could tell that Gabrielle wasn't paying attention to the tales being woven by the women as they wove the wool into thread. Normally, the bard would be engrossed in the tales but not today and Xena could tell.

She walked up with a smile for her mate and Gabrielle smiled a tired smile back. The bard started to stand up but decided against it and Xena resisted grinning at how heavy Gabrielle's stomach now looked. With the bard's small frame the pregnancy seemed even more pronounced.

"Stay put," the warrior ordered and knelt down beside her mate.

"What's up?" Gabrielle asked.

"I'm going out with the hunters this morning. We should be back by tomorrow night, you going to be okay?" Xena asked, her face concerned. Even though it was still another moon before their son was due, the warrior wanted to stay close. Sasha's warning had her a little spooked.

"I'll be fine," the bard's voice was a little sharp but then her face softened. "We'll both be okay."

Xena smiled, remembering how irritable she was in the last couple of rounds of her pregnancy.

"Don't kill anyone before I get back?" she suggested and Gabrielle smiled back.

"I'll try not to," the bard promised.

Xena hugged Gabrielle as best she could, considering the bard's protruding stomach, and stood up.

The warrior frowned, still feeling uneasy.

"Go, I'll be fine!" Gabrielle grinned and then winched, her hands going to her belly.

"Pains?" Xena knelt down quickly by her bard.

"Nothing new," the bard said reassuringly.

"Okay, you sure you don't want me to stay?" the warrior questioned.

"No, I'm fine, love," Gabrielle said gently. "What can you do here? Watch me be grumpy?"

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena said softly, kissing the top of her mate's head.

"I love you too, Xena," Gabrielle answered. "Now go."

Gabrielle watched Xena walk to the end of the hall to the doors with her own concerned face. She also felt unease with Xena leaving, even for a night but it seemed silly. Probably one of those emotional up and downs that everyone told her to expect with being pregnant.

It was just past the sun's high point of the sky when shouts came to the wall of the steading and passed along the guards inside and then to everyone.

Herkervar, Ivar the One Hand and Ketli Axe Hand, known to Xena and Gabrielle as Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli, were on the trail and heading their way.

Gabrielle looked up from peeling carrots and grinned. She wanted to jump up and rush out to see them at the gate but decided against it. Her back was still hurting and she hadn't seen her feet in forever.

The bard's pain was forgotten as the three travelers entered the hall among the clamor afforded visitors and homecoming family. Axel was laughing heartily, Svenda was offering a huge drinking horn as a welcome. The Greeks were well liked and loved among the steading and everyone wanted to greet them with hugs, laughter and drink.

Gabrielle waited, finally standing when they got closer to her end of the Hall. Her smile broke into laughter at the sight of their stunned faces as they took in her condition. Obviously Cyrene hadn't told their best friends about her condition when they had passed through Greece. Gabrielle knew very well where Xena got her wicked sense of humor and wished her mate was there at that moment to meet the males.

The bard had her own moment of surprise as she took in the tall Viking next to Hercules and Iolaus. Process of elimination told her this could only be Ketli and she could see the child he had once been in his face and eyes but standing before her was a young man. A very tall, handsome young man who reminded her of Beowulf.

Hercules shook his head in amazement at her pregnant condition as Iolaus tried to figure out how to hug her with his one arm and her very swollen belly.

The rest of the Vikings began pulling back to let them greet each other and catch up.

"Gabrielle, your family forgot to tell us something," Hercules laughed and confirmed the bard's suspicion.

"I can tell by your faces," she joined in his laughter and hugged him once Iolaus released her. "You forgot to send word that you were bringing a huge Viking along with you."

Ketli Axe Hand blushed beneath his smile and hugged her.

"You are beautiful, Gabrielle," he said in perfect Greek.

"And you've grown, Ketli Axe Hand," she countered and then winced, her hand immediately going to her stomach.

Instantly, all three males were attentive and concerned.

"Gabrielle?" Iolaus questioned.

"What is it?" Hercules asked and Ketli reached out to steady her.

"Just some pains, they told me to expect that," she said, trying to reassure them all. "I need to sit down."

"When are you due?" Iolaus asked as they all moved towards the chair the bard had vacated when they had entered the hall.

"Next moon," she responded, gritting her teeth through a sudden sharp pain.

"Are you early?" Hercules demanded.

"No, just uncomfortable, irritable and just want it over."

"You sound just like my wife before she delivered," Hercules laughed as the bard sat down.

She smiled at her adopted family and all three men thought to themselves how tired she looked. Wonderful with impending motherhood but tired.

"Where's Xena?" Ketli asked.

"Out with hunters for the night," the bard responded and accepted a drinking horn of cool water from one of the women as everyone began to settle back into their routine.

Another wince and Hercules looked more concerned.

"You sure you don't want to lay down for a bit?" he suggested.

Gabrielle started to snap that she was fine and held her tongue. She knew her friend and Xena's half brother was just concerned and the suggestion was a good one.

"Might be a good idea," she agreed and then squealed in surprise when the Greek demi-god reached down and swept the bard into his arms. "Hercules!"

He laughed and turned towards the benches lining the walls. "Quiet you! Which one is yours and Xena's?"

She laughed and pointed to the sleeping area she shared with Xena and found that one of the best men at her wedding was strong but also gentle as he carried her across the hall and placed her on the sleeping furs.

He further surprised her by gentle removing her short leather shoes and began massaging the bard's feet.

"Oh gods, that is wonderful!" she exclaimed, laying back onto the furs.

"I remember how much my wife used to complain how much her feet hurt at the end of her pregnancies," he explained.

She glanced over and saw Iolaus and Ketli talking with Axel near the hearth and looked back at Hercules.

"Do you miss them?" she asked softly.

"Very much so. I loved them very much," he answered, moving his hands up to rub her lower legs as well. "I love Iolaus deeply and believe that he's my true mate but I loved them very much."

"Ketli is huge!" she commented and was delighted with the pleased look on the adopted father's face.

"He's turned into quite a young man. We decided we should stay up here in the North for awhile until he decides what he wants to do with his life," the demi-god explained.

"He's well past a manhood ceremony, what does he want to do?"

"He's not really sure," he continued. "He's very gifted with sailing. That's one reason we wanted to come back up here. We're hoping he go out on the raiding next summer after spending the winter here and adjusting to Viking life again."

"What do you want for him?" Gabrielle asked as he sat down on the bench next to her, pulling one of her legs over his and continued rubbing her foot.

"I don't know," he admitted. "He was meant to be a Viking and we don't want to take his heritage from him. I'm not keen on the thought of him on a raiding ship but that's the life here."

"Xena and I are thinking of staying here for awhile too," Gabrielle commented. "Did Cyrene tell you about Sasha?"

"Yes, she and Torris filled us in on what's happened since we last saw you, including Solan's death and the kidnapping of Kiryk," he informed her. "She did not tell us about your pregnancy though!"

Gabrielle grinned. "I guess they wanted me to see the look on your faces."

He grinned back at her. "Good one," he agreed.

"How much did they tell you about Alti and Bacchus?" Gabrielle forced herself to ask.

Hercules lost his smile as Gabrielle's face tightened.

"Just that you both went through Hades fighting those two," he hedged and then sighed. "Cyrene told Iolaus and me that you were tortured."

"I was physically tortured and raped," she said softly.

"Gods, not again," he muttered, laying his hand against her cheek. Then the fear hit his eyes and he was surprised when Gabrielle nodded in understanding.

"That's just what I thought when I found I was pregnant, drove me right to a vial of poison," She continued. "Xena and some of the Gods stopped me. The Gods finally explained that Bacchus wasn't the father but that the Forest Spirits of the Siberian north had worked magic. The child is from Xena and me."

"Thank the gods!" he said softly.

"I agree," the bard smiled.

"I'll fill Iolaus and Ketli in that you and Xena are fine and we don't have to kill some guy somewhere," the demi-god grinned and was pleased when Gabrielle began blushing. "Now get some rest."

Gabrielle tried to keep from crying, she was glad the guys were there and especially grateful for their love, understanding and kindness.

He merely smiled and wiped one of the tears away.

"My wife used to do that too," he said softly and turned to join Iolaus and their adopted son.

Gabrielle felt a cold chill run over her body at the sight of Roman soldiers trotting with their javelins and shields at the ready.

The bard quickly took in a group of people, mostly men, standing under an awning. It felt warm and dusty and the air was stifling. The Romans were heading right for the group.

Gabrielle realized suddenly that the man at the head of the group, apparently conducting a meeting, a speech or teaching was Eli. The Hebrew mystic that had come seeking Xena's help in stopping the War God Kal from getting a magical chakram.

"No!" Gabrielle screamed as the Romans drew closer, some of the men on the outer edge of the group starting to turn at the sound of the rhythmic sound of pounding feet.

No one seemed to be able to see or hear Gabrielle, including Eli.

One of the men turning at the sound, she noted, was Asher, Eli's zealot brother.

"No!" she screamed again as the fanatic drew a sword along with several of the other men as they caught sight of the Roman soldiers.

The bard wanted to turn away but couldn't as the two groups met. Half of the men and few women gathered under the shade began to scatter, and Gabrielle kept shouting at Eli and Asher to join them but they didn't hear her.

"Eli!"

"Asher! No! Come on!" Eli shouted at his brother.

"Go, get away, we'll hold them!" Asher shouted.

One of the men grabbed Eli's arm and began pulling him away as Asher met several soldiers, sword against javelins and shields.

Gabrielle blinked, trying to understand that the scene had abruptly changed.

She was now standing outside the dry city along a road. There were lots of people along the road, all waiting for something. No one talked loudly and no one seemed to want to move or leave.

Then she saw them. Roman soldiers surrounding several prisoners. The bard glanced in the other direction and saw more soldiers on top of a small hill, also waiting.

Gabrielle felt her heart stop. She knew what was waiting for those prisoners, she had been on the receiving end of Roman "justice" once and had died for it.

A quick twist of her head back to look at the prisoners confirmed what she already knew, Asher was among them. He was about to be nailed to a cross.

Gabrielle screamed and no one heard.

Gabrielle woke up with Svenda shaking her and talking to her gently.

"Its okay, Gabrielle," she kept saying. "Only a nightmare."

The bard blinked and nodded that she was finally awake and then cried out in pain, grabbing at her stomach again.

"Sweet Freya!" Svenda exclaimed loudly, causing the women to stop at their work and glance over. "Her water has broken!"

The hall became a flurry of activity at once.

Hercules, Iolaus and the other men moved back out of the way as the women rushed in to take over the situation.

Within moments screens had been brought from somewhere and established some privacy for the bard and the women helping. Word spread throughout the steading that the bard was giving birth and it was early. The men continued on with their few duties around the steading but stayed close to the main hall.

Axel, Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli tried to settle in next to the hearth and wait. Fingers and feet drummed nervously as they listened to the sounds behind the screens.

"How far apart are the pains?" a voice asked.

"How long have you been having pain?" another asked.

Moans were recognized as Gabrielle's voice.

Hercules, having been through births with his family before, tried to calm his nerves and wait patiently.

Xena gasped as a sudden pain hit her womb and then yelped as the earth was suddenly no longer under her feet.

A moment later and Xena screamed in frustration and pain as she hit the bottom of a cave opening, the first pain having distracted her from noticing where her feet were stepping. She looked around, barely able to see anything in the darkness; the only light was coming from above, from where she had fallen into what was obviously a cave. She was at the bottom of a cave and the entrance was like a well shaft.

The warrior tried to scamper out of the way but only managed to cover her head as logs and deadfall began raining down on her. The downed tree limbs and trees that had hidden the entrance to the cave were now falling on top of her. She screamed as a large log hit her legs and pinned her to the cave floor.

Xena tried to pull her legs out and growled in frustration, as the log wouldn't move. The lightning shooting from her legs hurt as they were probably broken and other parts of her body were hurting from the fall as well.

Then she remembered the pain that had distracted her.

"Gabrielle!" she screamed.

She began yelling for the other hunters.

"How long has it been?" Iolaus finally asked.

It was long past the nightly meal and most everyone had gone to their own sleeping furs.

"Eight candle marks," Axel commented, looking to the time candle kept on the mantle of the hearth.

"How long can this go on?" Ketli complained.

"A lot longer than this," Hercules responded.

A weak cry caused the young Viking to jump again.

"I sent a rider out to find the hunters," Axel informed the Greeks.

"Good, thank you," Hercules commented.

"I hope they find them soon," Iolaus muttered.

"Me too," Hercules said softly as another tired scream sounded from behind the screens.

Hercules snapped his head up and then moaned as the pain of a very stiff neck hit him. A quick glance around told him that it was just before dawn and the steading was starting to come to life.

He stood up and stretched, he could still hear movement behind the screens and moans of pain.

The Greek rushed forward as Svenda came out from behind the screens.

"How is she?" he asked.

"A difficult birth," she answered, looking even more tired than he felt. At least he had gotten a little bit of sleep, even if it was in a chair at the long table.

Iolaus and Ketli were still asleep, leaning over the same table.

"She's exhausted and the child won't come," Svenda complained.

"Hercules!" a voice unexpectedly filled his head. "Uncle Hercules!"

"Sasha?" he asked softly and wasn't surprised when Svenda looked at him, her face confused.

"Grab a horse," the voice ordered. "Xena is in trouble and only you can help. If Xena doesn't get back here we'll lose Mum!"

Hercules looked down at Svenda. "Freya and Sasha are going to guide me to Xena."

"Axel!" she shouted across the Hall. "Have the fastest horse we have ready!"

"Yes, my love!" he shouted back and dashed out of the Hall.

Hercules shook Iolaus awake.

"I'm going after Xena!" he explained while Iolaus was still trying to wake up.

"Okay," the Greek muttered.

It wasn't long before he was riding fast in the direction the voice, Sasha, told him to.

"Sasha," he spoke as the horse sped along the rough trail.

"I'm with you," Sasha's voiced responded.

"Where is Xena?" he asked.

"At the bottom of a cave, the hunters are having trouble getting her out," Sasha informed him. "Her legs are trapped under a huge fallen tree."

"She needs my strength," he commented.

"Yes, and Gabrielle needs Xena," Sasha confirmed.

"Why? How can she help where the other women can't? They have shamans, healers and the women have assisted at births before."

"The boy will be healthy but Gabrielle will have problems, they won't be able to stop the bleeding and she will die," Sasha answered.

"The pressure points," Hercules commented.

"Yes, only Xena knows enough to save Gabrielle," Sasha said.

Hercules urged the horse to move faster. He had seen women bleed to death in childbirth before.

Iolaus paced restlessly along the table as the sounds became more frantic behind the screen.

"Has the child finally turned?" a voice asked.

"Yes, thank the gods! Frigga, help us!" another voice responded and Iolaus added his own small prayer to the Greek gods.

"Herkervar!" Vikker shouted as he saw Hercules come into sight. "Ysla is trapped below!"

Hercules bounded off of the horse and over to the area where Vikker had pointed and looked down. He could see how Ysla/Xena had missed the deadfall; you had to be right on top of it to even see it now.

The Greek could see Xena at the bottom of the cave with several Vikings surrounding her, some with torches. A climbing rope had been dropped down to the floor.

Xena looked to be barely conscious and he could see a small pool of blood seeping out from under her legs into the torchlight.

"Herkervar!" Thorryke shouted up, taking in the sight of Hercules.

"Tie the rope around the tree and have the horses pull it up," he called down.

"The tree is at an odd angle, it will rip her legs off," Thorryke shouted back. "And we can't get enough leverage down here."

"Alright, I'm coming down!" he shouted back.

"Hercules!" Xena blinked, spotted her half-brother and shouted. "Hurry! Gabrielle is in trouble!"

The Greek merely nodded and dropped into the dark hole, not bothering with the climbing rope.

He ignored the surprised looks on the faces of the Vikings as he stood up from the crouch he had landed in. Any other man would have broken both ankles.

The Greek demi-god knelt beside Xena and quickly looked her over.

"Just get this damned thing off of me!" she snapped, sweat dripping from her brow.

"Do my best," he promised.

The demi-god stood and took a position at one end of the tree. After several deep breaths he squatted slightly and grabbed the tree firmly.

"Get ready to pull her out," he instructed.

"You can't lift that!" Thorryke protested. "You'll kill yourself!"

"If I need to!" Hercules said and began to lift.

The Vikings and even Xena was amazed at the effort it took the Greek known for his strength. The muscles throughout his body stood out, veins pulsing, sweat pouring off his body as he struggled. His normally tanned skin became flush with the effort and everyone was convinced he was going to fail.

With a stubborn shout he finally heaved the tree up to knee level.

Thorryk quickly pulled the wounded Xena out from under the tree and Hercules dropped the tree and fell back against the cave wall. The men quickly looked over the warrior's legs.

"Both are broken, she can't ride," one announced.

"She can ride," Hercules said in a firm voice. He lifted the warrior up and moved her around until Xena was clinging to his neck from behind. "Hang on, Sis," he instructed.

"You got it!" she responded.

The trip up the rope and out of the cave was longer than it took both of them to get down and both were stretched to the end of their strength by the time Hercules reached the top. Vikker helped Xena up off Hercules' back and onto the ground.

Xena was breathing heavily and biting her lip in pain. They could all see the twist in one leg and a large gash in the other.

"She can't ride!" Vikker protested as the other Vikings began climbing the rope back up to the upper world.

"She has too or Gabrielle is dead," Hercules informed them.

"I knew she was in trouble," Xena muttered.

Vikker threw his hands up in frustration and went to a nearby dead tree and began breaking off branches for splints.

Once the rest of the hunters were above ground and the warrior's legs had been splinted, Hercules lifted her up onto the horse and grabbed another one for himself.

"Can you stay in the saddle or do you want me to ride behind you?" he asked.

"I'll ride, we have to travel fast!" Xena answered and turned her horse towards the Steading.

"Let's go then!" he urged.

"How did you know?" Xena asked as they began riding, trying to concentrate past the incredible pain.

"Sasha called to me and led me to you," he answered and smiled at her raised eyebrows.

"I knew she was in trouble but I got caught in that damned cave," she responded.

"She's been in labor since mid-point between high sun and sunset," he told her.

"She was still in labor when you left?" she demanded.

"Yes, Sasha says that the baby will be healthy but they won't be able to stop the bleeding," he explained.

"Damn!" Xena swore, urging her horse to move faster. She remembered the last of Alti's visions: Gabrielle sweating and screaming in pain.

Gabrielle screamed again. Someone wiped her forehead with a cool cloth and soothing voices encouraged her to relax between the pains. The bard was exhausted, she wasn't sure how long it had been going on but it felt like forever. She wanted to scream out of frustration but her voice was long gone. Gabrielle had no idea where she was finding the energy and the voice to scream with the pain.

"Xena," she whispered.

"Brie!" someone insisted that she pay attention and she wanted to strangle them.

"What!" she snapped, gripping the piece of wood someone had thrust into her hands.

"The baby is almost here, push as hard as you can," Svenda instructed.

"What do you think I've…" the end of her angry words were cut short by another scream.

Gabrielle wasn't sure she had ever felt anything like this before. Not even when she was poisoned by Cows' Bane, this was different and painful.

"The head!" someone said loudly and then Gabrielle screamed again.

"Xena!"

Suddenly it was over and the bard collapsed into someone's arms behind her. Excited voices surrounded her and the gentle hands continued to wipe her forehead. After a few moments the woman behind her was raising the bard up slightly and Svenda was talking to her.

Gabrielle managed to open her eyes at the sound of the small cries.

"You have a son, Brie," Svenda was handing her a small bundle and Gabrielle let the tears of joy stream down her face as she took her son into her arms. "He is beautiful and healthy."

"Thank the gods," the bard said softly.

"Svenda," one of the women at the other end of the bed called Axel's wife away but Gabrielle barely noticed, she was entranced at the sight of the small creature in her arms.

"I wish Xena was here," she said softly to her son. He was crying but not screaming, almost seeming to listen to Gabrielle's voice. Like a typical new mother, Gabrielle checked that all fingers and toes were there and the limbs seemed intact and worked correctly. He had a shock of blonde hair that was full and thick.

The bard knew that she needed to feed him but she felt so tired. It was becoming impossible to even hold him. Gabrielle began to struggle against darkness trying to overcome her.

"Gabrielle!" Svenda yelled. "Stay awake! Stay with us!"

"Asher, his name is Asher," Gabrielle muttered, struggling to keep her eyes open and failing.

"How do we stop the bleeding?" a voice drifted to her but it seemed so far away.

Half way back to the Steading and that same darkness was crowding Xena as well. She yelped as a strong arm wrapped around her ribs and held her upright.

"Quiet," Hercules ordered and gently pulled her into his arms onto his horse. She growled as they began moving quickly again, this time Hercules holding her close.

"Goddamn legs!" she muttered.

"Your healing abilities will take care of them," he commented. "If you weren't mostly a goddess you would have lost both of those legs."

"Or died, I know that," she growled. "Just get me to Gabrielle."

"As fast as I can," he promised.

The guards saw them coming and Hercules was grateful that the gates were open for him and Xena. He took the horse right up to the doors of the hall and he slid off the horse with the warrior in his arms, landing heavily on the ground.

Fortunately the doors to the Hall were already standing open in the heat of the summer and the Greeks rushed in.

"Xena, Herc!" Iolaus called as they entered. "Thank the gods!"

The large Greek demi-god moved swiftly down the hall to the screens. Without waiting for someone to anticipate his moves, Hercules kicked one of the screens aside.

"Gabrielle," Xena whispered.

The bard was unconscious and Svenda and other women were working frantically trying to stop the bleeding from Gabrielle's womb with sea sponges and moss. The bard was deathly pale and her breath was rapid and shallow. The experienced warriors could both recognize the effects of blood loss.

Hercules sat Xena down on the bench bed next to her mate. Both of them tried to ignore the large amount of blood already soaked into the birthing blankets under the bard.

"Can you help?" Svenda demanded.

Xena heard a baby crying near but her attention was focused on her mate. She quickly gauged the amount of bleeding from what healer training she had acquired over the years and hit several points on Gabrielle's body.

She watched Svenda watching Gabrielle and after a few moments the Headwoman and healer nodded, sighing with relief.

"How long can you hold those on her?" the Headwoman questioned.

"Not long, I'll have to release them in a few moments, let the blood flow for a bit and then hit them again," Xena answered. "She won't bleed to death now but it'll take time to stop the bleeding this way. She's still going to lose some more blood."

"Raforta, keep the sponges and moss rotated," Svenda ordered one of the women. "Guorior, get bandages and fresh water for Ylsa's wounds and something to splint those legs."

The next few candle-marks were spent taking care of the Greek women. Xena had been right, it had taken time to stop the bleeding by using the pressure points but the bleeding had finally stopped.

Svenda ordered that the screens be kept up for the night while both women slept after the bedding was changed. Gabrielle was still unconscious and the Headwoman was worried she might not survive such a massive blood loss but Xena thought that the bard's god healing abilities would save her.

## # #

Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli peeked around one of the screens and smiled at the sight of Gabrielle, still groggy but awake, being held in Xena's arms, the bard's new son feeding at her breast.

"Thank the gods," Hercules muttered and Gabrielle managed to smile at him.

"Thank you, Herc," she whispered and Xena nodded gratefully.

"He's handsome," Ketli said softly. "His naming?"

"Asher, his name is Asher," Gabrielle smiled.

"All of you! Out!" Svenda said loudly and rushed the men away.

"Asher?" Xena questioned as Gabrielle shifted their son to the other breast. The warrior caught the happy expression leaving the bard's face.

"I had one of those vision dreams, Xena," Gabrielle started to explain. "Eli and Asher were somewhere in Palestine or Judea, I saw a Roman unit attack them and Asher was captured."

"Little One," Xena whispered. "We knew it was likely to happen with his fanaticism."

"I know, I know, I just didn't expect to see it," the bard complained. "I saw him being led to a cross, Xena."

Xena felt her jaw muscles tighten. She remembered how she felt watching Gabrielle being led to a Roman cross. The warrior had gone berserk and nearly ripped her hands off from her manacles.

"What about Eli?"

"I don't know, I just saw Asher at the end," her mate answered.

"Asher may not have been my favorite person in the word but I agree, he was loyal, brave, and a good man overall," the warrior responded.

"We'll see Eli again; I have a strong feeling on it."

After a few moments of both of them watching young Asher drifting off to sleep in his mother's arms, Gabrielle glanced up into Xena's eyes.

"What happened with your legs?"

"I felt a very sharp pain in my abdomen and missed stepping into a deadfall that happened to be over a very deep cave opening. Damned thing was almost like a mineshaft. The logs, fallen trees, and brush followed me down. One of the trees fell on my legs and trapped me."

"Pain?" the bard questioned.

"Yeah, I knew when you went into labor," Xena grinned. "The others couldn't get the thing off my legs until Hercules showed up."

"How did Hercules know where you were?"

"He says that he heard Sasha's voice telling him where to go," Xena smiled sadly.

"Sasha? Using her psychic powers?" Gabrielle tried to keep her voice down but there was a tone of surprise there and Xena heard it.

"Apparently, I'm just glad she and Freya were looking out for us," it was difficult to admit gratitude to a goddess and Gabrielle knew it. "Get some rest, my love. My legs will heal in a few days, you'll regain your strength and we have a son to raise and a daughter to visit."

"Okay," Gabrielle agreed sleepily.

Nearby, Hercules curled up with Iolaus in their sleeping furs, both muttering similar comments and sighing with relief that things finally seemed to have gone right for their favorite Greek couple and relatives.

Asher has made his way into the world a little early. I was in labor for almost a full circle of candle-marks. They tell me that I almost died from bleeding, fortunately I don't remember a lot of it. What I do know is that Xena saved my life once again.

I look over our lives and sit back in amazement at how rough it's been. At the same time I wouldn't trade my life for anyone else's. Not as long as I'm with Xena. How many times have we died? How many times have we come close to dying? How much pain have we lived through?

On the other side of the coin: where would I have ever found a love like Xena and I have? So many good times as well. I love being with her so much and I see sides of her that no one would believe, maybe not even Cyrene.

Asher is sleeping now, I probably have half a candle-mark before the next round of feeding. I wish even more now that I had been there for the first part of Sasha's life. I have more than enough help with all the women of the steading and Xena but I'm still tired from losing so much blood.

Why does my life seem to revolve around blood? I need to drink blood every moon, now I nearly die from losing it giving birth to our son.

Asher, named after a man that thought Xena and I are condemned by his god to a horrible eternity. Because of our relationship and my need for blood condemns us in his eyes. At the same time I know we made a connection and we got him to think about his stubbornness. He understood the life of a reluctant slave.

Xena calls him brave and loyal, especially to his religion. I guess that's true. I do hope that we tamed some of that fanatical behavior of his though. At least the vision showed me that he and Eli were together.

I'm not sure why I insisted on naming our son Asher. The last time we saw Asher he tried to kill me with his sword because he caught me feeding from Xena's wrist after the fight with the War God Kal. The Hebrews have very strong views and actual laws about blood and I broke the main one. My relationship with Xena is also a stoning offense in their culture.

Why name my son after him? Maybe to honor Eli, a tolerant and peace loving mystic and teacher. I have the feeling that Eli is still alive and that we'll see him again. I truly pray we do, I liked Eli and his message. He reminds me of what I wanted for the world so many years ago, the difference is that he's working to make it happen while I fell from that path of peace. Xena and Eli both try to convince me that it wasn't my fault and probably not my path but it's difficult. I never wanted to kill. Before I truly knew what it was to kill and be in battle I thought I wanted to be like Xena. Then I realized I couldn't kill. Unfortunately that changed as well when I was thrown into a damned arena with a sword and shield and told to fight or die.

Xena keeps reminding me I did what so many thousands of others have done; I did whatever was necessary to survive. I learned to kill and I learned very well. Well enough to win my freedom from the Arena in Rome from Caesar himself.

Maybe Asher is a reminder of what I wanted for my life and for the world. No more senseless killing. Eli's brother ended up just where we knew he would, on a Roman cross as a criminal because he continued to follow his path of armed rebellion against Rome. I hope that he and Eli stayed close these last few years and that Eli's teaching gave Asher comfort. From the vision it appeared that Eli was being a teacher and Asher was listening or protecting him. Maybe the fanatic calmed down a bit.

Did Eli have something of the same effect that I had on Xena in helping her turn from a path of violence? I hope so, for Eli's sake. Both brothers loved each other very much and I hate to think that religion came between them.

We talked with Freya about maybe staying up here; I think I'd like that. It's such a hard decision though, Mom is getting older and we're not. Xena and I haven't talked about it but it was a bit of a shock seeing Ketli as a grown man and how much older Iolaus looks. A reality smack on the head.

Hercules is like Xena and me, immortal and it appears that we don't age. Iolaus is totally human and does and it's beginning to show.

I think it's beginning to hit Xena and me about our families. We're not going to get older but our family and friends are and eventually they're going to die. The only way we're going to die is if we're killed. How in Hades am I supposed to watch Lila grow old while I stay the same age? What kind of life is that? We'll go through eternity watching our families and friends grow old and die? Or do we move constantly, leaving our friends before they figure out we're not aging? Probably.

Given that Xena and I are both immortal and Asher is a child from both of us, does that mean he's going to be immortal as well? Will he have gifts like Sasha?

Gods, I'm tired and I think Asher is beginning to stir.

Xena grinned as she watched Sasha playing with Freya's cats in the same meadow they had been in before.

The Greek warrior and Northern Goddess leaned against a large oak tree and relished the coolness of the shade it offered. The sat in silence but Xena reflected that it was a comfortable quiet as Sasha giggled and romped with the huge cats.

After half a candle-mark Freya turned to the warrior.

"She is a remarkable child," she commented and smiled as Xena blushed with pride.

"That she is," Xena agreed. "How is her training going?"

"Very well. She does have a major stubborn streak that gets in the way sometimes," Freya grinned. "She must have gotten it from her father."

Xena's eyes narrowed in mock anger and then she grinned.

"Thank you for letting me see her," Xena said softly.

"I'm glad to see you and to give her a break," Freya smiled as the child gave up playing with the cats and threw herself on the grass at her mom's feet.

Both the goddess and Greek found the child's grin contagious.

"How's it going, kid?" Xena asked.

"Okay, I miss you and Mum but it's okay."

"Gabrielle misses you too," Xena smiled.

"Wish she could have come along," Sasha said wistfully.

"She's still tired from the birth and the complications," Xena explained again. Sasha had almost pouted when Xena had arrived in the meadow without the bard.

"She's okay, though," Sasha demanded.

"Yes, she'll be fine and Asher is doing great," Xena answered, hugging the child. "He's big, bigger than you were when you were born. He's got thick blonde hair and the greenest eyes."

"Excellent!" Sasha clapped in delight. "She named him Asher? She knows that Asher is dead, then?"

"You saw it? She saw it in a dream," Xena asked.

"Asher is dead. The Romans thought that Eli was getting too popular and attacked him while he was teaching. Asher tried to protect him and they were both captured," Sasha explained.

"What happened to them? Gabrielle thought Asher was going to a cross," Xena asked.

"Asher was crucified. They didn't want to execute Eli publicly, they were afraid of making him more of a martyr than his brother," Sasha continued explaining, her eyes slightly unfocused as she remembered her vision. "They sent Eli to the galleys."

"Oh gods," Xena muttered.

The galleys, Roman war ships. Powered by sail when the wind was right, powered by slaves when the wind wasn't right. Slaves chained to oars or below lower decks in darkness. An endless existence of brutality and pulling an oar, even worse than what Gabrielle had been through in the gladiator school.

Life expectancy wasn't long in the galleys.

"How do we find him?" Xena questioned and Sasha blinked, losing her concentration.

"Not for a long time, Mom," Sasha responded sadly.

Xena frowned. "Gabrielle has the feeling that we'd see him again."

"We will, but not for a long time," Sasha answered.

The warrior continued to frown.

"How are Hercules, Iolaus and Ketli?" Sasha asked bringing the smile back to Xena's face.

"Doing well, Ketli is grown and quite handsome. They are all extremely proud to be uncles," the warrior commented.

"You are all thinking of staying in the North," Freya joined the conversation and Xena nodded.

"Yes, none of us have talked about it much but I think Gabrielle wants to settle down, especially with Asher here," Xena agreed.

"So are Hercules and Iolaus," Freya smiled. "They want Ketli to choose his own path and give him the opportunity to settle with his Viking background."

"That would be good," Xena commented.

"Why not all of you settle down for a while?" Freya asked. "I know with your talent for getting into trouble that it might not last long but you might be able to grab a few years."

"You're encouraging," Xena complained with a smile.

She knew the goddess was right though. No matter how hard they tried, she and Gabrielle couldn't seem to take any time off. Everyone around them complained that they never seemed to slow down and sometimes Xena agreed that it felt like it.

Part of that was making up for her past, another part had been dealing with Ares.

Now that Ares was gone and Zeus had ordered Mars to stay out of their lives, Xena wondered if that part was now closed. There was always a pissed off Kal but he seemed content to stay in his native Arabic lands.

As for her past, as the world got older around them, the warrior figured that maybe her past would become just that, the past and so stay there. There would come a day when she and Gabrielle would have to change identities or pretend to be their own daughters or something.

Freya and Sasha watched the thoughts running over Xena's face expectantly. The warrior was unaware that she was echoing Gabrielle's earlier thoughts and those of Freya and Sasha.

Hercules had gone through a very long life without changing but the warrior knew the world was changing and belief in the gods was waning. There might even come a time when the Greek gods would fall out of favor and worship, just as the gods of the Assyrians, Persians and others had and just what was happening to the Egyptian gods.

Xena didn't think that they could continue on without meeting those changes. The warrior and Gabrielle mostly kept quiet about being the children of gods because most people wouldn't understand and be afraid or jealous. Others wouldn't believe and still others would want the opportunity to try and kill them to gain a reputation.

Telling someone you meet that you're immortal and not going to die was not an easy thing and difficult to form a friendship around.

Xena looked up at the Northern Goddess of Love and her own child and grinned, slightly embarrassed at having been lost in her thoughts.

"It won't end, will it?" she asked in a slightly tired voice.

"You are a born warrior, Xena," Freya responded as Sasha leaned into her Mom's arms, much like Gabrielle usually did. "Your fate will always come back to that, just as Gabrielle will be drawn to her writing and teaching. She'll also attract trouble, it does seem to follow you both."

"I'll admit I'm tired," Xena commented. "We've planned to stay here for a couple of winters while Sasha is going through the training and Asher's first couple of birthdays."

"I love you, Mom," Sasha said suddenly and hugged her mom tightly, causing the warrior to grin and hug her back. "I want you to stay up here."

"I do too, it's just that your grandma's going to need me and so does Reija," Xena said, wiping a tear away.

"Your brother's wife is taking over the inn more and more and Reija wishes to return to the Amazons now that no one can find Kiryk and she can't go looking herself," Freya informed the Greek.

Xena frowned, thinking about what Freya had just said. "Can you find Kiryk?"

The goddess lost her gentle smile and shook her head sadly. "No, I'm sorry. That strand of Fate is clouded and lost to the future."

Xena's eyes filled with tears, remembering Kiryk, holding him, changing him, feeding him, playing with him, loving him.

"How do I find him?" she asked.

"I don't know, honestly," Freya admitted. "Spend some time up here, take some time for you and Gabrielle to heal and raise Asher."

"I think so," Xena agreed.

Hercules grinned as Xena rode back through the gates and glanced over at the large tree next to the door of the main hall. She caught the smile on Gabrielle's face as the bard saw her mate.

He put down the iron he was working on with the blacksmith and walked over towards the bard as Xena rode up.

It was easy to see that both agreed that the bard looked better than she had in a moon.

"Hey, my love," Xena said easily and dropped down to the grass beside her mate.

"Hey," Gabrielle smiled and handed Asher over to the warrior and her smile got wider as Xena took the small infant.

Hercules joined them. "How's Sasha?" he asked.

"Doing good but upset with me because I didn't take Gabrielle and Asher with me this time," Xena grinned.

"Next time, I really want her to see Asher," Gabrielle promised.

"I made a stop on the way back," Xena said as Hercules sat down, wiping his brow off from the hard work of the blacksmith shop. "Freya dropped me off somewhere."

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed slightly, Xena was being vague and her blue eyes were sparkling brightly with amusement. "Where and what have you been up to?"

"Jarl Axel's steading," Xena continued with her vague answers, she loved teasing her bard and making Gabrielle pull things out of her.

"And?" the bard demanded, not sure who she wanted to playfully whack; Xena for her mystery or Hercules for his smirking.

"Well, Herc and Ioluas are wanting to stay up here for at least a couple of winters and I know you're wanting to settle down for awhile, especially with Asher being so small and then there's Sasha's training," Xena continued.

"Yes?"

"Jarl Axel has given us a good plot of land near here, part of Eddval's holding," Xena smiled at the bard's raised eyebrows. "I took a look at it on the way back. A good size small hall on the edge of a clearing, with a small river nearby. A good patch of land for farming and the meadow is perfect for a little cattle and sheep."

"You're asking us to settle down in our own place?" Gabrielle grinned.

"I thought maybe you, me, Herc and Iolaus could have a go at this settling down thing and raising Asher. I know Ketli is going out with the next raiding party and will be gone until Fall," Xena responded.

Hercules was grinning widely. "I think Iolaus would like that a lot and I know I would."

"So would I," Gabrielle agreed.

Xena joined their grins, looking very pleased as she held her new son.

"You said there's already a building on it?" Hercules asked.

"Two, actually," Xena continued. "A good sized one room hall and a stable with vegetable bins already built in. Wouldn't take much to turn the hall into a home, with private rooms."

"I'd like that!" Gabrielle exclaimed.

"Let's talk to Iolaus and Eddval," Hercules suggested.

"Maybe we can get some peace?" Gabrielle asked.

"I hope so, my love," Xena said softly. "I hope so."

Gods, will we actually have a chance to settle down for a while? I truly hope so. I miss our home in Greece, it seems almost like we never really got a chance to make it a home. We had a couple of good seasons there and then everything went crazy again.

Is this going to be a down-side of being immortal? Going through life always facing a conflict? Xena and I will always be young and a challenge, no growing old gracefully or retiring. Even if we disappear and re-emerge somewhere else where they have forgotten Xena and Gabrielle, just our skills and youth will make us a target to some.

Then there's the fact that our relationship will make us a target in some places. What happens when we try and find Eli somewhere in the Roman Empire? We try to stay clear of Arabic and Hebrew lands as much as possible because of their laws and hatred of our kind of relationship. Even the fact that we carry weapons is a stoning offense in some places.

I've already written about how they feel about blood drinkers, not that I go around advertising that fact. Even the Vikings here don't know about that little part of me. So far we've managed to keep that private and I'm grateful for that. I still remember the looks on the faces of the Northern Amazons when they realized I'm part Bacchae, part vampire. Gods, that hurt so badly. Xena says they'll adapt and learn to trust me again - Otere does and she was even there when I was a full Bacchae in the Spirit Realm and killed Queen Arja. Yakut says that she understands but she was also a victim of the vampiir, the vampires, when we got to the village last time. It hasn't been the same between us. They fed on her like someone bleeding a cow or sheep, her own Amazon sisters who had been turned into vampires.

I think she's still having problems dealing with the fact that I NEED blood to survive as well once a month. She rationalizes it that I don't kill, I don't injure anyone and I don't attack them, Xena and I use it as part of our connection. Knowing what it's like to be fed on though and does put a wall up between us.

It'll be nice to not be on the move for a while. Asher is so small and helpless. He's got a great set of lungs on him, though. I'm smiling as I look over and watch him cooing softly in his bedding. I see a pained look come over Xena's face occasionally when she watches or holds him. I think it's his blonde hair and that he's male. I think he reminds of her Solan and how much we've lost when he was killed. Also how much Xena lost when she gave him up to be raised by the Centaurs. Solan wasn't even three candle-marks old when she gave him up.

I know that hurts her to this day. Being able to see Sasha a little more frequently than she did with Solan is helping with this partial loss in our lives. I miss having the kid around but we know it's best. How can two humans, even if we are immortal, raise a child that's destined to become a goddess? I know Xena would prefer to raise Sasha ourselves but we're already out of our range with her inherited skills.

Hades, we don't even know how to control our own. I don't know if I can call those bolts of light again. I think I was about to succeed when we fought Callisto and I don't know if Xena can throw lightning bolts like her father outside of the Spirit Realm.

I know I'm fairly empathic and can pick up on things, especially now that I'm older. Xena's a natural fighter, like her brother Ares. There are so many unanswered questions about our lives and our future.

I know, the only way to find the answers is to seek them out. I'm just hoping to take some time off for once.

If the gods are kind: no more poisoned grain, no more of Xena's past coming up to haunt us, no more monsters, no more Alti, no more Callisto, no more Bacchus, and let Velaska stay in the lava, and let our family stay healthy.

I ask for a few turns of the Wheel of the Year, please.


	26. 26 Old Problems

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** Not much this round. Rate PG-13

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Gabrielle, Xena, Iolaus, Hercules and Asher try to settle down in the North to raise Asher but old problems have a way of creeping up on them.

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Gabrielle laughed softly and threw a piece of flat bread at her mate. Xena's eyes blinked and she began blushing at the sound of Gabrielle's laughter.

"Reality to Xena?" Gabrielle teased.

Xena, having been busted at not paying attention to her bard, growled softly and saw a chance for distraction. The warrior grinned and moved out of the chair with the grace of a huge stalking cat and grabbed Asher as he attempted to crawl out of sight under the table. The toddler squealed with delight as the warrior pulled him onto her lap.

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle," Xena said softly, relieved that her mate's green eyes were bright with humor and not irritation at her. "What were you saying?"

"I was asking if you realized it's been an entire turn of seasons since we've been here?" Gabrielle repeated. The warrior bard felt whatever irritation she might have for the distracted warrior melt away as she watched Xena with their son. Gabrielle knew that Xena could terrify most anyone they came across with just a look but they didn't see the many sides of the warrior that Gabrielle felt privileged in seeing. Gabrielle wasn't even sure if Xena's mother Cyrene would ever believe how goofy her daughter could get at times. Or how romantic, soft, gentle, or even how emotional.

There was even a few times when Gabrielle caught Hercules shaking his head with an amused grin on his face as he watched Xena with Asher or her interacting with Gabrielle now that no one else was around.

Xena had reminded Gabrielle when the bard questioned her about Hercules' surprise that the demi-God had been searching all of Greece for the missing bard when Xena gave birth to Sasha. Her half-brother had missed out on watching Xena raise the small child until Gabrielle had returned to them almost two full spring seasons later.

Gabrielle looked around the decent sized cabin and smiled. It had been a year of struggle for the two couples, especially with Gabrielle having just given birth and almost dying during it. Asher was a handful when he finally learned to crawl and had to be watched, constantly. Xena had finally gotten exasperated when the curious youngster had banged his head on a table when he tried standing up on his own. Gabrielle and Iolaus had laughed for almost a quarter candle mark when Xena came back from a morning spent in the work shed with a brand new harness. Only this harness wasn't for a horse, it was for her errant son and had a ring at the cross section at the back for a rope. Asher hadn't thought being confined to a limited space was funny but the adults had been amused at his frustrated looks and Xena's satisfied and smug look.

The bard was pleased with the life they were building with Hercules and Iolaus.

They had cleared the land enough for a good harvest of grain, vegetables and hay. Sheep and two goats grazed in a small pasture area, cows and horses were in another area and chickens clucked a way in a small pen along side the barn. It was getting close to the winter season and a couple of wild pigs had already been hunted and killed along with one cow. The meat had been salted and the harvest of vegetables and fruits preserved as well. The last harvest of the grain was coming up soon and the Greeks didn't think they would need much help from the larger settlement of Axel, their adopted Viking family.

Xena's words brought Gabrielle back from her musing with a smile.

"Yeah, this one growing by leaps and bounds reminds me everyday," the warrior grinned at her wife.

Gabrielle sighed, feeling content. It had taken all four of them some time to actually relax in their new home. It wasn't the hard work, none of them were strangers to work and welcomed it. It was the warrior paranoia of looking over your shoulder for bandits all the time and waiting for the sword to drop out of the sky if you stayed in one place for too long.

Even the time at home in Amphipolis had been difficult for the couple. Xena and Gabrielle made a home for themselves with Gabrielle helping Cyrene at the inn and Xena working with the local blacksmith and training the militia.

It seemed like the Elysian Fields to the couple. It was just the life both of them avoided by fleeing to the road when they were young but now they found themselves drawn back to and welcomed it. Gabrielle still hated making bread but had found making a home for Xena, Solan, Sasha and herself satisfying.

Romans, Ares, Bacchae cravings and the need to take care of things in distant lands always interfered with that quiet life, though. A simple day could turn into trouble in an instant and it seemed to follow the couple.

Gabrielle wondered if it was that way for others or just her, her mate and their friends? The bard had seen villages that seemed to exist without too much trouble or very little of it. Then there was Xena and Gabrielle; merely walking into a town could start a fight. The bard wondered if it was part of that Destiny thing for the two of them.

Just walking by a small troop of Roman soldiers one day had nearly gotten the bard arrested and Xena into a major fight with them. They had seen the scars on the bard's back from the lashings and the brand she had received at the Gladiator school and took her for a runaway slave.

Just another day and close call for the couple, the bard reflected.

She even felt the uneasy feelings when they tried to settle down in the cabin. All of them worked hard, even Iolaus with his crippled arm had put in a good day's work by sunset but Gabrielle caught all of them glancing to the woods, their hands never quite far from a weapon.

Little by little the small group began to relax. Of course hands still rested on weapons whenever anyone approached their homestead, mostly men traveling to do trading with other steadings. Iolaus sold several barrels of his ale and had several kegs of mead fermenting as well. He traded a few of the barrels for enough feed for the animals for the winter and a new spinning loom for Gabrielle.

With Xena's "many skills"; Hercules' strength, Iolaus' cleverness and Gabrielle's stubbornness, they had managed to turn the good sized cabin into a very nice home and had a thriving farm after only a full turn of the seasons.

Gabrielle smiled and pulled Asher in her arms and the little boy cooed happily while he snuggled next to her.

Xena also became reflective as she watched her mate and their child. This was one time she thanked the deities for their magical involvement in their lives. If not for the Forest Spirits of the North, she might not know what Gabrielle was like as a mother and they wouldn't have their son.

Xena was not amused with the thought of either of them conceiving children the old fashioned way by having sex with a male. She still had her own nightmares about the sexual abuse the bard had suffered through during their travels together, especially the most recent at the hands of Bacchus. The guilt of not protecting Gabrielle from all of it still chipped away at the warrior's mind and soul.

Xena was unaware of her growl and the look of anger on her face but Gabrielle caught it and had a excellent idea of what was going on in her warrior's mind. After all their years together, she had gotten pretty good at reading Xena's moods. Gabrielle was pretty sure the cause of the scowl and the frown was either Bacchus or Alti. Xena didn't' blame her for anything that happened in the Spirit Realm but it was still a nightmare for both of them to live with. Sexual assault, torture and Gabrielle turning into a full bacchae was enough to drive Xena into whacking anything in her sight and swearing vengeance daily against Bacchus after watching Gabrielle go through the nightmares that still plagued the bard. Too many times the bard had awakened to find Xena gently holding and comforting her, the nightmare still fresh in her mind. The warrior would cuddle her while Gabrielle cried herself back to sleep.

Now, after Asher's birth and a year of carving out a home in the wilds of Germania, the nightmares were easing up for all of them.

Xena looked over at Hercules and Iolaus as the demi-god helped his mate put on his boots and smiled. They each had their demons and their past, Xena thought. The loss of Hercules' family, the crippling of Iolaus, Gabrielle's assaults and slavery, and Xena had way too many things to make up for to list, she cursed.

Maybe after all the winters they had been through, the Fates would ease up on them and let them have a break and a chance at a normal life.

It pained Xena to see the gray appearing in Iolaus hair and beard compared to youthful faces of Gabrielle and Hercules. It was one thing she didn't look forward to, Iolaus was going to continue to age while his mate and best friends didn't.

Xena wasn't sure being an immortal was all that great of a prize and the warrior continued to scowl. Xena, Hercules and Gabrielle would never age, would never grow old, never get sick and wouldn't die without outside trauma. The same couldn't be said for their friends and families. Already Cyrene was feeling the effects of raising three children, running a tavern alone all those winters and was slowing down. It was getting harder for her to haul the kegs of ale and wine back and forth.

The warrior felt tears springing to her eyes as she remembered her family. Solan and his wife Reija had been planning on taking over the inn slowly until Cyrene could no longer work. They were going to continue the inn and take care of his grandmother.

Callisto had shattered those plans for the future by killing Solan and crippling Reija. Kidnapping their son, Kiryk, had just finished destroying the family, especially when they couldn't find him. He was still lost these three Spring seasons later.

Now with Solan dead, Reija had returned to an Amazon tribe and Cyrene was left to deal with the Tavern. Xena felt guilty whenever she thought about it. She knew that it had been expected of her when she was younger to someday take over and to help her mother. Taking the road to a path of becoming a feared warlord hadn't been what Cyrene had wanted for her daughter. Continuing a path of being a warrior wasn't going to lead Xena back to that inn either, and although they both knew and accepted it, that didn't make it any easier to live with the guilt though.

Xena thanked the gods that her older brother Torris was more than willing to take over the inn in addition to his own merchant business with his wife.

The warrior didn't know how she was going to handle watching her Mom get older and finally die. What if Asher didn't inherit his parent's immortality? How were they supposed to watch him grow up, live his life and die while they didn't age a day?

Xena growled. This would be the downside of being immortal.

Hercules walked up beside the bard as she continued feeding the livestock. She looked up from the pitchfork of hay and smiled.

"Where Iolaus?" she asked.

"Xena is helping him with dinner while Asher plays under their feet," he said as he continued smiling.

"Do you think we've got enough supplies? It's turning cold," she asked.

"Yeah, I think so," the demi-god responded as he leaned on the fence railing. "Ready to be cooped up for the winter with a toddler?"

Hercules laughed at the bard's expression of joy and then a look of stunned realization of how many candle-marks that would mean with the handful of tiny terror known as Asher.

"Do we have a choice?" Gabrielle grinned. "It'll be good."

"Yeah, with the four of us taking care of him. We've been on the road for so long, so many seasons. It'll be good for us to have a normal life for awhile," Hercules agreed.

Gabrielle mumbled and reached out for Xena. It registered after a moment that Xena wasn't in bed next to her. The warrior bard sat up and realized there was movement and noises in the cabin that seemed out of place.

She jumped up and checked on Asher, asleep in a bed not far from theirs. Gabrielle breathed a sigh of relief as she took in his sleeping face, blonde hair falling over his forehead.

Gabrielle moved towards the sounds and frowned as she took in the sight of Xena and Hercules at an open door.

Xena's sharp ears heard Gabrielle approaching, even on bare feet. "Gabrielle, quick!"

Gabrielle knelt down beside Xena as Hercules moved back into the cabin to light a lamp. The bard could see a figure lying in the doorway. All she could make out was that the figure wasn't moving and was dressed in Northern clothing. Her Bacchae senses could smell fresh blood and quite a bit of it.

Xena's hands were moving over the figure, seeking injuries and signs of life. Hercules returned with a light and Xena carefully turned the wounded figure over. She heard Gabrielle gasp as both of them recognized Hallvor, the Northern Viking of Gabrielle's Black Forest Amazon tribe.

The woman was unconscious and badly beaten.

"Herc, help me get her inside," Xena instructed. "Carefully, I don't know where she's hurt. Gabrielle, bar the door and set arrows and bows at the windows, just in case she was followed."

"Right," Gabrielle agreed and moved to grab her boots from the bedroom and then the weapons.

After finishing that she went to the table where they had laid Hallvor. She watched as Xena and Hercules cut leather lashes holding clothing together and fur in place and striped the Viking down to simple woolen tunic and trousers. Then Xena and Gabrielle both began examining the warrior as Hercules lit another lamp.

"Where's Iolaus, Herc?" Gabrielle asked as she ran her hands over one of Hallvor's legs.

"His arm and hand were hurting bad tonight so he took some herbs to help him sleep," the demi-god answered.

"Change of weather coming, seeps into the bones as we get older," Xena commented.

"Not for us," Hercules muttered, once again reminded that he was probably going to watch his mate grow old and die while not age another day himself.

"We need to cut the rest of the clothing off," Xena stated and Gabrielle agreed with a nod. "Herc, grab some blankets and put on some water for some tea. She's awfully cold already."

Once striped and in the light of two lamps, the Greeks were dismayed at the sight of their friend. Whoever had given her the beating had done it recently and they had been very serious in attempting to kill the warrior.

Xena began muttering. "Her legs aren't broken but that ankle might be; the swelling is bad. Her ribs are cracked on the left side and her left forearm is broken, probably from fending off a blow. There's a broken nose, bruised eyes along with that. A good lump on the right side of her head and she's bleeding internally, that's where the blood from her mouth and nose are coming from."

"Can we do anything?" Gabrielle questioned, grabbing some of the water and a clean cloth, beginning to wipe away the road grime, battle dust and blood from the Viking. She also dapped at the fresh blood trickling from her friend's mouth.

"Not much except splint the arm, wrap the ankle and hope she wakes up from the blow to the head," Xena admitted.

"What about the bleeding?" Hercules asked. They had all seen too many deaths from bleeding on the inside. A warrior's fear; wounds like that couldn't be treated and could be fatal more times than not.

"Keep an eye on it and hope it doesn't kill her before the head wound does," Xena said grimly.

"Who or what could have done this?" Gabrielle growled.

"Human, the cuts are from a blade and the bruises from a blunt object, either the flat of a blade or a war hammer and fists. Maybe even some feet, that's probably what caved in those ribs of hers," Xena frowned.

"Had to be more than one," Hercules commented. "Her necklace and bracers identify her as Viking and Amazon; they're usually tough to take down."

"She's one of mine," Gabrielle informed him. "This is Hallvor, a Viking who joined the Black Forest Amazons after leaving her tribe."

"How did she find us?" Xena wondered aloud.

"Herc, could you keep an eye outside?" Gabrielle asked her best male friend. "She couldn't have gotten far like this."

"You bet."

Xena began rummaging through Hallvor's clothes while Gabrielle began bandaging the warrior's wounds.

"What are you looking for?" Gabrielle asked.

"Maybe a message for you. She may have been on the way to find us," Xena commented and Gabrielle looked thoughtful.

"Gods, why would anyone attack Hallvor?" she muttered.

"I don't know," Xena complained. "All we can do is wait and see if she has some answers."

"I hate waiting with wounded friends," the bard muttered back.

Dawn was finally turning the sky purple when Hallvor began to stir, slightly. Xena smiled somewhat in relief.

"I don't think she'll give into the concussion, now we just worry about the rest of her wounds," she muttered and glanced up at the other two people in the room.

Gabrielle was putting water on for tea and Hercules was still watching outside the window, his head swaying with boredom and lack of sleep. They had been working hard with the last bit of the harvest before the first frost and had been hoping for a few days of rest when they found Hallvor on their doorstep.

Gabrielle walked over and watched Hallvor toss lightly in her wounded sleep.

"This is a good sign," she commented.

"Yes," Xena agreed, checking for fresh blood around the Viking's mouth and nodded encouragingly when she didn't find any.

"Any idea when she'll wake up?" the bard asked, pulling the wool blanket tighter around her shoulders. Hercules had built up the fire but there was still a chill in the air.

"No, not really," Xena frowned.

"We've got company and they're not friendly," Hercules announced, reaching for a bow next to the window.

"I'll wake Iolaus to watch over Asher," Gabrielle muttered, dashing towards the room he shared with Hercules.

Xena's eyes narrowed as she moved up next to the demi-god.

A group of riders stopped just outside the tree line of their clearing. In front of them was a man with several hunting dogs, large wolfhounds that were howling and barking as they pulled at their leads.

The riders were obviously Northern by their clothes and weapons; Xena and Hercules quickly evaluated and counted ten riders and three on foot including the dog handler. They brandished mostly spears and swords among them and all carried shields.

"I don't see any archers," Hercules commented, grabbing his fur cloak.

"Hail the steading!" the lead rider stood up slightly in his stirrups and called to the cabin. Xena and Hercules quickly took closer note of him.

The Viking was probably as tall as Hercules with reddish blonde hair that reminded Xena of Gabrielle's when they first began traveling. He had a thick but trimmed beard, much in Roman style and his hair was also shorter than most Vikings. He wore a wolf fur cloak held together with a gold cloak pin and his bracers were silver and gold. The hilt of his sword was also inlaid with gold and silver which caused Xena to frown.

"Prince, a Jarl," she muttered and Hercules nodded as he opened the door, sword in hand.

Xena grabbed up the bow he left and notched an arrow as she felt Gabrielle re-enter the room and take up a position at the other window.

"Iolaus is watching the back, so far they haven't split up and surrounded us," the bard informed her mate.

"Good, so far they're behaving."

"Greetings," Hercules said simply in Germanic.

"A blessing of the gods upon your home and kin," the Jarl responded. "We seek an outlaw, one of the hated werserkers. The dogs have tracked her this far, have you seen a wounded woman traveling this way?"

"Oh gods, this is not good," Gabrielle muttered, notching an arrow herself.

"We have taken in a wounded member of our family," Hercules answered and wasn't surprised when the Jarl looked stunned.

"Her former name was Hallvor, she travels under the name Jaeger," the Jarl said flatly. "Her family is many winters dead."

"Hallvor was adopted into an Amazon tribe, the tribe of my sister," Hercules answered.

"Amazons?" the Jarl was clearly puzzled. "You're Roman?"

"Greek, actually," Hercules grinned. "Also Northern, adopted into the clan of Axel, of the family of Eddval Skull Splitter, Jarl of this region."

"She was declared outlaw many spring seasons ago, you cannot offer her sanctuary," the Jarl declared. "I don't care if you have adopted her or not, it was after she was declared outlaw."

"And who approaches my home without properly telling me his name and his lineage and wants respect from me?" Hercules demanded.

Xena pulled back slightly on the bowstring as the Jarl began blushing in anger.

"I am Jarl Svenkender, brother to the Jarl that Hallvor brutally killed and I haven't heard your name or lineage, Greek," Jarl Svenkender growled.

"I am Hercules among my people, here I am known as Herkavor the Strong," Hercules responded, still with a smile but Xena knew from his voice that he was tense. "My mother was an honorable woman and my father is the mighty Zeus, God Supreme of Olympus."

Xena grinned as most of the Vikings shifted uncomfortably. The Vikings weren't accustomed to meeting demi-gods, Greek or otherwise.

"You cannot deny my family claim!" Jarl Svenkender snapped. "She is outlaw and cannot be granted safe keeping. Turn her out."

Xena and Gabrielle could well imagine Hercules losing his smile.

"She is of my sister's tribe," Hercules stated firmly.

Gabrielle sighed and reached for the door.

"Gabrielle, Hallvor is my friend, let me," Xena suggested.

"I'm the Queen, Xena," Gabrielle said firmly. "She's my responsibility and my family, just as much as Eponi or any of the others."

Xena pulled back the bowstring as her mate stepped out onto the porch, the warrior's eyes watching the Vikings closely for any sudden movements.

"I am Brie the Dancer," Gabrielle announced. "I am Queen of the Black Forest Amazons and Jaeger is one of my tribe, she is under my protection in my home."

"You have a warrior's name for a small one," Jarl Svenkender grinned a vicious smile.

"Many have made that mistake, they sang their death song while I wiped my blade free of their blood," Gabrielle growled back and Xena's eyebrows rose in amusement and surprise. She hadn't expected her little bard to be able to taunt so well. Then again, Gabrielle was a bard first, the warrior part came later, Xena reflected.

Jarl Svenkender's eyes narrowed in anger while his men laughed at the clever retort.

"My fight is not with you, small one," the Jarl frowned. "Send out Hallvor and we'll end this and be on our way."

"Not with one of my Amazons," Gabrielle said firmly and felt Hercules shifting on his feet next to her, ready to move forward or back into the cabin.

"You aren't on Amazon land and I don't recognize your rights, I will give you until sundown to decide," Jarl Svenkender stated. "Then you risk war with my family and those families under mine."

Xena relaxed her hold on the bow as the Vikings turned back to the forest once more. The warrior turned back to the inside of the cabin at a growl and she was surprised to see Hallvor half sitting up watching her. The warrior quickly crossed the room and began examining the wounded Amazon as Hallvor collapsed back onto the furs.

Xena heard Gabrielle and Hercules enter and gather close.

"I heard," Hallvor muttered.

"Quiet," Xena ordered and continued feeling along the Viking's body now that Hallvor was awake and could tell her where it hurt, it made examining her easier but more painful for the Amazon.

After a moment Xena straightened up a bit.

"The internal bleeding has stopped and she'll live. With those ribs bound tightly, it may help the lung heal," Xena announced, helping Hallvor sit up a little to slowly drink some water. "You won't be doing any running or riding for awhile, though."

"Nein," Hallvor agreed and glanced at Gabrielle. "My Queen, I'm sorry for bringing them here. I thought I had lost them in the river two days ago."

"How long have you been traveling with these wounds?" Gabrielle questioned closely.

"I don't know anymore," Hallvor admitted. "I was in the north selling some of the harvest of the wild berries in our forest and some of the summer hides for grain, and bringing you news of Reija. Somehow Sven recognized me and set his men and dogs on me."

"He must have been just a boy when that happened!" Xena growled. Like Xena, Gabrielle and Hercules, Hallvor didn't look her age. To outsiders she looked barely twenty summers old, in reality she was closer to double that. It seemed that the werserker wolf blood in her slowed her aging process down while their immortality status stopped the aging of the Greeks.

"He was barely 10 summers old when I was to marry his brother, but he remembered and hates me," Hallvor agreed.

"Gods, that was so long ago!" Gabrielle complained. "I wasn't much older than Svenkender."

Xena smirked at being reminded that she was older than Gabrielle.

"What about Reija?" Gabrielle demanded.

"She's healing well," Hallvor responded. "She still won't use that leg again but she's planning on going out in the Spring with one of our Sister Amazons and look for Kiryk."

"Where will she look?" Xena frowned. "We don't have a clue where to look for him."

"Reija plans to just start looking, she doesn't really have a plan," Hallvor answered.

"Knowing Callisto's warped way of thinking, he could be anywhere," Gabrielle complained. "How will she know him if it takes months to find him?"

"She told me about a birthmark just under his left ear, almost like a star," Hallovr muttered.

Both Xena and Gabrielle nodded.

"Why the hell is this Jarl so bent on revenge for something that happened when he was so young?" Gabrielle complained, bringing the conversation back to the original subject.

Xena reflected that it was probably closer to twenty five summers when she had been traveling in the North and had found a wounded Viking woman outside a small town fort. She had cared for the Viking and discovered that the woman, Hallvor, had been outcast by her tribe and declared an outlaw.

The warrior looked over and saw Hallvor closing her eyes, her jaw tight with pain.

"Gabrielle, make up some of that tea with the sleeping powder, she needs more sleep to heal from this," Xena instructed and the Queen of the Amazons moved back to the fire.

"I'm going to say good morning to Iolaus and Asher," Hercules declared, leaving the warrior to watch over the wounded Amazon.

Gabrielle said down and reflected back on what the young looking Viking Amazon told them before about her past. Hallvor had married the minor local Jarl out of duty to family and people. It was expected to marry, produce children and provide a safe and good home by both parties. It wasn't uncommon to be attracted to others outside the marriage and it was up to the married couple to decide how to handle it. Most times husbands had servants or close male friends for companionship and relied on their wives to fulfill marital duty, not necessarily to provide love to the marriage. It wasn't uncommon for the wife to have close female friends, servants or even to be allowed a close male friend as long as duty to house and marriage came first.

Hallvor had been what was known among the Vikings as a Shield Maiden, a female warrior chosen by Odin, the AllFather of the Norse gods. She was also known as a werserker, a warrior seized with battle madness from the god. Insane and deadly in a battle.

Knowing Hallvor was in love with his sister and attracted to her more than himself hadn't been allowed though and the Jarl turned out to be very jealous. The night before the wedding he had found them together and killed his own sister and then attempted to rape the young Hallvor.

It was then everyone discovered that Hallvor was a full werserker, cursed and gifted by the god Odin with the ability to change into a mixture of wolf and human. Cursed and blessed with superhuman strength, battle insanity that made her almost immune to wounds at the time, and a desire to kill when in wolf-human form. Watching her lover die and being attacked and sexually assaulted had caused Hallvor's mind to snap like it never had before. She changed into wolf-human form and ripped the Jarl to shreds.

Because the Jarl had killed his own kin and had attempted to rape the young female warrior, Hallvor was spared a death sentence for killing the Jarl. She was declared an outlaw and banished by her tribe, family and the Viking people. An outlaw could claim no friend among the Vikings, could only be offered minimal shelter in deep winter for a span of half a turn of the moon - one dark to full moon or full to dark (what would later be known as two weeks). Hallvor could own no property and marry no Viking and could be killed by any Viking without fear of reprisal.

As she was driven from the gates, the new Jarl grabbed a war hammer and shattered the woman's lower spine and dragged her outside the gates. Having been declared an outlaw, no one offered to help her, not even her own family and the Viking warrior crawled to a nearby stream to die.

That was when Xena found her.

"You should have let me die those years ago," Hallvor muttered as Gabrielle approached them.

"You reading my mind, Hall?" Xena asked softly, taking the mug from her mate and grabbing a quick hug.

"Easy, your eyes lost in memories," Hallvor mumbled.

"I wronged you then," Xena admitted. "Not by saving your life but what came later. The sentence against you was unjust, Hall."

"Doesn't matter now, does it?" the Viking growled. "I won't let you fight this battle for me, neither you nor Gabrielle."

"You don't have a choice," Gabrielle smiled a rueful smile. "You can't even stand up and I won't turn over one of my Amazons to an unjust death."

Any protests Hallvor might have had were cut short at the sound of a delighted laugh coming from the hallway to the bedrooms. The bard turned with a large grin and knelt to grab Asher as he dashed from the hall into her arms and then bounded into Xena's.

Gabrielle smiled at the surprised look on Hallvor's face as the Viking drank the tea.

"He's ours," Gabrielle answered the unspoken question and refused to go into it further as Xena tickled their son. Asher giggled and looked down at their wounded visitor.

"This is Hallvor, she's a friend of ours," Xena said as she saw the boy watching the Viking. "She's not feeling well so you can't climb all over her, okay?"

The boy nodded and waved at the Amazon and Hallvor smiled into his blue-green eyes. Gabrielle grinned and grabbed the boy up as he squealed and laughed.

"Breakfast, you big oaf!" she declared as they moved towards the food storage.

Hercules and Iolaus were both smiling as they watched the bard manage to hold onto a laughing and struggling child and begin gathering things for breakfast.

Iolaus joined Xena and their visitor while Hercules went to the window and checked the surrounding area.

"He looks like Gabrielle but has your smile?" Hallvor questioned.

"He's both of ours," Xena smiled, watching her mate and son. "He is a gift from the gods of the Northern Amazons."

"I give thanks to them," Hallvor said formally. "You both look happy."

"Yes and don't worry about upsetting that," Xena warned. "You're a friend, Hall, and we take care of our friends."

"I'm Iolaus and the big guy is Hercules," Iolaus grinned.

"This is Hallvor, from Gabrielle's tribe," Xena introduced her friends.

"Herc told me what was going on, sort of," Iolaus sat down in front of the fire and Xena noticed him unconsciously rubbing his crippled arm and hand, trying to rub the pain away.

"Let's have some breakfast and see if we can figure a way out of this," Xena suggested.

Two candle-marks later and none of them had come up with any answers.

Gabrielle rubbed a hand over her forehead and eyes in frustration.

"I can't see where we can merge Viking law and Amazon law and satisfy everyone," she complained.

"Neither can I," Xena mumbled, gently rocking Asher as the boy played with her hair. "If we refuse Svenkender then we risk eventually dragging both provinces into a blood feud."

"At the very least we'll have to take on at least five Viking families," Hercules commented. "Not good odds."

"I'm not turning Hallvor over!" Gabrielle growled.

"You don't have a choice!" the Viking snapped from her position near the fire. "I'm not going to endanger you and your child, my Queen."

"There has to be a way!" Gabrielle complained. "Why is he pursuing this?"

"Because he thought I was dead and I know the truth about him," Hallvor responded.

"And what would that be?" Xena asked as Asher grew restless and crawled down out of his Xena Mom's lap.

"He has built a reputation as a warrior by claiming he fought me and captured me the night I killed his older brother," Hallvor explained.

"What?" Xenas eyebrows went up in surprise. "You didn't mention that in all these years."

"That's because it didn't happen," Hallvor grinned ruefully. "He was about 13 Spring seasons that night and he was the first through the door. Sven took one look at me in werserker form and ran screaming into the dark."

"So he's been telling everyone that he challenged and captured you that night?" Iolaus asked and the Viking nodded.

"He's in a panic," Xena said grimly. "With Hallvor alive, she can dispute his reputation and courage."

"Why would he worry though?" Gabrielle asked thoughtfully. "That was so long ago and Hallvor has been declared an outlaw. His word will be taken over hers."

"Officially by everyone but the doubt would be there and he'd be vulnerable to challenges," Hercules explained.

"So it comes back to what do we do about him?" Gabrielle asked.

"Tell him no and stand against him," Xena volunteered.

"We can't go to war with a Jarl, it would drag Eddval and Axel into it," Hercules frowned.

"Hallvor is family. We're not turning her over!" Gabrielle growled.

"I suggest we start getting supplies inside in case we have to stand him off," Xena said and everyone except Hallvor nodded.

"Xena," the Viking began but the warrior shook her head.

"No, we won't even consider turning you over," Xena growled and Hallvor knew that stubborn look on the warrior's face.

There would be no arguing with Xena at that point or her even more or as stubborn Queen.

The day was spent gathering supplies into the house: food stock and especially water. Everyone was more quiet than usual, each lost in their own thoughts of trying to solve the problem of what to do about Sven's demands.

Hallvor was able to sit up close to dusk and attempted to convince Xena to send her out according to Jarl Sven's demands but neither Xena nor Gabrielle would hear of it.

The Greeks stood on the porch watching the sun setting lower on the horizon. Inside the door and along the few windows in the cabin were stockpiled weapons. They were also very well armed as they watched the tree line for any sign of Jarl Svenkender.

"Xena, I think I've figured something that might work," Gabrielle said softly, watching the sun and listening for movement in the woods.

"I'm all ears, Little One," Xena said agreeably, wrapping an arm around her smaller mate.

"Hercules said that if everyone knew the truth about Jarl Sven then he'd be vulnerable to challenges," Gabrielle began. "What kind of challenges?"

Xena frowned. "Challenges to his manhood, his courage, his right to lead. A challenge means a fight, a duel."

"Then why not settle that way?" Gabrielle asked. "I challenge him to a duel, calling his courage into doubt. I win; he goes away like a beaten puppy and leaves Hallvor alone. We get her back to the tribe and to safety before the winter snow."

"It might work, she has the right to challenge him as leader of the Amazons," Hercules said thoughtfully.

"Then I'll challenge him as her Champion," Xena declared firmly.

"The Vikings might not recognize a Champion stand-in," Hercules warned. "Especially you, Xena. Your reputation as a warrior is very well known in the North. Jarl Svenkender can refuse."

"He's right," Iolaus agreed. "The Vikings are used to everyone doing their own fighting, that's why the challenges exist in the first place. It might have to be Gabrielle."

"Damnit!" Xena growled, "no, no way. We'll stand and fight him rather than risk that."

"Xena, it's my right as her Queen," Gabrielle argued.

"And my right as your mate to beg you not to risk this," Xena snapped. "Think of Asher and me, we can't lose you!"

"You won't," Gabrielle said firmly, her face determined but the eyes loving.

"Think about it Gabrielle," Hercules warned. "Just because he made his reputation on a lie doesn't mean that he can't fight. He didn't get to be Jarl just by talking."

"I know that and I didn't earn my freedom from the Arena with talk either," she snapped.

Xena was about to continue the argument when movement caught their eyes and the Greeks waited patiently as Jarl Sven and his men rode out of the trees and into the clearing. Neither the Greeks or Vikings had drawn weapons but hands rested on sword hilts on both sides.

"I have given you the day to consider your actions," Jarl Sven began. "What is your decision?"

Gabrielle was about to respond when Xena vaulted over the railing of the porch and placed her hands on her hips.

"I don't recognize your right to demand anything on my land," the warrior said firmly. "It is known in this household that you were a coward as a boy and I claim you are less of a man now."

Jarl Sven's light complexion face turned an extreme color somewhere between purple and red. His men shifted uneasily on their horses.

"You dare question my courage!" he finally sputtered.

"That's why you're chasing a long dead issue," Xena continued. "Hallvor wanted nothing to do with you and your family; she's moved on past that night and doesn't talk about it. Your family name never even gets mentioned, Sven."

"She's outlaw and cannot be granted protection!" he yelled angrily.

"She's also an Amazon and I am the Champion of the Amazon tribe by my marriage to their Queen," Xena countered. "You beat her almost to death and chased her to finish the job because she might say that a small boy ran like a frightened rabbit at the sight of a werserker in wolf form."

Jarl Sven resisted looking around at his men but could hear their mutterings and their horses continued to shift, sensing their owners' discomfort. The Greeks knew by their reaction that Hallvor had been right. Jarl Sven had built his reputation on the lie that he had faced her down as a werserker when he was but a small boy.

"Hallvor lies, what do you expect from a wolfshead outlaw?" he spat.

"She is a werserker, called on by AllFather Odin himself as one of his warriors," Gabrielle countered. "She's willing to take a blood oath in Odin's and Tyr's names as to the truth of her statement that you ran that night and that you ambushed her days ago. You were afraid to face her then and you are afraid to face her now."

Jarl Sven drew his sword angrily and pointed it at Gabrielle.

"Retract that or face me! One leader to the other!" he demanded.

"You'll face me, you coward," Xena countered. "I made the claim first and stand as Champion of the Amazons."

"All right then, Greek," he snarled. "In three days time you meet me on the river bank. My men will prepare a battle area. Come with only one by your side."

"Agreed, one observer on each side," Xena clarified. "That means your men come back here and stay within sight of the cabin."

"Agreed, traditional weapons are sword and shield," Jarl Sven stated.

"Does that include the dagger you have hidden in your boot?" Xena asked with a smirk and watched Jarl Sven blush a bright red and glare at her.

"One sword, two shield, two knives or daggers," he suggested.

"Agreed. Terms?"

"Xena, let me do this," Gabrielle hissed behind her but the warrior ignored her mate.

"No terms, no quarter," Jarl Sven said flatly.

"Agreed. Winner decides Hallvor's fate," Xena growled.

"Agreed," Jarl Sven snapped and turned his horse towards the trees again.

"I could strangle you, Xena!" Gabrielle snapped, spinning around to face her mate, her face and eyes angry.

"I know, I know," Xena said defensively. "We both know you're as good a warrior as I am but we also know that I'm more of a killer than you are."

"I've been in matches where it was life and death before," Gabrielle countered.

"And you didn't kill unless you had to," Xena argued. "Tell me that you didn't enter every match with the hope that you wouldn't have to kill this time."

Gabrielle frowned and glanced at Hercules and Iolaus as they busied themselves with fixing dinner and caring for Hallvor's wounds. Asher sat at the foot of the Amazon's bed playing with several blocks that Hercules had carved into rough figures of a horse and dog.

"All right," Gabrielle snapped, throwing herself into a chair facing Xena. "I admit it. I still don't want to kill unless I have to."

"That might be the difference that could cost you in a fight like this," Xena argued.

"Damnit, Xena!" Gabrielle snapped. "When are you going to treat me as an equal partner?"

"What do you mean?" Xena asked, her face puzzled.

"Xena, I'm not 17 summers anymore," Gabrielle said softly as Xena sat down at the table and Gabrielle took the warrior's hands into hers. "I've learned to kill, Xena. I learned to shove a piece of metal through someone's body without showing any emotion because it entertained a crowd of Romans."

Xena reached out to gently touch Gabrielle's cheek. "You also have nightmares about every one of those men and women you killed."

"You still try to protect me," Gabrielle continued protesting. "We've got some adjusting to do, Xena. I didn't step back when I should have when we were facing the Spirit Realm. We both knew I wasn't up for it. I went along to try and prove myself to you and you wanted me close to protect me. We both made mistakes with that one."

Xena's eyes filled with tears, "Gabrielle, I never dreamed Bacchus could get you there."

"I know, Xena," Gabrielle said softly. "We both made a mistake and it nearly cost both of us our lives and our souls. You have to start believing that I'm not a kid anymore. We have to trust our abilities, instincts and know that I can kill if I have to."

Xena's head lowered in thought. She knew Gabrielle was right on many levels but she also knew that her treatment of Gabrielle wasn't intentional but it still needed changing.

"Will you also stop trying to prove that you're not the kid who couldn't kill a rabbit?" Xena asked softly and smiled slightly as Gabrielle blushed. "We've been through so much, Gabrielle. I couldn't stand to lose you and it seems like the worst that's happened to us in all these years has happened to you. Do you have any idea how much that tears me apart inside? You ask me not to be so protective, how can I not?"

Xena hesitated, trying to keep control over her emotions. "We lost you for almost two Springs to the Romans. I only knew about what they did to you when they captured you, my imagination was enough to drive me crazy the rest of those seasons! You ask me not to be protective and yet it seems I haven't protected you from much!"

"Xena," Gabrielle felt her own eyes filling with tears. "That's not true; your love has gotten us through all of it. How many times have you died? That shaman journey to discover yourself, Grendel, that time when you ended up in Autoclycus' body. You were willing to risk your life and soul to save me so many times I can't count them. No more beating yourself up because things have been rough a few times."

"Gabrielle, I will try and listen to you as an equal and experienced partner but don't expect me not to be protective," Xena smiled around her tears. "I love you and you are my life. I would give my life and my soul to keep you safe."

"Then don't you dare let that bastard hurt you!" Gabrielle countered with tears in her eyes, pulling Xena's hand to her cheek.

"No way, I've got plans for you this winter, in front of that fireplace after everyone else is asleep," Xena whispered.

"Imp!" Gabrielle laughed softly.

"You don't have to do this!" Hallvor called out from her bed by the fire. "Just turn me over to him and be done with it. I won't endanger my friends and my Queen."

"Shut up, Hall," Xena growled. "It's done. I whip Jarl Sven and you go back to the Amazons. Hopefully, he won't push it to the death and I can just humiliate him a little bit."

"Don't count on it," Hallvor muttered. "You've insulted him in front of his elite bodyguard. If he doesn't come back across that river with your head in his hands, he won't be able to face them again and he'll lose his standing as Jarl."

"Why can't we settle things like this with a good game of knucklebones?" Iolaus demanded with a grin.

Hercules grinned and ruffled the smaller man's hair affectionately.

"I agree, that's why I hardly use a sword," Hercules commented. "I pound them into the ground and hopefully they don't come back."

"Not all of us have your god-given strength to rely on," Xena commented.

"I know, I just hate the bloodshed," Hercules replied.

"Let's just get through this without starting a civil war among several powerful families?" Iolaus suggested.

The Greek family was still very quiet when they sat down to the evening meal. Only Asher seemed immune to the somber atmosphere surrounding his parents and their best friends.

The next morning was a strange one for the Greeks. When they opened the door to the cabin they found Jarl Svenkender's men camped in their clearing. Hercules and Iolaus walked out among them cautiously while Xena and Gabrielle stayed close to the door and near the weapons.

After half a candle-mark, Hercules and Iolaus returned to their home with amused smiles on their faces. Xena and Gabrielle began to relax slightly as they took in the easygoing manner both men had walking back to them.

"What's up?" Gabrielle demanded as they walked up the steps.

"Seems that they'll be camped there until the duel so that both sides can keep an eye on each other," Iolaus grinned. "Leave it to the Vikings, come for a fight and they settle in for a party."

Xena shook her head with a smile. "That pretty much describes them at times," she agreed. "Tell them they'd better get to hunting and take down a couple of deer if we're going to share our stock and land with them."

"How do we know Jarl Svenkender isn't planning something if one of us isn't there?" Gabrielle asked thoughtfully.

"We don't, we'll have to chance it," Hercules muttered.

The next two days were busy for both the Greeks and the Vikings. It was fortunate; it didn't give either side too much time to brood about the upcoming fight except at night. The days were spent hunting and having mini feasts which Jarl Sven was noticeably absent from, the Greeks noticed.

The Greeks reluctantly discovered that they liked the Jarl's men and found them brave, fun loving and very loyal to their code of honor. The Vikings in turn made no secret of their admiration for the Greeks after hearing the tales of some of the adventures Gabrielle wove around the fires.

The Vikings had been hesitant to believe that the Greeks could be brave warriors, especially the smaller Gabrielle and Iolaus until they heard how Iolaus had been crippled. They also listened to some of Iolaus' adventures both with and without Hercules. The Vikings had roared at some of the misadventures he had found himself in and the small Greek had taken their joking and ribbing with a wonderful sense of humor. Hercules and Xena were already known in the North for their warrior skills; Hercules for his strength and his friendship with the great god Thor. Xena was known with a mixture of terror and awe for her bloody skills in battle.

The Vikings had grown quiet when Iolaus took a turn at telling tales and told the story of Gabrielle winning the wooden sword as a gladiator in the Circus of Rome. Even in the far North, the Vikings knew of the love the Romans had for bloody spectacles. Xena knew they were now looking at her mate with a new sense of admiration and wondering if they had under estimated the small woman.

In turn the Vikings had told many tales of adventure as a free mercenary unit who had actually served under Antony for awhile. Both Xena and Gabrielle shot each other a glance of interest when they had heard that one. Both of them considered themselves under a blood oath to kill Antony.

Xena knew that these Vikings better understood her and the others by having served with Romans and having traveled to the South. They had also dealt with Amazons and knew first hand the strict code of honor that bound the warrior women and respected it.

Both Xena and Gabrielle knew this was a good thing; at least Jarl Svenkender's men would honor whatever the outcome of the duel was. If Xena won then his men wouldn't challenge her right to protect Hallvor or Gabrielle's right as Queen of the Black Forest Amazons to claim equal status to Jarl Svenkender.

Nighttime, however, was not as pleasant. Both Iolaus and Gabrielle found their nightmares had returned in full force.

"No!"

Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle from behind, attempting to comfort her thrashing mate until the bard could snap out of the nightmare holding her tightly in its grip. The warrior growled as one of Gabrielle's arms got loose and Xena almost got an elbow in the eye.

"Gabrielle!" she shouted and shook the younger woman and felt the bard tense up. After a moment the bard collapsed, breathing heavily and muttering. "Come on, Little One," Xena encouraged, shaking Gabrielle a little more gently.

"Xena?"

The warrior loosened her grip and let Gabrielle turn over in her arms. It always hurt Xena to see the confusion and pain in her mate's eyes after one of the nightmares. What hurt the worst was that Xena always felt guilty for not protecting her lover from all of it.

Gabrielle, memories of the nightmare flashing through her mind, began crying and the warrior drew her into her strong arms.

"I saw you again…" Gabrielle whispered between sobs. "Hanging from that tree… blood everywhere…"

"Shhhh," Xena whispered and motioned Asher over when she looked up and saw the young boy was wide awake and sitting up in his bed across the room. He quickly scampered into the bed with his two moms and into Xena's arm on the other side of Gabrielle. "It's okay, I'm here. I'm alive."

"You died, Xena," Gabrielle whispered, her hand absently playing with the laces of Xena's sleeping tunic in her nervousness. She glanced over and noted Asher's groggy eyelids closing as he slid back into sleep. "When I went into that trance and pulled your spirit back, Xena… you had already let go. I can't go through that again."

"I'm not going to let that arrogant bastard take me, lover," Xena promised.

"I need you, Xena," the bard mumbled, her hand slowly stopping and her breathing becoming more regular. Xena didn't get back to sleep as soon. Her sharp ears caught the muffled sounds of more cries of terror from the other bedroom and Hercules' voice trying to calm a nightmare frightened Iolaus.

Xena was concerned, she hated when Gabrielle had nightmares no matter what they were. What was worrying the warrior was that the bards' nightmares were usually of the sexual assaults she had suffered over the years or the men and women she had been forced to kill in the Arena. Gabrielle normally didn't dream of Xena's death and the bards dreams were known to be prophetic at times.

Xena continued to frown into the night while her son and lover slept in her arms.

Hercules found Gabrielle up well before dawn on the third morning and wasn't surprised.

He sat down in a chair next to the fire, reached for a mug and then for a pot over the fire as Hallvor kept sleeping on the small bed they had set up next to the fire. Gabrielle handed him the box of tea as the demi-god poured the water into the mug. He dumped some of the leaves into a small bag and dunked it into the mug.

"Where's Xena?" he asked after a moment.

Gabrielle smiled slightly. "You knew she wouldn't sleep much. She's in the barn warming her muscles doing sword drills."

"You're worried more than you normally would be," he commented. "What's up?"

"I've got a bad feeling about this," Gabrielle admitted. "I've talked with Hallvor, Jarl Svenkender broke her ribs after she was captured by his men and tied up. He then set his dogs on her but she turned werserker and escaped. I don't trust him, he's too sneaky."

"I agree," he commented. "Which one of us will stand with her at the river?"

"You, I'm staying here with Asher," she said without thinking. "Standing around waiting for her to come back from a battle would drive me crazy, always did. This would be worse."

"Alright," Hercules agreed as he leaned forward and gently raised her chin until her eyes met his. "I won't let anything go wrong on this side of the river," he promised.

"Thank you, Herc," Gabrielle answered softly. She looked around and noticed the darkness in the cabin lessening and sighed heavily.

She and the Greek Demi-god of Strength rose as the dawn began to turn the sky purple.

Gabrielle tried to smile as Xena walked out of the barn at the same time her small Greek family walked out of the cabin, Asher in Hercules' arms. The boy was strangely quiet, unlike his normal morning chatter-self, as if he was sensing the tension from the adults around him.

Xena joined her family at the bottom of the porch and turned to face Jarl Svenkender and one of his men as they broke away from the rest of the Vikings. The Greeks said nothing as the Jarl approached, his man carrying two shields. Xena and the others saw a traditional sword at Jarl Sven's side and a long Viking knife known as a sax. A large single edged blade that resembled a pirate short sword. Xena's sharp eyes spotted a slight bulge in his right boot.

"You ready to die?" the Jarl taunted.

"Not particularly," Xena smirked. "Got your death song ready?"

Jarl Svenkender grew very red-faced and turned towards the path heading to the river.

Xena turned to her mate. "Gabrielle, I know you want to be with me…"

"Its okay, Xena," Gabrielle said softly. "Hercules is going to stand with you. I'm going to wait here with Asher and Iolaus. We'll keep an eye on the soldiers."

Xena looked relieved and hugged the smaller woman. "I am coming back to you," Xena whispered firmly. "Remember I love you more than life itself."

"Just come back to me, damnit!" Gabrielle said softly and turned out of the hug.

Xena's face was pained as she reached onto the porch and tucked a dagger into her boot, strapped on a sax of her own at her belt. Hercules handed Asher to Gabrielle and grabbed up two traditional Viking shields.

Gabrielle refused to watch Xena walk towards the battlefield. The bard turned inside the cabin and left Iolaus to watch the soldiers.

She knew the two fighters would cross the river by a small boat, leaving their companions on the riverbank. It would take time to settle everything. The bard was hoping that Xena would end the fight quickly and not take any unnecessary chances.

Gabrielle sat down at the table and waited for her mate while playing with their son.

Xena bit her lip to keep from screaming as she pulled herself off the stake. "Damn coward!" she shouted from the small pit she had fallen into. A pit that happened to contain stakes set in the ground.

The warrior growled and glanced up as Jarl Svenkendur's shadow fell over her from above.

"Maybe, Greek," Svenkendur grinned. "But it works."

Xena knocked the remaining stakes aside and held her bleeding side.

"Come on out and we'll finish this, quickly," he suggested with a sneer.

Xena grinned and launched herself up out of the pit with one of her famous war-cries.

"Gabrielle!"

Iolaus's voice had the bard running out the door and onto the porch before she had even thought about it. She was expecting to find Xena returning, probably bloody and wounded and was puzzled at the sight of the Vikings standing around watching the trail leading from the woods, Iolaus among them.

He turned and spotted her and trotted up to the porch.

"Perimeter guard says that two riders are headed this way," he announced. "They don't know them."

"Probably wouldn't since they're strangers in this region themselves," Gabrielle commented. "Two riders, doesn't sound like a threat."

"I don't think so," he said thoughtfully. "The scout reports they are coming up the trail without hesitating and their weapons are sheathed. A woman and a man."

"Probably someone from Eddval's Steading or Axel," Gabrielle muttered, opening the door to the cabin to keep an eye on Asher as he napped on the rug in front of the fire.

What Gabrielle and Iolaus didn't expect were two familiar forms appearing out of the tree-line on horseback. Gabrielle blinked in surprise.

"Isn't that Joxer?" Iolaus asked. "That must be Meg. Gods, they were right, she does look like an older Xena."

"Joxer?" Gabrielle whispered.

The Vikings encamped on their doorstep parted to let the riders through and the riders stopped in front of the porch.

Gabrielle felt a pain grip her heart when she looked into Joxer's eyes and saw caution and a touch of fear. Once again Gabrielle cursed Callisto's revenge and cried inside.

"Joxer, Meg? Welcome," Iolaus said cheerfully. "What brings you this far north?"

"We are acting as messengers," Meg replied.

"All this way for a message?" Gabrielle asked with a puzzled frown. "Is it our families?"

"No," Meg answered quickly. "Can we speak inside?"

"Yes, of course, welcome," Gabrielle answered and motioned for them to enter the cabin.

Iolaus was looking at the bard with his face containing an open question about the obvious tension between Joxer, Meg and Gabrielle but she shook her head that she wouldn't answer right then.

Joxer and Meg dismounted and slowly approached the bard and Greek hunter.

"Joxer?" Gabrielle asked softly as they stepped up on the porch. She felt her jaw tightening when his eyes didn't soften.

"Gabrielle," he said in a flat voice. "Where's Xena?"

"You probably won't be surprised," Iolaus grinned and walked into the cabin, followed by the Greek messengers and Gabrielle.

The bard was very pleased at the large grin that came over the aging warrior and his wife when they saw Asher sleeping on the rug. Joxer knelt by the boy quietly and Meg walked up behind her husband and placed her hands on his shoulders.

"Your family told us about the child," Joxer said softly. "Congratulations, Gabrielle."

"Thank you," she said simply. "Xena is off having a duel with some petty Prince. The Viking over in the corner sharpening her sword is Hallvor, a member of my Black Forest Amazons."

"And the cause of the trouble," Hallvor grumbled.

Joxer and Meg frowned. "Why aren't you with her?" Meg questioned the bard.

"Because waiting at the river or in the cabin would be same, both are driving me crazy!" Gabrielle snapped.

"Maybe we should wait until she gets back until we talk about this," Meg suggested. "Hercules with her?"

"Yes," Iolaus answered. "I'm Iolaus, by the way."

"I recognized you from Gabrielle's descriptions," Meg grinned.

The next candle-mark was spent with Meg and Iolaus telling both sides of what had been happening in their lives since Gabrielle and Xena left Greece. Iolaus noticed that both Gabrielle and Joxer were strangely quiet and seemed unable to look at each other beyond a glance, which was quickly broken off.

The Greek hunter knew from Xena that things had gone terribly wrong with their friendship with Joxer and his wife Meg when Callisto used them to hurt Xena and Gabrielle. The warrior hadn't gone into a lot of details except to say that it hurt all of them very badly emotionally and Joxer was brutally beaten and tortured while Callisto had been in Gabrielle's form.

Iolaus could see that it was still affecting their friendship and hurting all of them.

"I'm sorry, I'm going to check on those Vikings," Gabrielle muttered finally and dashed outside, carrying a grumpy Asher with her.

Iolaus started to go after her but Joxer held his hand up and stood up. "Let me."

Joxer found Gabrielle sitting on the porch with Asher playing. He sat down beside her and closed his eyes in pain when he realized she was crying.

"Gabrielle," he said softly.

"I can't do it, Joxer," she snapped. "I've apologized countless times for something I didn't do! I would have done anything to stop Callisto and what she was doing to you. I can't change the fact she made you think it was me and I can't go on paying for it."

"I know," he responded softly. "That's why we agreed to come up here. I do want to work it out. It's just hard to get those images out of my head."

"I understand, it hurts me too," Gabrielle agreed. "Joxer, I treasured our friendship, you were more than a brother to me. To think that Callisto betrayed that kills me."

"I'm partly to blame," Joxer countered bitterly. "I gave in and betrayed Meg and my vows to her."

"Joxer," Gabrielle tried to say gently but Joxer shook her hand off his arm.

"No, it's true! That's the worst of it!" he angrily wiped at a tear escaping down his cheek. "It was so easy for Callisto to trick me and I was so weak. All because I wanted to believe that you finally wanted me as a lover. How could I believe that?" he asked bitterly.

Gabrielle didn't know how to answer him, her face reflecting her concern over his pain.

"After all you've been through with and for Xena, how could I ever compare?" Joxer demanded his voice cracking.

"Joxer, I'm not going to help you beat yourself up," Gabrielle snapped. "I love you and I always have. You also know I loved Xena from the moment I saw her."

"I'm sorry, Gabrielle, I failed you too," Joxer whispered.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm sure the thought and images of Callisto taking your form and having sex with me isn't pleasant," he muttered.

"Joxer, don't do this, please," she begged. "You can't continue to blame me because I didn't want you sexually. It was always Xena and you know that."

"I know and now you even have a child together, can't blame Ares for that one," Joxer attempted to smile. "I'm sorry. I'll try and get past this."

"I'm glad, we've all got memories to get past, Joxer," Gabrielle said softly. "I'd like to have your friendship back."

"Me too but I know it'll never be the same," he commented.

"No, probably not," Gabrielle agreed and laid her head against his shoulder. For once he didn't flinch away at her touch.

Gabrielle hoped that was a good sign.

The Greek warrior moved cautiously through the woods. She could sense Svenkendur nearby but somehow he was still able to evade her.

Xena growled in anger when something dived out of a tree above her, causing her to drop her sword. The warrior threw her arm up in time to protect her neck. Xena screamed as massive jaws clamped down on her arm as she desperately reached for her sax.

At the end of another candle-mark, Gabrielle was pacing impatiently in the clear space in front of the porch and Iolaus noticed that even the usually carefree Viking warriors were growing quiet and watching the path to the river as well.

"I'm sure she's fine," Iolaus said, trying to reassure his friend.

"She's not dead, I'd know that much," Gabrielle muttered, impatiently twirling a sai in her hand.

"There!" one of the Vikings shouted and Gabrielle and Iolaus quickly spun towards the path and saw Hercules carrying a very still Xena in his arms.

"Xena!" Gabrielle screamed and dashed towards her mate and friend along with the Vikings, Iolaus and Joxer.

Gabrielle skidded to a stop in front of the demi-god and demi-goddess and was relieved when Xena raised her head from Hercules' shoulder and managed a small smile.

"Hey, beautiful," the warrior said softly.

"Hey, yourself," Gabrielle choked out, trying not to cry from relief.

Hercules looked at the gathered Vikings and nodded over his shoulder. Everyone glanced past the hero and saw the Viking who had accompanied his Jarl dragging a body by an arm.

No one had to announce that it was Jarl Svenkender.

"Who now speaks for your group?" Hercules asked and one of the older appearing Vikings stepped forward.

"I do," he answered. "I am Thorkull, son of Harkon the Brave."

"I am honored to meet you, Thorkull," Hercules said formerly. "Do you wish to try and claim the outlaw Hallvor from her Amazon Queen?"

The Viking appeared to think about it for a moment.

"We will fight for her," Gabrielle warned.

"I understand," Thorkull nodded. "I declare the matter ended. Jarl Svenkender has no close relatives to press the claim and I don't care about something that happened when I was but four winters old."

"Thank you, Thorkull," Hercules nodded and two of the Vikings went to retrieve their Jarl and the others started back to their camp.

Xena blinked in disbelief. "Joxer?" Xena whispered in amazement.

"Yeah, we'll explain back at the cabin while you explain why it took so damned long!" Gabrielle said firmly but with a smile.

"Deal," Xena whispered and closed her eyes again.

Gabrielle resisted the feeling of panic attempting to sweep over her.

"Hercules?" she demanded.

"She's hurt bad," he said softly as they walked towards the cabin. "Where's Asher?"

"Meg's with him and Hallvor," Iolaus smiled at his mate.

Within minutes the small cabin was a flurry of activity as Xena was placed on the table where Hallvor had been before. Hercules quickly unbuckled the warrior's favorite combat clothing as Gabrielle grabbed the healing supplies from a shelf.

The bard gasped at the sight of the wounds covering her mate's body and then went to work with Meg cleaning and stitching the wounds.

"Those wounds on her thigh, I don't think stitching will close those," Meg muttered.

"Heat a poker then," Gabrielle said simply, again avoiding facing that it was her mate she was talking about.

"Right," the twin of Xena responded and moved to the fireplace.

Hercules sat near Xena's head and gently wiped away the blood and sweat from her face.

"Xena, tell us what happened," he urged as she gritted her teeth. "Those look like claw wounds."

Gabrielle glanced over and saw Hallvor playing knucklebones with Asher and trying to keep him from chewing on them but she knew the Viking was listening closely. Her wounds were coming along nicely, Gabrielle thought. She knew Hallvor would probably be up and moving within a day or two.

"I thought it would be over quick," Xena growled. "We met with shield and sword… not my… usual but I… was doing okay. We both got in some good hits and then he surprised me…"

The warrior growled in pain as Gabrielle cleaned another deep wound.

"The area…was cleared of brush and trees…like I expected for a dueling…area. Then I discovered…he didn't play fair."

Gabrielle glanced up at Hercules as Meg brought a hot poker over from the fire. The demi-god nodded and offered his hands and wrists to the female warrior. Xena glanced down and saw the poker and grabbed Hercules wrist to hand.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"Do it!"

Gabrielle took the poker and quickly placed it against one of the wounds. She shut out the sounds of Xena's scream and followed through with the next three slashes. Meg took the poker away and gently touched Gabrielle's cheek as the bard fell against the table.

"Xena?" Gabrielle asked softly, moving to her mate's face and cried as Xena's blue eyes opened.

"I'm okay," Xena whispered. It took a few moments before she could continue though.

"I stepped into a pit trap…he had dug," Xena said softly. "I…I was stupid. Never should have…fallen for that…. I took a stake through my side….He almost had me…I got out of the pit and disarmed him from his sword….Then it got really interesting…" the warrior attempted to grin as Gabrielle and Meg bandaged her wounds.

"The bastard…he ran into the woods…" Xena hesitated and Gabrielle held a cup of water to her lips. Xena reached out to hold her mate's hand now that the worst of the pain was over.

"I debated whether to…follow him or go back…and declare him….a coward," Xena whispered as Meg covered her with a blanket and Hercules carried her to the bed she shared with Gabrielle.

"I followed him… it took forever to find….him. Almost…wasn't quick….enough when he…jumped out. He was a werserker…like Hallvor… He got my thigh and… knocked my sword away…I got my sax out…and took his arm."

"Oh gods," Gabrielle said softly.

"He howled…and attacked again…"

"The bite marks on your arms and shoulder," Gabrielle muttered.

"Yeah," Xena whispered, letting Gabrielle sit up in the bed and gently take the warrior into her arms. "I…crippled his leg and he kept coming…I finally…was able to take his head."

"Gods," Hercules muttered.

"My turn," Xena smiled slightly. "What are Joxer and Meg doing here?"

"We were waiting for you to get back before asking them that," Iolaus grinned.

Joxer walked into the bedroom at that moment and smiled at the warrior lying on the bed.

"We were asked to find you and ask your help," he began.

"From who?" Gabrielle asked.

"Cleopatra and Marc Antony," Meg answered.

"What?" both Gabrielle and Xena exclaimed at the same time.

"Artemis showed up with a message from them asking your help in defeating Octavian and then she transported us here, just a couple of marks away," Joxer finished.

"Artemis?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Right here, Gabrielle," a familiar voice responded and the warrior bard spun on her heels with sais in hand. Xena attempted to sit up and Hercules frowned.

"What are you doing here?" Hercules asked.

"I came to see Xena and Gabrielle," the Goddess of the Hunt, the Moon and Amazons answered.

"Why send Joxer and Meg when you could just pop in here on your own?" Xena demanded.

"Because I wanted to give you all a chance to mend your friendship," Artemis said simply and Gabrielle's eyes narrowed in suspicion. "Cleopatra and Marc Antony are in need of your assistance."

"I'm confused," Xena admitted. "You're the patron goddess of the Amazons, Marc Antony slaughtered the Black Forest Amazons and we've sworn blood revenge. Now you want us to help them?"

"In a way," Artemis said. "I want Marc Antony dead and Cleopatra alive. I don't care if she's victorious over Octavian or he is victorious over her. She is a good ruler for Egypt and has asked my aid. If Octavian is successful, he'll place Cleopatra as a subject ruler. If she stays with Antony then Octavian will likely destroy them both."

"You want us to break up Antony and Cleopatra and you don't care who wins the final battle?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Yes," Artemis answered.

"We helped Cleo in the past and I like her," Xena growled. "I don't like the idea of breaking up a couple that's obviously in love. They've been together 10 winters and have four children."

"They stay together out of love and love of power," Artemis responded. "Do you still want him dead even if he's with Cleopatra?"

Gabrielle's green eyes flashed. "Yes, I heard what happened to Ephiny, Solari and the others. I saw what the attack did to Eponi and how hard they've struggled to rebuild. I want him dead or defeated, totally."

"I agree, dead or dragged behind Octavian's chariot as a prisoner of Rome," Xena growled.

"Do you think the two of you can do it?" Artemis questioned.

"We'll figure it out," Xena nodded.

"What about Asher?" Gabrielle asked. "It's a very long trip to Egypt; I don't want to leave him that long."

"Neither do I," Xena agreed.

"I'll transport both of you there and back," Artemis promised.

"It still might take some time to figure it out," Xena said thoughtfully. "Antony isn't going to trust us."

"But Cleo might," Gabrielle added.

"The boy would be safe with Hercules and Iolaus," Artemis suggested.

"Could do that, we do the planning and stay out of battles?" Xena asked thoughtfully.

"Let's discuss this," Gabrielle suggested.

"Okay," Xena mumbled and Gabrielle noticed her mate having trouble keeping her eyes open. She carefully helped Xena into a lying position and kissed her mate softly.

"Get some sleep, I'll be back in awhile," the bard promised.

Gabrielle waited by the barn after the sun had set and everyone was finished with dinner. Joxer and Meg were catching Hercules and Iolaus up on news of Rome and Asher was asleep in Hallvor's arms.

Artemis appeared with a sparkle of light.

"Waiting for me, Chosen?" the Goddess asked.

"Yes, there are some unanswered questions," Gabrielle nodded.

"Why I sent Joxer and Meg instead of just coming myself?" Artemis questioned.

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded again. "Why give us the chance to see them?"

Artemis lost her smile.

"Joxer is dying," she said softly and grabbed the bard as Gabrielle's knees buckled.

"No, please, no," Gabrielle pleaded.

"I'm sorry, it's an illness that I can't heal," Artemis explained, taking the bard in her arms as Gabrielle broke into tears. "It destroys the insides, slowly. He has maybe another two winters."

"No! Please, can't one of the other gods help?" Gabrielle pleaded.

"Gabrielle, are you going to beg the gods every time one of your friends or relatives is sick or dying?"

"Doesn't everyone?" Gabrielle countered.

Artemis actually shrugged and smiled. "Yes, I guess you're right. They just don't have direct connection and family relations among the gods."

"I'll beg but I won't always expect to get what I want," Gabrielle tried to smile. "Thank you for bringing them then. Do they know?"

"Joxer knows and Meg suspects," Artemis answered. "Meg is also pregnant and hasn't found out yet. He'll have a son and she'll be pregnant with a daughter before he crosses."

"How can I face him knowing this?" Gabrielle asked, turning from the Goddess.

"Just mend the friendship, let your love for him guide you," Artemis suggested. "I'll come back in three days for you."

"We'll figure it out; Antony will pay for what he did to the Amazons and half the known world," Gabrielle promised and turned to look at the goddess and found her gone and Joxer walking towards her.

"Hey, Gabby," the inn-keeper said easily. "I saw Artemis."

"Yeah," Gabrielle didn't know what to say to her longtime friend.

"She told you, didn't she?" he asked softly.

"Yes, she did," she admitted. "How did you figure it out?"

"I'm passing blood and it didn't get better with the herbs the healer gave me, finally hit us that it's not going away."

"I don't know what to say, Joxer," Gabrielle admitted, tears beginning to flow down her face and they finally broke loose when he took her into his arms and held her. "I should be comforting you."

"We're friends," he said softly. "I've had time to adjust. I figured Artemis wanted us to make up before it happens and I'm grateful."

"Can I tell Xena?" she asked as she hugged her friend.

"Yes, no secrets between mates," he said simply.

"Thank you," Gabrielle said softly. "I do love you, Joxer."

"I love you, too," he smiled slightly down at the small female. "Always have and always will."

"You'll have to tell Meg eventually," she warned.

"I know, she already suspects. I'll wait until she's a little further along with the pregnancy," Joxer grinned.

"You know and she doesn't?"

"Yeah, Meg doesn't think she can have children so she's missing a lot of the signs and Artemis confirmed it."

"Gods, Joxer, I just wanted a few more seasons of a normal life," Gabrielle complained. "Now we're about to go to Egypt and settle with Antony, possibly destroy Cleopatra's life, and endanger myself and my mate."

"Antony and Cleopatra have determined their path, if you don't get involved, they'll still fall eventually," Joxer said gently. "Even Caesar with all his power and talent fell."

"Thank you, Joxer," Gabrielle smiled and reached up to kiss him on the cheek.

"It won't be easy, any of it," he cautioned.

"Including between us?"

"Yes, it still hurts to remember it, the pleasure and the pain," he admitted as they began walking back to the cabin. "I won't let go of our friendship though."

"Good, Callisto will be screaming in Tartarus," Gabrielle tried to smile.

"She never could succeed, no one can beat Xena and you and your love for each other," Joxer smiled. "I should have realized that and not fallen for her trap. I was blinded by my puppy dog love for you."

"And now?" she asked gently.

"I love you and always will but I love Meg, the way someone should be loved," Joxer said thoughtfully. "Now I just have to make up to her for what I did before it's too late."

"Too late for what, lover?" a voice called from the porch and Meg stepped into the light of the moon.

"I'm afraid you'll still reject me after that mess with Callisto and I won't be able to tell you and show you how much I love you," Joxer said honestly.

"I heard most of that, Joxer," Meg admitted and stepped down from the porch and took his hand. "Come show me how much," she said in a low and husky voice, leading him back towards the barn.

Gabrielle smiled and turned back to the cabin to take care of her mate and plan for Marc Antony's destruction.


	27. 27 Antony and Cleopatra

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** Rating: R. A couple of assaults, sexual assault.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave.

Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Artemis wants Gabrielle and Xena to follow through on their blood oath of vengeance against Marc Antony and sends them to Egypt. The problem is their friendship with Cleopatra. It soon becomes clear that they can't hurt Antony without adversely affecting their friend and possibly their own future and relationship.

The story isn't based on the TV episode of Antony and Cleopatra.

This follows more along the lines of actual history. The battle is real, Cleopatra and Antony's behaviors during the battle are historical. There's no asp in this one – that fate awaits the Egyptian Queen a year down the road.

* * *

Gabrielle sighed as she took in the sight of the life on the Nile from the rail of Cleopatra's Royal barge.

Without even looking over, the bard felt Xena step up beside her and lean down on the railing.

"What's on your mind, Gabrielle?" the warrior asked with a smile.

"Thinking how nice the sun feels," the bard admitted as she smiled at her best friend, companion and mate of many years.

Xena grinned in agreement. "To think, three days ago we were wearing a couple of layers of wool and getting ready for snow. Now it's warm for light fabrics."

"Five days ago you were nearly killed and crippled," Gabrielle added.

Xena glanced down at the thin white scars along her thigh with a frown. She knew those scars would fade to almost nothing within a week but it was still painful to have gone through the injury in the first place, god healing abilities or not.

"Yeah, five days ago we were with Herc and Iolaus raising our son," Xena grumbled. "Now we're in Egypt waiting to see Cleopatra and working on a way to destroy her life."

Gabrielle sighed. "I don't like that part either," she agreed.

"Can you handle being around Antony and being friendly with him?" Xena asked softly.

"I've got to," Gabrielle muttered.

"I hope so, lover," Xena said as she straightened up and turned her back to the railing. "Because here he comes with three Guards."

Gabrielle felt her muscles tense as she turned to stand with her lover and face her blood-sworn enemy.

It was almost 10 Spring seasons since they had seen Antony as he prepared to battle Cassius and Brutus. At that time he had been allied with Octavian but even then Xena had predicted they would quickly become enemies once Brutus and Cassius were dealt with.

The warrior had been right. Gabrielle just didn't think it would take 10 Springs for them to finally settle everything between the Roman and themselves.

"Xena, Gabrielle," Antony greeted them with an easy manner, as if they were old acquaintances but both Greeks were well aware that his men had their hands on their swords, their bodies tense and prepared to fight.

Xena had her hands resting on the railing behind them and Gabrielle crossed her arms, keeping her hands away from her sais.

"Antony," Xena responded.

"I didn't think you'd come, even with Cleo personally sending word for your help," he admitted.

"She's a friend, we take care of our friends," Xena responded.

"That's what I'm afraid of," the Roman General laughed. Despite the years he was still incredibly handsome, much like Ares had been, Gabrielle reflected.

"I remember a slight matter between us, something about your friends."

Gabrielle felt her face flushing with anger and her arms quickly unfolded as her hands clenched. She felt a restraining hand on her shoulder from Xena.

"Those 'friends' were my tribe," Gabrielle growled. "My family that you slaughtered, just for political reasons."

"Still want to kill me?" Antony grinned and Xena's grip on the bard's shoulder tightened.

"Yes!" Gabrielle snapped, resisting throwing herself into a fight with him.

"Yet you want to work and ensure Cleopatra's success against Rome?" he pressed.

"Once again, my personal feelings about you have to come second," Gabrielle spat.

Antony surprised both of them by laughing.

"Good, honesty is a rare thing between enemies in this restless sea of power and politics," he commented and nodded to his men. The guards relaxed their grips on their sword hilts and Xena's grip loosened on Gabrielle's shoulder. "Come and let's have some food, Cleopatra will be here this evening. Your word you won't stick one of those things in my ribs when I'm not looking?" he asked from Gabrielle.

"I swore a blood oath to kill you, what oath would you believe from me?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Hmmm," Antony frowned. "Good question, I know you Amazons and your damned blood oaths. How about this, you swear not to kill me while with me or my forces? That should stop any ideas of assassination from both of you."

Gabrielle appeared thoughtful and glanced up at Xena.

"Alright, we agree that as long as we are your guests and not your prisoners or hostages that we won't kill you," Xena clarified.

"Agreed," Antony nodded and his men saluted him and moved off to go back to their other duties.

Gabrielle sighed and let some of her anger dissipate as she and Xena began to follow Antony towards the inside of the barge.

"I'm sorry, Xena," Gabrielle said softly.

"Don't be, he pushed you intentionally," Xena responded, smiling down at her mate. "It was a good move on his part, I wouldn't trust us either."

"Yeah, especially since we really don't have a clue how to work this mission out either," Gabrielle smirked.

"Play it by ear until we see an opportunity," Xena shrugged.

Antony turned out to be a charming host and Xena was reminded of Antony's friend and patron, Julius Caesar. The Roman General kept away from sensitive topics and talked endlessly about the charms of Egypt, which soon had drawn in Gabrielle, despite her reluctance to listen to him. The bard had never been to Egypt and was finding the culture and long history fascinating.

Both women knew that Antony was turning on his fabled charm and let him. They needed to find out as much information about Antony and his relationship with Cleopatra before they could decide how to complete their mission.

Their mission to destroy Antony without dragging Cleopatra down with him.

"So tell me, is it true that you two are immortal?" Antony asked, drinking deeply from a goblet of wine.

"Whatever gave you that idea?" Xena asked easily.

"I saw your mate after that crucifixion, Xena," Antony countered, his face friendly but his eyes serious and calm. "No one should have lived through that."

Xena glanced over and saw Gabrielle frowning and looking down at the bracers that covered the scars of that crucifixion and the one from Bacchus. Antony was also looking at the bard closely.

"Neither of you have aged either, which is a marvelous and wonderful thing since, besides my own wife, I have never seen two more beautiful women in all the Empire," Antony grinned.

"And why the silver tongue? We've already agreed to help you and Cleo," Xena asked with a smirk.

"No silver tongue intended," Antony protested with a grin. "Total honesty, you two are incredibly beautiful and I can get away with saying that because I'm married. You still haven't answered the question."

"Didn't intend to," Xena quipped back. "That would be a fantastic long shot, wouldn't it? That would mean that both of us would have to be immortal, somehow. What would be the odds of two immortals getting together without knowing it?"

Gabrielle resisted smirking at Xena's dodge and realized that this question was going to start coming up more and more as the seasons went by. They were immortal and weren't going to age, everyone else around them would.

"That's not quite an answer, is it?" Antony noted. "You both would have to have gods for parents and then meeting totally by accident would be against the odds, wouldn't it?" he agreed. "Still, Cleo will be envious of your beauty secrets."

Xena shrugged and reached for some dates to nibble on, her blue eyes catching Antony's deep brown ones.

Antony hesitated over his wine.

Xena turned and glanced at the door, a moment later Gabrielle and Antony heard the sounds of many footsteps as Cleopatra and her servants, advisors and scribe approached the main room of the barge.

Gabrielle and Xena's delight in seeing Cleopatra was matched by her joy in seeing her Greek saviors. Antony seemed amused as he watched the women uncharacteristically hug and grin in actual pleasure and not in polite, political greeting.

The next two candlemarks were spent with Cleo and Gabrielle exchanging stories and catching each other up on what had happened since the last time they had seen each other. The time when Gabrielle, Xena and Joxer had saved the young Egyptian from Joxer's assassin brother, Jett.

"Hey, you two," Xena grinned, throwing a grape at her mate to get Gabrielle's attention. "I'm going out on deck for awhile; I've had a bit too much wine."

"You alright?" Gabrielle asked with a frown. Xena never had too much wine, port or any other alcohol, the bard reflected and wondered what her mate was up to.

"Yes, I'm fine, honest," Xena smiled and leaned down to kiss the bard's forehead.

"Why don't I accompany you, Xena," Antony suggested and Gabrielle saw Xena half wink at her before straightening up to face the Roman. "I can make sure my men don't get too jumpy around you and these two can talk away."

"Cleo?" Xena asked and the Egyptian Queen waved at them.

"Yes, go," Cleopatra encouraged with a laugh. "Antony hates talking about the past, he's always dreaming of the future."

Gabrielle suddenly had a feeling she knew part of Xena's improvised plan and hoped her mate knew what she was doing as she turned her attention back to Cleopatra.

"So, you're happy with Antony, obviously," she commented.

"Yes, very," Cleopatra smiled a genuine smile. "We have four beautiful children and there's my son from Julius."

"He is still very handsome," Gabrielle commented, "And you are still incredibly beautiful. The rumors about that are true."

Cleo laughed. "Yes, don't think I don't know Antony has a roving eye and has noticed both of you."

"What?" Gabrielle exclaimed.

"Don't worry, he never does more than look," Cleo grinned. "He lets me have my incredibly well built slaves around as long as I have his body to attack at night and the same with him."

Gabrielle shook her head in amazement.

"You and Xena have been together for years, haven't you looked or strayed?" Cleo questioned.

Gabrielle lost her smile. "Not willingly, either of us."

"I'm sorry for bringing up bad memories," Cleo said quickly.

"It's alright. I was kidnapped and sold into slavery, they weren't kind," Gabrielle explained.

"I understand, I have bought abused slaves before. I don't permit it in my service but I have seen others who are cruel. Tell me, I hear rumors that you have traveled north, tell me about the north," Cleo urged.

Gabrielle grinned and began trying to describe the difference between the Egyptians and the Germans.

/

Xena choose a shadowy part of the barge to stop in and take in the cool Egyptian night air. The Greek leaned down on the railing as Antony looked out over the water with her.

"Does Cleo know that you don't exactly keep it at home?" Xena asked bluntly and glanced up at the Roman.

Antony looked surprised and then burst into laughter.

"You are incredibly sharp," he commented. "Caesar was right, you are amazing!"

"He also underestimated me and Gabrielle," she responded.

Antony lost his smile. "He was my friend."

"Julius Caesar was friends with no one and you know it, Antony," Xena countered. "He was planning on killing Brutus and you would have been next if he thought you might slip that leash he had you on."

Antony looked angry for a moment and then shrugged.

"Probably," he agreed. "But we both understood the arrangement. He was bound for glory and I was riding the chariot with him. You and Brutus put a stop to that."

"Yes, and I'd do it again in a moment," Xena said firmly, her blue eyes flashing. "I'd find a way to protect Gabrielle a little better though."

"You two are mates, aren't you?"

"Yes, have been for years," Xena said easily.

"Yet you have a child by Ares and Gabrielle was separated from you for almost two full Springs and became a gladiator, the Champion of Rome," Antony commented, looking out over the water as Xena frowned at him. "It was also well known that she was lovers with the females of the gladiator school and was taken into Brutus' bed, willingly. Does that mean you both stray?"

Xena clenched her teeth together for a moment and then shrugged, appearing nonchalant about the question.

"No, Gabrielle was kidnapped and sold into slavery," Xena explained. "Because of Caesar wanting to use her against me, she kept her identity a secret until she could get away. We are loyal to each other, Antony."

"Even after Gabrielle recently gave birth to someone else's child?" he asked and smirked at Xena's confused expression.

"I'm a good general, Xena," he commented. "When Cleo asked Artemis for your help, I had you investigated. I need to know about my allies and my enemies."

"And which are we?" Xena smirked back at him.

"Well, I know Gabrielle will never be considered a friend," Antony grinned. "Not with that stupid incident with the Amazons. Like the battle with Brutus, I figure you'll both be allies until it's over with Octavian and then you'll try and kill me."

"Try is not in our vocabulary, Antony," Xena warned but the Roman merely laughed at the threat.

"As long as I'm with Cleo, I figure you won't move against me," he said easily.

"I still remember that you ordered your men to kill Gabrielle and me after that battle with Brutus and Cassius," Xena said flatly.

"Politics," Antony said, dismissing the incident. "You were sworn enemies; I was attempting to take care of a left over problem."

"We're still a problem, Antony," Xena growled.

"I don't think so as long as I'm with Cleo," the Roman said confidently.

"And if she knew you strayed?" Xena demanded.

"She'd never believe anyone, Xena," Antony said softly and moved closer to the Greek. "She believes in me, our love and our power together. Just like Gabrielle believes in you."

"I'm loyal to my mate, Antony," Xena growled.

"Really?" he smirked and Xena wasn't surprised when he placed his arm over her, leaning in closely. "Tell me you don't miss Hercules or Ares in bed," he whispered.

Xena growled a warning and started to shake his arm off but the Roman tightened his hold.

"Tell me that your intense hatred for Caesar wasn't because he used and betrayed you, especially after you took him to bed. You know he constantly dreamed of you. Do you still dream of him?" Antony purred in Xena's ear and pulled the warrior into his arms, against his chest. "Tell me you don't miss a man sometimes."

Xena pulled out of his arms, moving quickly away from him and headed back towards the inner rooms.

Antony's laughter followed her.

Gabrielle leaned up on an elbow, glancing over at Xena. The warrior was sitting in a chair in their luxurious room on the barge and sharpening her sword with a scowl.

"Are you okay?" the bard finally demanded from the bed. After years of being with Xena, she knew when her mate was disturbed and this was one of those times.

"I'll be fine, I figured out how to do this, I think," Xena growled.

Gabrielle moved quickly out of the bed and over to her mate, surprising Xena by moving aside the sword and kissing her passionately. The bard moved her lips to Xena's neck and then earlobe.

"Cleo is famous for having ears in the walls," Gabrielle whispered and felt Xena nod as the warrior dropped her sword and reached for the bard. The warrior stood up, holding firmly to Gabrielle and the bard wrapped her legs around Xena's waist, never losing contact with her lips on Xena's neck.

"Oh Gods," Gabrielle cried out as Xena returned her to bed and covered the bard's body with her own. "You have his scent on you," the bard growled softly.

"Not my idea," Xena whispered, pulling Gabrielle's top off as Gabrielle grabbed hers.

"Let me guess, you seduce Antony, let Cleo catch you, break them up and that will leave Antony vulnerable to Octavian's troops without Cleo's support," Gabrielle whispered, crying out loudly as Xena's lips went to her nipples.

"Something like that," the warrior whispered.

"Oh Goddess," Gabrielle said softly. "Just don't let it get too far, okay?" she whispered.

"Never!" Xena nodded, continuing her assault on her mate.

"Seducing the mate of the Queen might be extremely dangerous," Gabrielle muttered and whimpered. "Gods, your touch, always!"

Xena grinned and pulled the rest of their clothing off and reached over to snuff out the candle on table next to the bed. Whoever was watching and listening would have to be content to just listen to her making love to Gabrielle, damnit.

"I agree, that's why I'm going to keep him at arm's length," Xena whispered.

"He doesn't strike…." Gabrielle whispered. "Don't stop that…" she said a little louder. "As the type to be kept at bay," Gabrielle whispered.

"I kept Ares at bay long enough," Xena grinned as Gabrielle lightly smacked the top of her head in frustration. The warrior began kissing her way down the bard's incredible body, hoping to make it up to Gabrielle for bringing Ares up in their bed.

"Gods, even after all this time, your touch is incredible!" Gabrielle gasped. "I love you, Xena!"

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena said softly. "Let me show you how much."

"Gods, yes!" Gabrielle cried.

Gabrielle smiled as she walked into the main area of the barge. Xena, Antony and Cleopatra were bent over a table pouring over maps, diagrams and reports from spies, just like they were a candlemark before when the bard left them.

Gabrielle, trusting the battle planning to the three brilliant military and political minds, had gone out on deck to do her sai and sword practice. They drew several open admirers from the crew and the Roman soldiers as she went through the workout that revealed her deadly skills with both sai and sword.

"I still say a land battle here," Antony said firmly. "Cleo's admirals are no match for Agrippa on the sea."

"That's why it's perfect for Octavian," Xena protested. "He doesn't know I'm helping you and he'll expect a traditional Roman attack from you. Remember what I showed you at the battle of Phillipii?"

"Romans are predictable," Antony grinned, remembering how Xena's unorthodox methods had pecked away at the troops of Brutus and Cassius; especially how she had demoralized them.

"Yes, Octavian and Agrippa won't be expecting you to launch a full assault on the water," Xena urged. "Agrippa won't even have a plan except to contain your ships. The ships you have are heavier and can cause more damage."

"Octavian's are smaller and faster and can maneuver easier," Cleopatra frowned.

"Only if they get a chance to separate your ships and get a clear shot at the sides," Xena argued.

"It might work, husband," Cleopatra said thoughtfully. "If we can keep Xena's aid a secret from Octavian."

Xena nodded but Antony still was frowning and continued the debate with Xena over battle strategy. Cleopatra looked up and saw Gabrielle and left the two warriors with a smile and a nod and walked over to the bard.

"Let's leave these two to haggle," Cleopatra suggested and Gabrielle grinned in agreement.

The Queen of Egypt and the warrior bard went into her 'small' bedroom, a small bedroom that took up a large chunk of the barge's inner rooms. Cleopatra took off her royal headdress and flung herself on the bed with an exaggerated sigh.

Gabrielle laughed at the Queen's spontaneous silliness and flopped down in a chair that was so padded it could double as a bed.

"You should have seen the battles I had getting Caesar to listen to me about battles and things," Cleo smiled. "Now I can't get Antony to think for himself most of the time. Ten years of successes and he still has an insecure streak."

"Antony never struck me as insecure," Gabrielle commented with raised eyebrows.

"Oh, he knows very well that he's strong and handsome; women have always thrown themselves at him. Quite a number of men as well," Cleo smiled. "He grew accustomed to having men and women seek him out for his good looks and his power but he's never trusted his own intelligence and military skills."

"Yet he aspires to control the entire Empire," Gabrielle responded.

"Yes, he felt he had to follow Caesar and take what he had accomplished or he would disappear," Cleo tried to explain.

"I think I might actually follow that," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "If he had stepped aside he would have been killed."

"Yes, he had gained too much power under Caesar to be ignored," Cleopatra agreed. "If he had given it away to Octavian, then the little bastard would have been forced to kill Antony just to ensure his position."

"I know you two originally got together for the power and the lust," Gabrielle teased and was rewarded with a pillow thrown at her. "Seriously, though, why force Octavian into such a long civil war? Isn't Antony happy in Egypt?"

"He's very happy in Egypt, with me, with our children and with my culture," Cleo nodded. "Antony is also a Roman; it is something in their blood."

Gabrielle nodded, remembering Brutus saying the same thing when Xena suggested his life might be in danger when he helped rescue Gabrielle from slavery and so maybe he should leave Rome. Brutus had resisted the suggestion, claiming the very thing Cleopatra was now saying about Antony.

"He won't be satisfied until he has Rome, totally," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Exactly, no matter how much I might think it's a bad idea at this time to press it. I believe we can win a military victory but we wouldn't win a victory over the people," Cleo continued. "When Caesar took me to Rome; do you know what the people shouted out at me?"

"No, your Highness," Gabrielle said softly.

"They called me Caesar's foreign whore," Cleo said bitterly. "Octavian has been very clever in his war with Antony. He has turned the Roman people against Antony by making them think he has abandoned them in favor of the foreign influence of me and my Egypt."

"They no longer believe him truly Roman?" Gabrielle questioned.

"No, they remember Caesar falling for me and now they think Antony has abandoned Rome for Egypt," Cleopatra said. "Unfortunately, we can't back out of this war without giving Octavian everything, including Egypt. I can't allow that. I fought very hard to keep Egypt as a major power under Caesar and Antony and I worked very hard to keep it going."

"If you lose, Octavian will kill Antony and possibly you as well," Gabrielle said seriously.

"Yes, he might let me live as a vassal Queen," Cleo agreed. "I won't live without Antony though."

"Isn't there any way to back out of this without losing Egypt? You've always tried to do what is right for Egypt first."

"I don't see any way without destroying Antony and I can't do that," Cleopatra said firmly.

"Gods, I hate politics!" Gabrielle complained. "Antony killed my Amazons only because it suited his political agenda. Caesar betrayed Xena for his political ambition, starting her on a path of destruction that nearly destroyed the world. Politics eventually cost Caesar his life, had me crucified and nearly killed Xena."

"I understand how much you hate Antony, can you work with him now?" Cleo asked, her face curious.

"I've promised not to kill him while your guest, Cleo," Gabrielle shrugged. "It was so long ago but I still miss Ephiny, Solari and the others."

"I still miss Julius at times," Cleo laughed at Gabrielle's doubtful look. "Shall we go see if they've killed each other yet?"

"Killed or kissed?" Gabrielle asked bluntly.

"I trust my mate, do you?" Cleo said a little more seriously.

"Yes, totally," Gabrielle responded with a smile, hoping it wouldn't take long to figure this whole mess out. She was really hating the thought of destroying Antony because that would destroy Cleopatra. Gabrielle was also hating herself for attempting to plant a seed of doubt in her friend.

They hadn't counted on Cleopatra still being in love with him.

To counter Cleopatra's spy holes, Xena and Gabrielle decided to take in the night air under the Egyptian stars later that evening.

"Xena, I don't know if I can do this," Gabrielle admitted. "Cleo really loves him. I feel like Ares trying to break us up."

"Ares' motives were different, we're trying to do what's right for the world, Egypt included," Xena responded firmly.

"How do we know what's right for the world?" Gabrielle complained. "Even the Gods make mistakes. Ares thought that having you conquer the world was the 'right' thing. Artemis thinks that getting rid of Antony is the 'right' thing for Cleopatra. Caesar thought ruling the world was the 'right' thing; we believed killing him was the 'right' thing for the world. Who in Tartarus really knows?"

Xena leaned her arms on the railing of the ship and was thoughtful for several moments. Gabrielle inclined her back against the railing, watching the sailors as they worked to keep the ship moving.

"You're right," Xena said, glancing up at her mate. "You're right about all of it."

"What do we do?" Gabrielle asked.

"Do we attempt to destroy Antony because of our vow of revenge or because Artemis wants it?" Xena questioned. "Revenge isn't a path I'd like to see you on. It burns everyone it touches."

Gabrielle's jaw tightened in a familiar way. "I want justice for our friends and family but I'm not sure what that would mean in reality," she admitted. "Do I want to put my sais between his ribs? Yes, when I think about Ephiny and Solari on a cross with their legs broken and backs ripped to shreds from a whip. Could I do it and then face Cleo? Probably not."

"You're not an assassin, Gabrielle," Xena smiled gently and leaned against her mate's arm affectionately.

"No, I'm not," Gabrielle sighed. "Does that make me a bad Queen?"

"No, it makes you a better Queen," Xena countered. "How do we get out of this and do what's best?"

"I talked with Cleo," Gabrielle filled Xena in on the conversation with the Queen of Egypt and Xena shook her head at the end of the description.

"I don't see a way out of the war either," Xena complained. "I suggest we spend some time with them. Cleopatra's right, though. Rome would never accept them as rulers and Antony can't see that or accept it."

"That means Octavian is the better choice?" Gabrielle questioned.

"Caesar did pick him and not Marc Antony as his successor, despite his youth, when Caesar died," Xena commented.

"I remember you mentioning your approval of that," Gabrielle nodded. "Caesar may have been an arrogant son of a bacchae but you did admire his genius when it came to war and politics."

"And sex," Xena teased and playfully 'ducked' a blow from her mate with a laugh.

"You and the bad boys," Gabrielle teased back. "Does that mean you're attracted to Antony as well?"

"Yes," Xena admitted with a shrug. "Just like you are to Cleo."

"What?" Gabrielle frowned and thought about it for a moment. Then the bard nodded. "Okay, I could be if I weren't so head over heels in love with you."

"I understand that, she's incredibly beautiful and knows it," Xena grinned.

"Like Antony knows he's handsome," Gabrielle threw in.

"We need to figure out what is best for the rest of the world, it may not be what's best for Antony and Cleopatra," Xena growled.

"The Greater Good thing again?" Gabrielle added her own growl.

"Exactly," Xena nodded.

"I know it works out in the end but getting there usually sucks when it's the Greater Good," Gabrielle complained and Xena couldn't help but laugh in agreement.

The next week was spent traveling up the Nile to the sea where everyone on board knew that the destiny of Egypt waited for them in the ships of Antony and Octavian. Xena spent much of the time with Antony and Cleopatra's generals and admirals making plans and then changing them. Gabrielle spent most of the time with Cleopatra and her Priests.

Xena learned about Egyptian military strategies and more about Roman military arrogance than she ever wanted to know. Gabrielle began to understand the culture and people of Egypt through their myths, history and religion.

She also got closer to Cleopatra while Xena confirmed that her first assessment of Antony was correct. The warrior felt he was an arrogant Roman with even more fatal flaws than Caesar. Antony's insecurities made him somewhat of a bully with the servants and occasionally with Cleo.

Xena and Gabrielle quickly learned to get out of the room when Antony and Cleo had differences; it was safer. Listening to the servants, the Greeks learned that thrown vases, raised voices and occasionally thrown fists from both sides were common in the relationship. They also learned that Antony wasn't as faithful as Cleopatra thought he was.

Gabrielle, having a better rapport with the servants, discovered that Antony could also be a bully when it came to his affairs and wasn't above taking what he wanted from a servant or slave girl. Getting the girl drunk, forcing himself on her and then threatening her were more common than Cleo could have imagined.

# # #

While she practiced with her sais, Gabrielle moved with the grace of the nickname she had earned in the arena as a gladiator, that of Dancer. She looked over and saw Xena out of the corner of her eye, the warrior's blue eyes sparkling as she watched her mate. A smile for her bard.

"Wanna practice with me?" Xena asked.

"Sure," Gabrielle grinned as Xena pulled her sword out and twirled it around her wrists a few times, loosening up.

"Now that we know no one is close and listening in, how is it going?" Xena asked as she rushed Gabrielle with a serious of flashing sword strikes that would have intimidated most warriors. Gabrielle parried with both sais, trapping Xena's blade between the smaller weapons and lashing out with a foot, lightly connecting with the taller warrior's ribs.

"Harder than I thought it would be, Xena," Gabrielle admitted. "Cleo is blindsided by her love for Antony. She sees some of his faults but won't see his infidelity."

"The more time I spend with Antony the more I think we're on the wrong side of this," Xena added, twirling under her trapped sword and lightly tapping her elbow in Gabrielle's ribs, just hard enough to break the hold and send the bard back a foot. Xena reversed her direction and laid her sword hilt just short of Gabrielle's temple.

Gabrielle held up her hands with a grin, acknowledging what would have been a crippling blow.

Xena also grinned and turned to face her mate again.

"What do we do?" Gabrielle asked as they began circling each other again, looking for an opening in the other's defenses, both a little more cautious.

"Try and get Cleopatra to see that the cause is lost and the best thing for Egypt is to abandon Antony," Xena reasoned, slashing forward with her sword only to find Gabrielle gone from the spot she had been in. The bard was now under Xena's sword thrust and moving at her with one sais forward and the other up parrying the sword.

Xena grinned and twisted around, grabbing Gabrielle's wrist and moving the bard past her back as she finished her turn with Gabrielle's back to her. The bard surprised the warrior by diving forward, out of Xena's sword and foot range and coming up with sais at the ready.

"Nice move!" she complimented.

"If I had held on, I could have taken you over my back," Xena added.

"You would have lost your sword," Gabrielle countered.

"Maybe," Xena agreed.

"Cleo will never abandon Antony, not even for Egypt," Gabrielle commented as she shifted one of the sais to its blunt end for hitting instead of piercing.

"She's always been a good leader, she has to see that it's best for her land and people," Xena frowned.

Gabrielle met Xena's next series of thrusts and slashes with equal skill and they both backed off to circle some more.

"I know she's been a good leader but when it comes to Antony, she's totally unreasonable," Gabrielle explained. "It's like they both lost all their dreams when Caesar died and they're struggling to make them come true through each other. They seem desperate to make things work just to prove he was right in his choice in them."

"That makes strange sense," Xena continued to frown. "The problem is Caesar didn't pick Antony as his successor and he didn't choose Cleo to team up with him."

Xena went into attack mode and was surprised when she got past Gabrielle's primary defense position but discovered it was a feint when Gabrielle somehow thrust upwards with her foot under Xena's chin, almost becoming vertical.

Xena somehow stopped her momentum, knowing that if she connected with Gabrielle's booted foot, she'd be lifted right off her feet, hard.

"Whoa! Where in Hades did you learn that?" Xena grinned as Gabrielle lowered her foot.

"Part of my stretching moves, thought it might work given the disadvantage with the shortness of the sais," Gabrielle smiled and blushed under the praise from her warrior mate.

"Could take someone's jaw off," Xena agreed.

Both mates began going through a slower version of their individual workouts, a cooling down routine.

"So what do we do with these two?" Gabrielle complained. "To take Antony out we'll destroy Cleopatra and possibly Egypt. That's not what Artemis wanted."

"I don't care what Artemis wants," Xena growled and shrugged at Gabrielle's stern expression. "I don't want to hurt Cleo but it's getting really difficult to justify helping Antony win over Octavian."

"We're going to side with Octavian to ensure Antony's defeat?" Gabrielle asked. "That'll destroy Cleopatra."

"I know, but if Octavian can be reasonable it might save Egypt from total destruction at the hands of vengeful Roman troops," Xena said thoughtfully.

"How do we know we're right?" Gabrielle questioned and noticed Xena's puzzled look. "We're deciding the future of an entire country and possibly the entire Roman Empire, Xena."

"Well, Cleopatra would be best for Egypt without Antony. She won't give up Antony, therefore Octavian is the best choice," Xena reasoned.

"Who decides that?" Gabrielle pressed, getting up to lean on the railing of the ship, enjoying the feel of the warm Egyptian sun on her back. "We do? What gives us the right to play judge?"

"Well, Artemis did," Xena shrugged.

"As if you're usually happy with the decisions of the gods," Gabrielle smirked as Xena joined her.

"What do you suggest?" Xena frowned.

"Let's go home," the bard suggested and wasn't surprised by Xena's stunned look. "Leave the Fates to decide who wins what; let's go back and raise our son."

"Leave your sworn oath of vengeance against Antony?"

Gabrielle sighed heavily as she looked out over the water.

"I think I need to, Xena," she said softly. "To fulfill that oath, I'd have to betray a friend, a fellow Queen. I don't think that's the Amazon way either. I'll resign as Queen on the way back home and let Pony curse my name if she wants."

"Gabrielle, the Amazons have always been an important part of your life," Xena said softly while watching her mate's troubled face.

"Yes, but you and our family have to come first, Xena," Gabrielle said firmly. "I'm no longer the Queen of the Amazons, I'm your wife and Asher's mother and Sasha's mum."

"I understand," Xena said gently, wrapping an arm around Gabrielle's shoulders. "There's one problem, if Artemis doesn't agree with you."

"What do you mean?"

"If she gets angry and doesn't zap us out here, Antony will kill us before letting us leave," Xena pointed out.

"Cleo wouldn't let him!" Gabrielle protested.

"She wouldn't have a choice, he'd even have the backing of her generals and admirals. We know too much about their strategies and plans, he wouldn't dare let us live and get to Octavian," Xena explained.

"We're stuck here if Artemis doesn't zap us out of here?"

"Yes, we could sneak out but we'd probably run right into Octavian's troops and end up in the same spot, forced to help him or be killed as spies," Xena reasoned.

"I'll try and contact Artemis in our cabin," Gabrielle said firmly. "Can you keep an eye out to make sure that no one is spying on me?"

"You got it," Xena agreed readily.

# ##

Xena was worried. This wasn't the kind of adventure she would have chosen for them after all they had been through in the last year. They had done a lot to reconnect their relationship over the last few months, especially in raising Asher but they could use another couple of years, Xena reflected.

Gabrielle hadn't wanted to be a warrior once she saw what battle was like and years later she was easily accepted as a warrior because of her skills and willingness to fight for what she thought was right. That didn't change her basic nature though, Xena reflected, and the warrior wasn't sure how much Gabrielle would be willing to do if this kept going against her nature.

Gabrielle was right, Xena decided. This was a bad deal and it was time to get out.

Gabrielle sat down on the wooden deck/floor of their cabin and slowed her breathing. She wished she could do a proper invocation and sacrifice but she could only hope that Artemis was keeping an eye on things and would answer Gabrielle without the usual methods or a sacrifice.

"Artemis, I need to see you, please," Gabrielle said softly, her arms raised in invocation. "Artemis, we need guidance or your release from this."

Moments passed, Gabrielle sighed and took a deep breath.

"Artemis, please!" she said firmly. "Your Chosen needs you!"

Gabrielle felt relief and a touch of trepidation when a familiar shimmering appeared in the air in front of her and Artemis appeared in her traditional hunting leathers. Gabrielle braced herself, Artemis didn't look happy.

"What do you mean, release?" she demanded.

"Goddess Artemis," Gabrielle said slowly, "We can't do this mission. Cleopatra will not be separated from Antony and we can't destroy him without destroying her. We can't betray a friend like this."

"You swore a blood oath to kill Antony and I want him dead and Cleo on the throne of Egypt, figure out a way," Artemis snapped.

Gabrielle felt her face beginning to flush with anger and stood up to face the Goddess.

"We can't do both. Cleopatra has totally bound herself to Antony," Gabrielle protested.

"Show her what a typical male jerk he is and she'll leave him, every woman does," Artemis argued.

"No they don't," Gabrielle countered. "Some accept that in their males and ignore it. Cleo probably does know but ignores it. We can't let Antony win the war with Octavian and Cleopatra won't back down because Antony won't."

"Gabrielle, you are still a Queen of the Amazons with a blood oath," Artemis growled. "Finish it and I'll take you home."

"We want to leave now," Gabrielle said firmly. "I can't do what you ask, Artemis. You're asking me to lead someone I consider a friend to their death."

"You don't know she won't live without Antony," Artemis growled.

"Yes, I do. Just as I know I couldn't live without Xena," Gabrielle said.

"Just kill him and get it over with!" Artemis snapped.

"We swore we wouldn't kill him as long as we were their guests," Gabrielle snapped back. "Get us out of here! There's a real chance Antony can win this civil war with Octavian, even if Xena tries to sabotage things."

"You have a responsibility as Queen, Gabrielle," Artemis sternly reminded the bard. "I admire your stubbornness; it is one of the qualities I love about you. That inner spark of yours led me to choose you as my favored. Don't make me regret that decision."

Gabrielle's green eyes sparked with anger.

"After all I've been through for my Amazons you would question me?" she demanded. "I was crucified to save them! To save a different tribe I faced Alti twice and nearly lost my soul and my mate! Don't you even dare question my loyalty to them!" Gabrielle shouted. "I have a duty as a mother and that comes first, even Amazons realize that."

"Duty to a son?"

Gabrielle's eyebrows rose in question and surprise.

"Are you going to suggest my child and family means less because I had a son and not a daughter?" she hissed, her voice dropping an octave in anger.

"Are you choosing Xena and your son over your duty as Queen?"

"You've always known the answer to that!" Gabrielle snapped and found herself flying across the room into the door. She looked up from floor just in time to see Artemis reaching for her.

The bard grabbed uselessly at the hand wrapped around her throat and lifting her off the ground.

Xena broke in the door easily with a kick of her foot and she grabbed at Artemis' arms as Gabrielle's hands dropped to her sides, barely conscious.

"Artemis! Have you lost your mind?" Xena demanded.

The warrior was thrown back into the gangway of the ship by a massive electric charge from the Goddess. Xena shook her head with a growl as she took in the manic eyes of the Goddess of the Hunt and her own mate's red face.

Xena concentrated and held her hands out in front of her and sent all her sense of desperation into one burst of emotion, sending her own electric bolt at Artemis.

The warrior blinked and tried to stand up but found she couldn't. She crawled into the cabin and found Gabrielle leaning against a bulkhead, coughing violently. There was no sign of Artemis.

Xena slammed the door shut, crawled to her mate and drew Gabrielle into her arms.

"I take it that it didn't go well," she whispered as Gabrielle began to cry.

"How in Tartarus are we going to explain a black eye and handprints around my throat, let alone this voice?" Gabrielle demanded, her voice harsh and in almost a whisper.

"We say the training got a little intense today and leave it at that," Xena suggested as she held Gabrielle in her arms on the bed.

"Xena, what happened? I've never seen her like that," Gabrielle asked softly.

"I don't know," Xena admitted. Gabrielle had told her everything that had happened and she couldn't believe that Artemis had reacted that way. "We know the gods can be as petty and jealous as everyone else but this was more than an over reaction."

"I want to go home," Gabrielle repeated. "I don't think Greece will be too hospitable with us if Artemis has turned against me and Mars doesn't like either of us."

"That is a given," Xena agreed.

"How do we get out of this if Artemis won't zap us out of here?"

"I've been thinking about that," Xena said slowly. "Maybe we do have to follow through with some of this. Not for Artemis or anyone else but because it's what is right."

"Xena, what do you mean?"

"You saw what Antony was like after Caesar's death, he tracked the Senate members responsible for the assassination with a vengeance that was beyond brutal," Xena said thoughtfully. "He had friends of friends killed, even distant cousins of the assassins out of revenge. Imagine what he would be like as Emperor after a 10 year civil war with Octavian."

"Octavian is in power in Rome," Gabrielle said, musing it over. "Antony would have to purge the entire Senate and most of the high citizens of Rome."

"As well as most of the officers in the Legions and the entire Praetorian Guard," Xena added.

"Well, all conquerors do that, hazard of the job," Gabrielle tried to smile. "For some reason it comes down to killing everyone around you to prevent even more deaths from those bent on revenge. I hate politics."

"For the sake of Greece, Octavian needs to win," Xena said finally.

Cleopatra was very concerned over Gabrielle's black eye and swollen throat and ordered special soft foods be prepared for the bard despite Gabrielle's protests that she would be fine as she healed fast.

Xena noticed Antony's sharp brown eyes taking in Gabrielle's injuries and her claim of healing quickly.

The warrior wasn't surprised when Gabrielle excused herself from the usual after dinner talk and entertainment. Xena knew that her bard was still hurting both physically and emotionally from the attack by Artemis and needed some time.

Xena also wanted a chance to talk with Antony.

The warrior wasn't disappointed when she went out on the deck later that evening to discover that Antony followed shortly behind her. She also wasn't surprised when he stood very close to her and began to nuzzle her neck. Xena shook him off.

"I told you, I am loyal to Gabrielle," she growled.

"Is that why you two fought?" he asked casually and laughed at her surprised expression.

"I saw that workout this morning, you two barely touched each other," he grinned. "You certainly didn't have your hand wrapped around her throat. What happened?"

"None of your business," Xena snapped, suddenly very uncomfortable with the role she was being thrust into. The warrior hated her past and now it was back again with Antony thinking she was capable of abusing Gabrielle. At one time it would have been common for Xena to abuse both men and women: physically, emotionally and sexually.

Even though that had been years before, it was now back in her face. She couldn't deny the accusation without raising some questions she couldn't answer. Xena didn't dare tell Antony that Gabrielle was attacked by her own patron goddess.

"How do you keep Cleo from finding out about your sexual wandering?" Xena demanded.

"No big deal," he said with a grin, leaning and placing a hand on either side of Xena on the railing, almost hugging her and inches away from her. "I drug her wine."

"How in Tartarus do you manage that with her tasters?"

"I share my goblet with her, I have quite a tolerance for it," he continued to grin.

Xena shook her head and moved under his arms and out of his potential embrace.

"No matter what you think, I am loyal to Gabrielle," Xena growled.

"In two days we either decide on the battle that could determine the fate of the Empire, don't you think we should be friends?" he asked, moving close to Xena again.

"We will never be friends, Antony," Xena reminded him as he drew her into his arms, she resisted hitting him.

"Well, you were never friends with Caesar either but you were incredible with him," Antony muttered as he kissed her neck.

"Is that what this is about?" she demanded, letting him pull her even closer, keeping her hands on his chest, ready to shove. "You want to conquer what Caesar conquered, even me?"

"Maybe, tell me you don't miss this," he insisted and began kissing her.

Xena shut down her emotions and returned the kiss for a moment before pushing him back.

"Better focus on business until after the battle," she snapped and turned for her cabin.

Once out of sight, Xena wiped viciously at her lips and smacked the bulkhead with her fist, hard.

"Apollo?" Gabrielle said softly as she sat on the bed in her and Xena's cabin. "Father?"

Gabrielle shielded her eyes as brightness filled the cabin and subsided to reveal Apollo standing at the foot of the bed. The bard smiled at the sight of her most handsome deity father as he quickly moved around the bed and carefully examined her eye and throat.

Gabrielle held up her hand to stop the God of Healing when he raised his hand towards her eye.

"Others have seen it, they'll get suspicious if it's instantly healed," she explained.

"Gabrielle, I'm sorry, I wish I could have stopped that before it happened," he said gently.

"Do you know what happened?"

"I was about to step in and take my sister in hand when Xena surprised her with that lightning bolt," he explained, sitting on the edge of the bed.

"Do you know why?" Gabrielle asked, her eyes filling with tears. "She attacked me!"

"I think I have an idea," Apollo said slowly. "Gabrielle, you know the Greek gods and goddess are fairly close to humans in our behavior."

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded.

"Our emotions tend to be a little intense at times and because of our powers, humans tend to get hurt," Apollo continued. "Artemis has fallen for a human and it's driving her crazy because it's really a first for her. She hasn't the slightest idea how to handle it."

"A human? Not Antony!" Gabrielle protested.

"No, my sister isn't known for her patience or attraction to males: god or human," Apollo smiled.

"No," Gabrielle shook her head, her eyes widening. "Artemis wants Antony out of the way for Cleo?"

"I'm afraid so," he nodded.

"She wants me to kill Antony just so she can hook up with Cleo?" Gabrielle demanded in a hiss.

"In addition to his killing her Amazons and your tribe," he pointed out.

"I cannot believe this!" she growled.

"I can't interfere; too many gods have their eyes on this civil war with Antony, Cleo and Octavian. That's why Artemis won't just kill Antony herself," he explained.

"You can't zap me and Xena out of here?" she asked with a frown.

"No, you're here and already entwined in the planning," Apollo shook his head.

"Damn," she muttered.

"I must leave," he announced and leaned forward to kiss her on the forehead. "I won't let Artemis hurt you."

"You might not have a choice, Father," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"What do you mean?" he demanded.

"I'll have to give up my Queenship of the Black Forest Amazons, she might demand some sort of punishment for failing to carry out my blood oath," Gabrielle explained.

"My sister can get as prissy as she wants about it, you're still my daughter," he growled and disappeared as the door started to open.

Gabrielle found Xena sitting on the edge of the bed before dawn the next morning. She told the warrior about Apollo's visit and his explanation of Artemis' behavior.

The bard sat up and leaned against Xena's shoulder, moving up against the warrior.

"You okay?" she asked softly, letting Xena's warmth and energy connect with her.

"Yeah, I think I figured out what we can do," Xena said, leaning back into her bard. "It'll be dangerous and probably cost us our friendship with Cleo."

"Dangerous isn't anything new and no matter what we do is going to cost us Cleopatra's friendship," Gabrielle responded.

"I know and I'm sorry we didn't think this through before agreeing to come here," Xena said, the regret apparent in her voice.

"We've been making a lot of mistakes lately," Gabrielle commented. "I think we need to get out of the hero business for awhile if we're going to stay sane."

"I agree," Xena nodded. "We get out of here and go home. I want to rebuild our relationship, raise Asher, and see Sasha as much as possible."

"Sounds like my plan," Gabrielle smiled gently. "What is your idea?"

"Antony says that his officers have searched among his galleys and there's no sign of Eli," Xena began. "If he's still alive and in the galleys it's on Octavian's side."

"Damn, I was hoping but we knew it was a long shot," Gabrielle muttered.

"Well, I'm going to talk Antony into letting you off the ship, before we make camp, when we hit land. We're going to tell them that you're going to Palestine to search for Eli," Xena explained.

"Okay, first: why am I leaving you? Two: he won't believe I'm leaving you."

"Antony already believes that you're unfaithful because of Asher and that I'm the one that caused those bruises," Xena said softly and felt Gabrielle's muscles tense. The warrior wasn't surprised when Gabrielle pulled away. Xena turned and found a very angry Gabrielle.

"It's bad enough I feel like I betrayed us without that bastard smirking around," Gabrielle growled.

"I know and we've been through this, the bacchanalia wasn't your fault," Xena said once more. "Neither was Callisto and Antony's opinion doesn't matter about anything. I love you and I know you love me."

"I probably should have tried to think of something different with Callisto," Gabrielle muttered.

"We aren't going to debate this again, Gabrielle," Xena frowned impatiently. "After being trapped in the lava, Callisto was more insane than ever and would have burned you if you had tried to talk your way out of there and you know it."

Gabrielle continued to frown but shrugged. "You aren't planning the same idea with Antony, are you?"

"Something close," Xena admitted and held up a hand as Gabrielle's green eyes flashed at her. "Bad boy or not, he makes my skin crawl, lover. The night before the battle he'll try something; I'll bash his head around a little bit and then reveal what a bastard he is to Cleo the next day. She'll throw him to Octavian and, hopefully, call off the battle and negotiate with Octavian."

"Why do you think she'll believe you? He's been doing that to women for years," Gabrielle questioned.

"If I have to, I'll take parts of his anatomy to prove my point," Xena promised.

"Okay, so you want me gone so he'll believe you're available or at least that we're fighting," Gabrielle pondered. "Where am I going? I am not going to Palestine without you."

"No, you're going to Octavian's camp and giving him Antony's battle plans," Xena said easily.

Gabrielle sighed heavily. "And Octavian will believe me because I'll be his hostage."

"Yes, and he'll remember us helping him when he took on Brutus," Xena pointed out.

"I don't like being separated on two different sides on a battle, Xena," Gabrielle complained.

"I know, neither do I," Xena agreed and pulled Gabrielle into her arms. "After this we're heading home. Long nights in front of a fire, listening to your stories and watching Asher getting bigger. Drinking Iolaus' mead and hunting with Herc, that's what we're going to do after this."

"We need that, Xena," Gabrielle agreed.

"That and long nights of making love to you," Xena whispered and lowered her lips to kiss the bard gently and lovingly.

Gabrielle wrapped her arms around her warrior and sighed. Leaning her head on Xena's shoulder, enjoying the embrace.

"So when do I leave and how do we go about this?"

"I figure that we pretend that we're mad at each other starting this morning and I'll talk to Cleo and Antony about you leaving when we dock later this afternoon," Xena said, wishing they could ignore the problems facing them and just stay in the moment of having Gabrielle in her arms, neither one of them injured or in immediate danger. A calm and loving moment and those never lasted long enough.

Xena made a mental promise to herself that she was going to make that up to her wife.

"Okay, I don't like the plan but I can't think of another one," Gabrielle muttered, pulling out of Xena's arms.

"I know, just a couple of days. The plan is to camp for two days and surprise Octavian on the sea," Xena explained. "Octavian and Agrippa know that Antony and his admirals are no match for them so they won't be expecting a sea attack."

"Being unpredictable, are you?" Gabrielle grinned.

"Yup," Xena agreed with an answering smile. "If Octavian doesn't know about the plans, he could be caught napping and lose the battle and maybe the war."

"Antony will have me searched when I leave," Gabrielle pointed out.

"I know, you'll have to memorize the plans," Xena suggested and the bard nodded.

"Let's get this over with," Gabrielle said unhappily.

Gabrielle fought against looking back over her shoulder to the ship she just left. She knew Xena was watching her but so was Antony and Cleopatra and she couldn't betray Xena's plan by letting them see her face right then.

The bard pulled on all her skills to keep her face as rigid as she could but was quickly failing. Gabrielle kept her shoulders straight and her walk confident until she got around a corner and out of sight. The bard leaned against a wall and finally let sobs escape her throat.

Knowing that Antony's spies were everywhere, Gabrielle quickly composed herself and moved off towards the market, determined to act as normal as possible. She was off the ship and her appetite was returning.

After getting a few supplies, the bard moved to a tavern on the waterfront and inquired about passage to Judea. She was directed to a tough, weathered and gruff merchant captain and haggled with him until they were both satisfied with the terms.

She agreed on the passage and the departure of two candle-marks later. Gabrielle knew that she was probably under observation and finally spotted two different men watching her, probably one from Antony and one from Cleo.

Gabrielle managed to avoid talking to either of them during the day and had made hasty goodbyes, playing her part of being upset and leaving her mate behind.

It had been so hard to leave Xena behind.

Gabrielle wandered through the local market and made a few casual purchases and stuffed them in her traveling bags. She made the ship in plenty of time for departure. She leaned casually against the railing as the ship left the dock. The bard spotted the two spies watching the ship depart.

The bard stretched and walked towards the cabins, in full view of the people on the dock.

Gabrielle quickly moved around to the other side of the ship and glanced around. Seeing that all the sailors were busy with their duties, the bard slipped over the side of the ship, holding her breath against the cold water. She waited for the ship to pass, not really surprised that no one on the ship noticed her among the small boats roaming back and forth as well as the ships leaving the docks.

Gabrielle worked her way slowly to the docks and crawled out, ignoring the stares from the local sailors and dockworkers. She moved quickly to the stable where she grabbed her cloak and travel bags from under the hay in the stall she had rented. Gabrielle grabbed the horse she had purchased earlier.

Dressed like a messenger, Gabrielle left the stable and headed out the city gates.

Xena managed to avoid Antony, and Cleo as well, for much of the day as everyone was busy transferring to the main camp that was set up on land near Actium, Greece. Dinner, however, was strained. Everyone was tired and stressed about the upcoming battle. Each of them knew somehow that this battle could well determine the entire outcome of the long and bloody war. How important it was to both sides.

Cleopatra was concerned with Antony's drinking and sullen behavior; Antony was distracted with the battle plans and Xena let her irritation and frustration at Gabrielle's absence show through.

"So, Xena," Antony said, finally snapping out of his sulkiness. "Tell us about this slave you're searching for."

"As I told you, he's a personal friend of ours," Xean began. "He's Hebrew and was wrongly labeled a Zealot because his brother was. He was sent to the galleys and we'd like to take him home."

"A condemned criminal?" Cleopatra asked.

"Yes, by Rome," Xena clarified. "He's a messenger of peace and doesn't preach rebellion. He became too popular though and he worried the officials in Judea."

"They have every reason to worry," Antony muttered. "I'd wipe out the entire province if it wouldn't be so damned expensive. That desert breeds zealots, madmen, saviors and snakes."

"Eli is none of those," Xena smiled slightly.

"What happened to his brother?" Cleopatra asked.

"Killed, crucified by the Romans," Xena responded, keeping her voice level and calm. She remembered how Gabrielle had suffered with the vision of seeing Asher Ben-Mishael being crucified. It brought up all the old nightmares of her own crucifixion at the hands of Caesar.

"He's important enough for Gabrielle to leave just before a major battle to search for him in Roman prisons in Judea?" Antony asked, frowning over his wine.

"We told you once before, we take care of our friends," Xena growled.

"And I, for one, am grateful that you do," Cleopatra quickly added, hoping to defuse the tenseness between the two warriors.

"Thank you, Cleopatra," Xena said respectfully.

"When do you anticipate the battle taking place?" the Queen asked, changing the subject.

"Day after tomorrow," Antony asked. "According to our spies, that'll be the best opportunity to catch Octavian off guard in the gulf."

"I agree, he won't be expecting a sea attack and he'll be planning on landing his troops for battle," Xena explained.

"Excellent planning," Cleo said.

"The loser won't know what hit him," Xena said with a small smile.

Gabrielle tried not to let her nervousness show as the Captain of the Guard examined the message tube. He carefully inspected the wax seal and the imprint in the wax but then frowned.

The bard pulled on a chain around her neck, pulling it out of her tunic and showed him the ring.

"Leave your weapons with the guards, all of them," he instructed.

Gabrielle, knowing the thoroughness of Praetorian Guards, handed over her sais, short sword, and two daggers. She opened her cloak and let one of them search her. The bard clenched her jaw tightly, trying not to react to his hands on her body. He was efficient and not out of line and Gabrielle was grateful.

"Come with me," the Captain instructed and opened the tent flap in front of her.

Gabrielle stepped inside the tent of Octavian, also known as Augustus Caesar, and felt a sense of familiarity come over her. Xena was correct in her assessment of Romans, once they found something that worked, they never changed it. The tent was just like his tent was 10 years before, when she and Xena had last seen Octavian.

"A messenger, Lord Octavian," the Captain announced.

The would-be Emperor of the Roman Empire didn't even glance at the messenger as he took the message tube. He quickly opened it and scanned the message inside.

Octavian hesitated and looked up from the table. Gabrielle pulled the head of her cloak slightly back and smiled at his surprised expression.

"Everyone out!" he said softly and his officers and the Captain looked confused. "Out!" he said louder. "Now! The messenger stays!"

It took several moments of loud protests and Octavian refusing to answer questions but eventually he was alone with the bard.

"Gabrielle?" he asked softly and she pulled the cloak off. "By the gods! You are still incredibly beautiful!"

Gabrielle laughed, remembering how her first instincts had told the warrior bard that she liked the young man, then and now.

"You look good, Octavian," she said easily and accepted a hug from him.

He had grown into a handsome man with sharp features that reminded the bard of a fox but without the vicious glint in his eyes that Caesar had been known for.

"Where's Xena?" he asked.

"You're not going to believe me," Gabrielle smirked.

"The note says to trust you totally and the upcoming battle and the Empire will be mine. Were you sent by the gods?"

"Sorta," Gabrielle hesitated. "Listen, call in food and drink, it's a long story and bring in Agrippa only. You have a traitor among your officers."

"How do you know that?" he demanded, suddenly serious.

"I just came from Antony and Cleopatra," Gabrielle said truthfully. "They don't know I'm here."

Octavian looked at Gabrielle for a long moment and went to the tent flap. "Bring the messenger's weapons back. Have food and drink brought in immediately. Agrippa, get your pirate ass in here."

"Yes, Caesar!" voices shouted.

Gabrielle pulled her hood back up as servants rushed to comply with Octavian's orders and finally pulled it off when they left, leaving her with Octavian and Agrippa.

"Agrippa, this is Gabrielle," Octavian said, pulling out maps and glancing over them until he settled on a coastal and ocean one. "Bard, warrior, Champion of Rome, and friend to Xena."

"You forgot Queen of the Amazons, enemy of Caesar, and friend to Cleopatra," Agrippa added.

"Guilty of all of those," Gabrielle nodded. "I just came from Antony and Cleopatra's royal barge."

"Well, you're not a spy if you came in the open," Agrippa commented. "Come to negotiate terms for them?"

"Antony is even more stubborn than Julius Caesar was and not half as smart," Gabrielle complained. "And Cleopatra is blinded by her love for him."

"They won't surrender, will they?" Octavian said sadly.

"No, at least not the way things are right now," Gabrielle agreed. "Let me start at the beginning."

The Roman Admiral and Roman Emperor sat patiently while Gabrielle explained how she and Xena got to Egypt from Germania and their role in planning the upcoming battle. Both looked skeptical when told of Xena's plan.

"You have the battle plan memorized?" Agrippa demanded.

"Yes, everything Antony is planning with Xena," Gabrielle nodded.

"Why should we trust this?" the Admiral demanded. "It could be a trap!"

"Yes, it could be," Gabrielle said easily. "If it is then my life is forfeit. I'm your hostage to ensure Xena goes through with the plan."

"That royal signet ring, that was Brutus' wasn't it?" Octavian asked.

"Yes, Xena took it off of him when he killed himself rather than face her in battle."

"You helped both Antony and me in that battle," Octavian said thoughtfully. "You said then that you had a blood oath against Antony but that it would wait. You waited 10 years to take revenge?"

"Octavian, you've been at war with Antony for 10 years, is there a difference?" Gabrielle asked softly, her voice bitter.

"Xena plans on getting Cleopatra to denounce Antony after all this time?" Agrippa growled. "How?"

"By showing Cleo what a bastard he is, especially with women," Gabrielle explained.

"Why should that matter?" Octavian asked. "Everyone knew Antony's reputation years before Caesar died. Cleopatra knew that and used it to drive him crazy when he came to gain her favor. She used her beauty to entice him and then denied him until he was mad with lust and it turned into love, power, and conquest."

"He wants to conqueror Xena as well. She's hoping that will finally snap Cleo's patience," Gabrielle frowned, considering what Octavian had said. If he was right, then Cleo wouldn't react the way they needed her to. "If not, Xena plans on knocking her unconscious and changing the battle plans around Antony during the fight."

"Well, Agrippa?" Octavian asked as the Admiral looked over the map.

"We could work a very effective defense against his first strike and then mount an offense from this position," Agrippa said, pointing to two different places.

"Yes," Octavian agreed.

"What is your motivation besides revenge, Gabrielle?" Agrippa asked.

"The Greater Good," she answered wearily. "What is best for the Empire is Octavian, not Antony. What is best for Egypt is Cleopatra without Antony."

"What's best for Xena and Gabrielle?" he demanded. "What do you get out of it?"

"Hopefully, to go home to our son and leave the damned politics and wars to someone else for a few years," she snapped.

"No treasure requests? No official post of power? No title of royalty? No citizenship of Rome?" Agrippa pressed.

"I'm already a citizen of Rome," Gabrielle growled, her voice an octave lower in anger. "Given to me by the hand of Caesar when he handed me a wooden sword in the Circus."

"You can't be old enough to be Dancer!" he protested.

"Think back on your tales of Xena and Gabrielle," Octavian grinned.

"I'm older than I look," Gabrielle explained. "As for reward, all we want is safe passage through the Empire on our way home."

"Xena was a vicious conqueror," Agrippa frowned. "You're telling me that she has the power to decide who will be Emperor of Rome and you want nothing?"

"Nothing more than traveling expenses and one favor," Gabrielle clarified.

"Now we get to it!" Agrippa nodded. "What would you demand from the Emperor of Rome?"

"The pardon and release of a prisoner in one of your galleys," Gabrielle said easily.

"What?" Agrippa shook his head, as if he couldn't believe what he had heard. "A slave? You want a slave? Hades, take your pick of any soldier or gladiator. They're in better shape than galley slaves."

"I think you miss the point, Agrippa," Octavian said calmly. "Who is the prisoner?"

"Eli Ben-Mishael," Gabrielle answered.

"A Hebrew?" Agrippa questioned. "A Zealot?"

"He was branded a zealot but he's not," she said. "He spreads a message of peace, not rebellion but he became too popular and the politicians feared him and his brother. They crucified his brother and sent him to the galleys. I ask for a total pardon and his freedom."

"Agreed," Octavian said casually.

"Caesar!" Agrippa protested. "We know nothing of the case!"

"I trust Gabrielle," Octavian shrugged. "If he's a friend, then it'll be fine. I'll have papers drawn up for you to search for your friend and anyone else you want to take with you. I have many servants, slaves and soldiers from the North, there might be someone from your area that wants to go back. I give you that choice."

"Thank you, Octavian, that's generous," Gabrielle said softly.

"Not at all," he shrugged. "If you're giving me an Empire, a few slaves or servants would be a small price to pay. I will still consider myself in your debt if this works."

He turned to Agrippa. "Now, let's plan a surprise for Antony. Guard! Send in my scribe. Gabrielle, you'll have the papers in a few minutes and I'll have the Captain of the Guard take you to the galleys and you can search for your friend."

"Thank you again, Octavian," she said.

"You'll stay in my tent and keep out of sight," he continued. "By the way, which of my officers is a traitor?"

"The one known as Linus Caspirus," she responded.

Agrippa's mouth dropped open in surprise.

"He's a loyal Roman!" he protested.

"He's loyal to Antony's gold," Gabrielle responded as she put on her cloak. "He's been feeding Antony information for months now."

"Have Linus taken into custody and don't let him see Gabrielle," Octavian ordered his Admiral.

Antony froze in place, not even daring to breathe. He swallowed around the tip of the dagger pressing against his throat and waited.

"Go back to your own bed, Marc," Xena's voice said wearily. "I don't need company."

Antony backed away from the blade slowly and felt Xena turn the rest of the way over in the bed. He sat down carefully on the edge, keeping his hands away from the sheets.

"Tell me you don't miss having a man in your bed," Antony insisted.

"Why do males insist that a woman can't satisfy as well as a man?" Xena smirked and sat up, keeping the dagger in her hand between them.

"Men and women are different, the pleasures you reach may be the same but the energy is different."

"That's true," Xena pondered. "That's why you could never measure up to Gabrielle."

Xena could feel Antony tense with anger and felt her own muscles tighten in anticipation of whatever he might do.

"Then why isn't she with you now?" he demanded.

"You want the truth? She couldn't take staying around and watching you become Emperor," Xena snapped. "We thought she could set aside her revulsion for you and her blood oath but it was too difficult for her."

"And you can take it?" Antony grinned, his eyes adjusting enough to the dark to see Xena's face as she watched him.

"You forget, I used to be like you," Xena growled. "I can bite back my disgust."

"Disgust?" Antony questioned, carefully moving his hand to push the knife aside and lean closer to the warrior. "Didn't feel like disgust last night."

"Antony, go back to bed before I cut off something Cleopatra would be upset about," Xena threatened.

Antony grinned but backed up.

"One day of preparation and then we face Octavian, after that battle we'll celebrate, Xena!"

"After that battle I'll be gone, Antony," Xena warned.

"Don't try and fool me, Xena!" he laughed. "You can feel the power surrounding me and Cleopatra. Come along for the ride! There's more than enough room! Fulfill your destiny and old desires!"

"That's all they are, Marc," Xena shook her head. "Old desires, long dead and forgotten. I have what I want with Gabrielle."

"A cabin in the middle of barbarian lands with some man's bastard to raise? Cleo is very attracted to you, we could share the power."

"And have one of you kill me out of jealousy or out of politics?" Xena countered. "Antony, give up this damned war! You know Rome will never accept you after Octavian has had 10 years to poison their minds against you. They never accepted Cleopatra when Julius was alive."

"I've found over the years that power and gold buys a lot of acceptance," Antony reasoned. "The people won't care as long as they are fed and happy. The Senate won't care as long as we spread the power and money around enough for them. The army won't mind as long as we give them plenty of victories with lots of bonuses and loot. Anyone else to worry about?"

"So, with the gold of Egypt, you'll ride to Emperor," Xena commented.

"Yes, that was always the plan," Antony nodded. "Having Cleopatra as my wife makes it all work and worthwhile. You may not believe it, Xena, but I do love her."

"She loves you and won't see you for the bastard you are," Xena growled.

"Cleo sees a lot but doesn't 'see' much more," he agreed. "Our relationship works better that way."

"Go to bed, Antony," Xena repeated. "We have a lot of last minute planning tomorrow. I want this over with and to be headed to Judea to join up with Gabrielle."

"Always Gabrielle, isn't it?" Antony demanded with a frown.

"Always," Xena agreed.

"You're up late," Octavian commented as he walked around from the screen separating his bed from the rest of his tent. Gabrielle looked up from the table and smiled slightly.

"Yeah, guess I'm adjusting to being back on land."

"And missing Xena?" he ventured and sat down, the sheet wrapped tightly around him.

"Yes, very much so. I hate it when we are separated like this," Gabrielle complained.

"I wish I knew what that was like," he mused softly. "There's a young woman that I've met on trips back to Rome. It's a match I think I'd like to try for. She's intelligent, beautiful, and comes from a powerful family."

"Always politics," Gabrielle teased.

"Always. It is Rome, after all," Octavian explained with a smile.

"What's her name?" Gabrielle asked, watching the man she knew as a youth.

"Liva," he smiled. "What about you, worried about Xena falling for Antony's fabled charms?"

"No, remember, she resisted Ares for years," she grinned.

"That's true," Octavian agreed with a smile. "I will be glad when this is all over. I'm tired of fighting, Gabrielle. There is so much that can be done with the power of Rome, so many reforms. Many of them my uncle had planned but let the rise to power seize him."

"Do you blame us for his death?" Gabrielle asked.

"I know that you warned Brutus that my Uncle was planning on killing him," Octavian admitted. "Even Antony doesn't know that or you'd both be dead. He worshipped Uncle Julius. I don't blame you and I don't even blame Brutus and Cassius. They were just responding to his threat."

"You Romans are a strange lot," Gabrielle said, shaking her head.

"Yes, politics makes strange alliances, marriages, enemies and never friends," he agreed.

"That's why we want to go home and leave all this to you and the rest of them," Gabrielle said, shaking her head.

"You're tired of being the hero?"

"I don't know if we're heroes, Octavian," Gabrielle protested. "What I know is that we have a son to raise, a daughter to visit while she studies and a life to live together."

"Then let's end this ridiculous civil war and get everyone where they belong," he suggested with a smile.

"Even if you win the battle it might take awhile to finish things up," Gabrielle complained.

"We both know, whoever wins the battle coming up will end up winning the war as long as the winner keeps the loser off his feet," Octavian said firmly.

"I'm going to look for my friend tomorrow," Gabrielle informed the Roman leader. "Why did you throw in additional slaves or servants if I wanted?"

"Like I said, I have northerners in there," he explained. "If some of them are yours, I want you to be able to claim them immediately."

"Thank you, Octavian."

"Thank you, that both you and Xena may have ensured my rise to Emperor," he pointed out.

Gabrielle steeled herself as the Captain of Octavian's guards motioned for the bard to precede him down into the inner workings of the war galley. The bard had heard stories of the horrors of being a galley slave. Nothing was worse than that fate, even her fate as a gladiator slave had held more promise than that of a galley slave.

The bard tried to breathe as little as possible below decks, the stench was horrendous. She noticed the Guard Captain wincing as well as they followed a Roman guard to the rowing supervisor.

The guard explained Gabrielle and her mission. The Leader frowned, motioned for the guard to open the grate to the deck below them, where the slaves stayed, slept and ate when they weren't on duty rowing.

"I am looking for a criminal named Eli Ben-Mishael!" the Leader shouted into the darkness below. Several voices shouted out from below and Gabrielle leaned forward and whispered in his ear. "Those of you claiming to be Eli Ben-Mishael come up!" he ordered.

Five men crawled from the filth below and stood before the guard and Leader, their chains rattling from their wrists and ankles. Gabrielle looked at each closely while her face stayed hidden in the hood of her cloak.

She pointed at one and motioned for him to be taken back. Eli didn't have black eyes. Another one was sent back, Eli was taller than Gabrielle.

The rest were unrecognizable in their long beards, unkempt hair, filthy loincloths and filthy bodies.

"I don't know," Gabrielle muttered. "Eli, what is the color of Gabrielle's eyes on the full moon?" she asked.

Every man hesitated, not daring to look at the stranger but one raised his head slowly.

"Yellow," he whispered.

"Don't be a joker," the guard snapped.

"No, it's alright," Gabrielle said, laying her hand on the guard's arm to hold his whip. "What is the name of Eli's brother?"

"Which one?" the man asked, his blue eyes showing some spark of life.

"Which one tried to out guess Xena?" Gabrielle smirked.

"Asher."

"Eli," Gabrielle said gratefully and resisted hugging him in front of the Romans. "Take this slave to the camp and have him cleaned up and then have him brought to Lord Octavian's tent within two candlemarks."

Gabrielle winked at Eli as the guard pulled him out of the line and then harassed the others back into the darkness below. The bard moved forward and looked down at the hopeful faces starting up at her.

"I am Brie of Jarl Eddval's family!" she announced in Germanic. "Do I have any kith or kin here?"

"I am cousin to Axel, cousin to Eddval the Just!" a man shouted.

"Your name?" Gabrielle called back.

"I am Vladimar the Dane, my childhood name was Vlad the Cat."

"Come up, Vladimar, you are my kin," Gabrielle resisted grinning and started to turn away from the hold.

"Gabrielle? Is that you?"

The bard was shocked to hear her name from someone below and quickly looked back down.

"Who calls?" she yelled back.

"Well, actually," a voice said reluctantly. "It's Autolycus."

"Auto? By the Gods, get up here!" she said firmly and helped him climb out of the dark crypt. She recognized his smile, even through the grime and thick beard. "Gods," she whispered.

"Can you get me out of here?" he asked softly.

"Join those two over there and keep your mouth shut, especially my name," she ordered and he nodded, quickly moving to stand next to Vladimar.

"Is this all, MiLady?" the Guard Captain asked, weariness sounding in his voice.

They had been searching for the slaves on 10 ships already during the morning hours and now it was early afternoon. He was hoping they were done.

"Yes, Captain," Gabrielle said softly. "These are the ones I was sent to find by Lord Octavian. Have them cleaned up and brought to me."

"Yes, MiLady," the Captain saluted her and motioned for the 'slaves' to move ahead of them.

"Have their chains struck as well," Gabrielle ordered.

"MiLady, they'll escape first chance they get!" the Captain protested.

"Auto, Eli, swear by the gods you won't escape if those chains are removed," Gabrielle instructed.

"I swear by all the Gods and Goddesses that I am yours," Auto said easily.

"I swear by the sacred name that I won't escape, MiLady," Eli said.

Gabrielle turned to Vladimar. "Vladimar the Dane, I swear that you have your freedom and will travel with me to our family if you don't try and escape while I have business with the Romans. Do you agree?"

"Ja, I swear to be patient."

Gabrielle turned to the Captain. "The German swears as well. Strike their chains."

"Yes, MiLady."

Gabrielle ordered plenty of food and watered down wine brought to her small tent, which had been set up next to Octavian's. The guards outside were loyal to Octavian and Agrippa and had strict orders that no one was to enter the tent without Octavian or Gabrielle's permission.

The Roman Emperor and Admiral were taking no chances of her identity being discovered and relayed to Antony before the battle.

She waited impatiently and pulled her hood up when she heard movement outside her tent.

"MiLady?" one of her guards called.

"Enter," she replied back and stepped back into the shadows.

The tent flap was pulled back and three figures entered slowly.

"Thank you, Daril," Gabrielle said, dismissing the guard. The bard watched from the shadow of her cloak as Eli, Autolycus and Vlad looked at her in confusion.

Gabrielle waited until the tent flap was lowered again and pulled her hood back, opening her arms.

"Eli, Auto!" she laughed in delight as they ran to hug her tightly.

"Gabrielle! Oh thank the gods!" Autolycus said softly.

"How did you do this?" Eli questioned. "How did you know where we were?"

"I had a dream of you being captured by the Romans and Asher being crucified," Gabrielle explained and pointed to the table. The three men attacked the food ravenously. "Take it slow, guys."

Vlad grinned. "Thank you, cousin," the Viking said in Germanic.

"You are very welcome, Vlad," Gabrielle smiled.

"I didn't know that Auto or Vlad was here, that was the Fates," Gabrielle quickly explained the circumstances of being there and finding them.

"What happens next?" Auto asked, sitting back with a contented sigh. "Gods, I haven't had food like this in two years."

"How in Tartarus did you end up in the Roman galleys?" Gabrielle asked with a smile.

"Well, I…" Autolycus hesitated. "I made a slight miscalculation and I entered the wrong room at a royal villa I was invited to. Seems there was this wonderfully rare sapphire in the same room. Of course when I saw it, I had to take a look."

"Of course!" Gabrielle agreed, still smiling.

"Well, I didn't realize it had a hand trap in case someone got curious," Auto explained.

"And you were caught," Eli added.

"Well, when I tried to explain," Auto continued. "I couldn't find my invitation to the palace and the young lady who invited me suddenly had a lapse of memory."

Gabrielle and Eli laughed softly. Autolycus grinned and shrugged.

"It seems she forgot who I was. She forgot to tell me her fiancé was the owner of the villa and the sapphire," Auto finished.

"Well the plan is to help Octavian win the battle, pick up Xena," Gabrielle explained. "Put Eli on a ship to Judea, see our families and head back north with Vlad."

"Then let's do it," Auto said with a grin.

"You three will sleep with the servants," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "We'll stay out of sight tomorrow and be with Octavian on his ship during the battle or you can wait here."

"I'll wait here," Eli smiled. "I've had enough of ships for awhile."

"You look good for a galley slave, Eli," Gabrielle said softly. "I'm sorry about Asher."

"Thank you, Gabrielle," Eli responded, his eyes emotional. "We knew there was a chance of that happening. He was trying to protect me."

"I have a surprise for the two of you," Gabrielle smiled slightly. "Sasha is nearly grown and studying with the Northern Gods and we live up there now with Hercules and Iolaus. The biggest change was that Xena and I had a son."

"A son?" Auto asked, surprise reflected on his face. "Who? How?"

"The deities of the Northern Amazons gave us a child, a son and we named him Asher," Gabrielle continued.

Eli's eyes filled with tears and he lowered his head.

"Thank you, Gabrielle," he said softly.

"My pleasure. You'll like him, Eli," Gabrielle said with warmth. "He's strong and intelligent."

"Like his parents," Eli smiled and his smile widened when Gabrielle began blushing.

Xena roamed around the camp all through the day, checking and double checking everything and going over the plans once again with Antony and his officers.

"I don't like it," one of his general complained. "We haven't had a report from your spy in two days. He must have been caught."

"So what?" Antony demanded. "He didn't know our plans, he can't tell them anything. He didn't even know Xena is here."

"Good, everything depends totally on surprise," Cleopatra's Admiral said.

"Yes, and the blessings of the gods," Antony added. "Xena's presence here should reassure all of you that the gods are on our side. Artemis herself brought her and Gabrielle here with the plans to defeat Octavian."

"And the other Greek is now gone," one of the Egyptian officers pointed out.

"She wasn't a warrior," Antony frowned. "It doesn't mean the gods have abandoned us."

"The omens say we should wait a day," one of the priests insisted.

"You wait a day and Octavian will see how the ships are positioned and counter our plans," Xena argued. "It's tomorrow or we have to change the plans, totally."

"Xena's right, tomorrow is the day," Antony said firmly. "Now see to your troops, half ration of wine tonight."

"Yes, Lord Antony," the officers saluted, leaving Xena and Antony alone with the few servants left.

"Will you join Cleopatra and me for dinner?"

"Of course, Marc," Xena smiled at the Roman. "I'd be delighted."

The Roman didn't see her eyes narrow and harden when he turned to give dinner instructions to a servant. Xena knew if he was going to make a move on her it would be after dinner.

Xena watched Antony carefully throughout dinner without letting him notice but didn't see him put anything in the wine. The conversation was strained, as she expected before such an important battle. She lost track of what was being said after awhile as Antony and Cleopatra talked about their plans for restructuring Rome in their liking.

The warrior frowned as her eyelids seemed to become heavy and everything became fuzzy. Xena tried to sit up from her Roman sofa when she realized that Cleopatra was unconscious and Antony was watching her closely.

"How?" Xena muttered as she dropped her goblet and tried drawing her dagger.

"I coated the insides of the goblets," Antony smirked. "I've been watching you, judging how much to use on you. Looks like I was correct in figuring out that the rumors of your father being one of the gods. There was enough narcotic in there to kill a full grown man twice your size."

She looked over at Cleopatra, suddenly afraid for the Queen.

"Oh, don't worry about her, I didn't use that much on her," Antony grinned and stood up with an exaggerated stretch. "You know, I wish you had gone along with this the easier way. We would have had a great time, a few rolls across the bed and I would have sent you back to your precious Gabrielle, undamaged."

"You won't get away with this!" Xena snapped, trying to hold her head up. "I'm not some slave girl you can threaten into silence!"

"Oh, it's quite easy, Xena," Antony purred as he reached down and removed her breast dagger. "You'll be found dead tomorrow morning, your sword buried in one of five dead assassins sent from Octavian. Seems that his spies must have seen you and attacked you. I thought five was an honorable number to take out the Warrior Princess, what do you think?"

Xena felt her heart begin to speed up; there was actually a chance he could go through with it. The worst feeling in the world was feeling helpless and Xena was overwhelmed with it.

Antony laughed lightly and picked the warrior up and threw her over his shoulder. Xena pounded weakly on his back as he headed for the back of the tent and the bed.

"Struggle all you want, I like it rough!" Antony laughed as he threw Xena on the bed he shared with Cleopatra.

Gabrielle sat up in the bed with a sai at someone's throat.

"Gabrielle, friend! Gabbymom!" a familiar voice insisted, barely above a whisper.

"What?" the bard questioned and then blinked when the figure hovering over her raised a hand and the lantern next to her bed fired to light. "Sasha?"

Gabrielle dropped her sai and grabbed the young teenager into a hug.

"What's going on? How did you get here?" Gabrielle demanded, taking in the sight of her daughter in simple woolen trousers, a tunic and leather boots with criss-crossed lacings, northern style. What was surprising was the cloak on the girl's shoulders.

Gabrielle couldn't resist reaching out and touching it, carefully.

"Feathers?"

"Falcon feathers, it belongs to Freya," Sasha answered with a smile.

"The fabled coat of flying?" Gabrielle asked in admiration.

"Yes, she sent me," Sasha smiled slightly.

"What's wrong?" Gabrielle demanded, becoming fully awake.

"Mom needs us, get dressed," Sasha suggested.

Gabrielle was dressed in record time and looked at her adopted daughter.

"How do we do this?"

Sasha managed a small laugh and walked behind Gabrielle and wrapped her arms and the cloak around them both.

"Close your eyes," Sasha whispered.

Xena growled and swung her fist at Antony's head and actually managed to connect with his nose with about half her strength, knocking the Roman back from her.

"Bitch!" he snapped and backhanded her with a vicious blow that caught the warrior across the eye, sending Xena to the bed again. Antony shouted in anger and jumped on the bed with her and straddled her, he began backhanding her with a closed fist.

After a few moments, Xena could barely focus and was scarcely aware that her clothing was being torn from her body until she felt his teeth at her throat, bruising her.

Xena screamed in frustration and brought her knee up between his legs, connecting with just enough energy to sending him falling off the bed clutching his genitals.

The warrior turned over and tried to crawl off the bed but the Roman recovered enough to grab her arm and drag her to the floor with him.

"Gods, I've wanted you for years!" Antony growled, pinning her to the floor. "Yes, I want everything Caesar had, including you!"

"Caesar had my lust and heart, something you'll never touch," Xena snapped.

"I'll be satisfied with your body and your battle plan," Antony grinned and reached under his tunic to free himself for the assault.

Xena blinked in confusion for a moment as she looked over and saw Antony a couple of feet from her, holding his head and moaning. Gentle hands were helping her sit up and a soothing voice was trying to reassure her about something.

"He drugged and beat her," someone said.

"I'll kill him this time!"

Xena recognized the second voice and sat up.

"Gabrielle, no!" she shouted.

The warrior bard, sai held in a striking poise above Antony's chest, hesitated.

"You swore not to kill him while we were here," Xena said, trying to think clearly. She glanced up into blue eyes. "Sasha?"

"Hi, Mom," Sasha smiled slightly.

"That oath didn't include allowing him to rape you!" Gabrielle growled, her eyes shifting to Bacchae yellow. "That ranks up there with trying to kill us."

"That was also his plan," Sasha added, watching Gabrielle on the verge of killing the Roman without moving to stop her.

Xena frowned.

"You kill him now and all it will do is set Cleopatra against Octavian with everything she has. She'll convince herself that we were working for Octavian," Xena argued.

"Xena! Damnit!" Gabrielle shouted as she looked down in the fear-filled eyes of the would-be Emperor. "You can't ask me to ignore this!"

"What are you?" Antony whispered.

"Your death, Roman!" Gabrielle hissed, letting her fangs extend and felt him trembling under her.

"After the battle tomorrow, we're out of here," Xena promised. "We'll never see them again, I promise. Cleo loves him."

Xena blinked, trying to fight against the drugs in her system as she watched Gabrielle trembling in rage.

"Sasha, stop her, please," Xena begged.

"This is her decision, mother," Sasha said casually. "She has the right, she decides her path."

"Vengeance shouldn't be her path!" Xena argued, still unable to sit up.

"Her path has never been set except to be with you, that's why she's constantly being tested," Sasha said. "Even more than you, mother. Your destiny is to redeem yourself for your past; hers is to discover her path. She's meant to be with you but she must discover herself outside of you as well. Neither of you trust that she's strong and a warrior in her own right."

"Gabrielle, please," Xena begged.

"I'll have all of you killed if she doesn't, Xena," Antony threatened.

"No you won't," Xena growled. "You'll keep your mouth shut or risk that Cleo just might believe me. After tomorrow our debt to Artemis will be paid and you'll be out of our lives."

Gabrielle felt the berserker fury fading and retracted her fangs. Antony, sensing the change in the bard, lost the fear in his eyes and began to smile.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and a growl sounded from deep inside her chest. With a scream of rage she plunged the sai downward as Xena yelled in protest.

Antony opened his eyes and turned his head slowly, his nose touching the sai buried in the wooden floor. He could feel where it had clipped his ear.

The bard growled again and stood up from the Roman and kicked him between the legs, hard. The Roman began to turn red and then blue from the pain.

Gabrielle quickly crossed over to Xena and began examining her mate closely in the candlelight.

Sasha, leaving her mother in Gabrielle's hands, walked over to the moaning Roman and bent over him.

"Let me introduce myself, Marc Antony," she hissed, looking very much like her mother when angry. "I am Sasha, daughter of Xena and Ares, adopted daughter of Gabrielle. Next time you touch either of my mothers, I will make your death very long and painful. I'm from the North, ever hear of the Red Eagle?" she asked softly.

Antony's eyes widened as he looked into her enraged blue eyes and he nodded.

"Good, then I don't have to give you the details of how your men would find you hanging from your tent pole with your lungs ripped out through your back, right?"

"Sasha?" Xena questioned.

"Coming, Mom," Sasha called over to her mothers. She reached down and ripped Antony's medallion of rank off. "Keep quiet tomorrow and avoid Xena or die very painfully. Tell Cleopatra that Xena is with the generals on land, overseeing the battle."

Sasha walked over and wrapped the cloak around the three of them.

Antony blinked, staring at where the women had been.

"Guards!" Gabrielle shouted when she opened her eyes and saw they were back in her tent in Octavian's camp.

The tent flap opened immediately and Gabrielle blew out the candle nearest her.

"Fresh water, bandages, healing herbs, immediately!" she snapped.

"Yes, MiLady!"

"And send for Lord Octavian and Admiral Agrippa!"

"At this hour, MiLady?" the guard questioned. He knew she was important but not knowing exactly who she was made it difficult to judge her rank and importance. He debated whether it was worth risking waking the Emperor of Rome and his Admiral at her orders in the middle of the night before a major battle.

"Yes, I have information from Antony's camp!"

"Yes, MiLady," he snapped to attention and left.

"Xena," Gabrielle sobbed as she and Sasha helped the warrior to Gabrielle's bed.

"I'll be okay, Little One," Xena whispered, closing her eyes. "It's not too bad, actually. Just the drugs making me fuzzy."

"Your nose, your eye socket and several ribs are broken," Sasha countered. "You have bruises everywhere and a major bite on your neck."

"Thank the Fates for god-healing abilities," the warrior muttered.

The guard rushed in with the medical supplies and placed them on the table and glanced over at the wounded warrior.

"By the gods, where is the scum that did this?" he demanded. "I'll castrate him personally! Who is she?"

"My mate and this girl's mother. Just send for Lord Octavian and Agrippa, we'll deal with the rapist tomorrow, soldier," Gabrielle promised.

"MiLady, do you not remember me?" the guard asked softly.

Gabrielle frowned as he removed his helmet. Before her stood a middle aged man of Centurion rank. A common enough face, with military short hair, graying at the temples.

"I'm sorry," Gabrielle shook her head as Sasha began cleaning Xena's wounds with a warm wet cloth.

"I'm Barita, I was with you at Phillipii," he answered.

"You were one of the recon soldiers sent with me to Brutus and Cassius' camp," Gabrielle smiled. "One of Octavian's soldiers."

"Yes, Lady," he grinned. "I never forgot you or the child."

"Sasha, this is one of the soldiers that helped me rescue you from Brutus," Gabrielle explained.

"I am grateful, Roman," Sasha smiled and then winced as Xena whimpered.

"Who did this to her?" Barita asked.

"Someone who will pay in the end," Gabrielle promised and glanced up as Octavian and Agrippa entered the tent, both looking ruffled and irritable.

"Outside!" Octavian snapped to the soldier and Barita saluted and quickly left. "Xena?"

The Emperor moved a candle closer to the warrior and took in her battered face and bruised body that the sheet was barely covering.

"Antony?" he demanded, his voice low with rage.

"Yes, he wouldn't take 'no' for an answer," Gabrielle responded, soaking another cloth in the herb infused water.

"How did she get here?" Agrippa demanded.

"This is Sasha, our daughter," Gabrielle said casually. "She has some unusual talents. We got Xena out of there before he finished."

"Thank the Gods for that small favor," Octavian muttered. "This has gone far enough, Gabrielle, tomorrow you both are out of here. There's no further need to risk yourselves for this insanity."

"No, we finish this," Xena protested, opening her one good eye. "Tomorrow I go back to Cleopatra and show her what Antony is like. All we can do is hope that she turns from him and petitions for peace."

"She'll have it, conditional surrender," Octavian promised. "She can keep her throne as a Regent ruler under Roman control."

"The condition for surrender?" Gabrielle asked, already knowing the answer.

"Antony, alive or dead," Octavian growled and Agrippa nodded.

"The Roman Senate and people won't accept any less than Antony's total defeat," Agrippa agreed.

"I know, let's hope this is enough to convince Cleo what's best for Egypt is not Antony," Gabrielle muttered.

"Any change in plans?" Octavian asked.

"No, he thinks the battle plan is still good and that we're on his side because of Artemis and Cleo," Xena said softly.

"I hope you're right," Octavian said thoughtfully. "I suggest we try and get some sleep, if possible. Do you wish for my healers?"

"No, she heals quickly," Gabrielle shook her head, wiping away her own tears as she looked at her wife.

"Come, Agrippa," Octavian ordered. "I want a backup plan if this turns into a land battle."

"Yes, MiLord."

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered, holding the warrior's hand.

"Gabrielle," Xena attempted to smile. "He drugged me, only way he got this far."

"I know, my love," Gabrielle tried to smile.

"We're going home after this, we are officially retired from saving the world for a few lifetimes," Xena said softly. "Solan's gone, our mothers are getting older, Joxer is dying, Iolaus is crippled. You've been hurt so many times, I can't count anymore. I'm tired too, Little One."

"I know," Gabrielle smiled, stretching out next to her mate. "I have a surprise that might help."

"You found Eli?" Xena smiled, closing the eye that wasn't swollen shut.

"Yes, and another surprise," Gabrielle said, curling up around Xena's arm while Sasha applied herb-soaked cloths to Xena's face. "Autolycus."

"What?"

"Seems he got caught with his hand wrapped around a jewel a couple of years ago, and his pants down," Gabrielle grinned.

Xena laughed and then winced. "Don't make me laugh, you cruel wife!"

Gabrielle laughed lightly and hugged the warrior's arm tightly.

"I hate being away from you, for even a night," she said.

"Me too," Xena responded.

"Both of you should sleep," Sasha suggested.

"Tell me something, Sash," Xena mumbled. "The Greek gods can't function too well in the north because their powers wane, how is it Freya can send you here?"

"There is a strong German presence in the Roman army and Freya is one of the most popular of the Northern gods," Sasha explained. "Worship of the Greek gods is waning, even the Roman worship of the gods is becoming superficial while the Northern gods are still worshipped daily."

"I found one of Axel's cousins in the galleys too, he'll come home with us back to his tribe," Gabrielle muttered.

"Good, the faster we get home, the better," Xena muttered. "I've had enough of dancing to the whims of the gods."

"Soon, love," Gabrielle whispered. "Soon."

The battle was furious from the very beginning with neither side winning the advantage. Both fleets countered each other's strengths and weaknesses, surprising everyone on both sides.

Octavian and Agrippa both agreed that they would have been in serious trouble without prior warning of Antony's plans. As it was, both sides were evenly matched throughout the day.

Xena and Gabrielle, watching on Octavian's flag ship, looked at each other and Gabrielle sighed heavily and leaned her head on Xena's arm.

"It's time, isn't it?" she asked softly.

"Yeah, let's finish this," Xena nodded and put on her Roman helmet and fastened the officer cloak around her shoulder.

"Yes," Gabrielle turned and looked at Sasha. "You'll watch out for her?"

"Both of you," Sasha promised and moved behind her mother and wrapped the cloak around both of them. In a moment they were gone.

Gabrielle stepped out of the shadows and approached Octavian and Agrippa, drawing her cloak hood up.

"Xena is with Cleopatra," she told both of them.

"After this I hope the gods keep to themselves and let us humans set our own destinies!" Octavian grumbled.

Xena stepped out of Sasha's cloak and glanced back. The warrior wasn't surprised that she couldn't see her daughter. The warrior also wasn't surprised that no one seemed to notice her appearing out of the shadows when she hadn't been there a moment before.

Xena quickly moved up to the upper deck of Cleopatra's flagship and worked her way through the officers and approached the Queen.

"Xena? Where have you been?" Cleo demanded.

"Recovering," Xena answered softly and removed her helmet revealing her bruises and broken eye-socket.

"Sweet Isis!" Cleo exclaimed. "What happened?"

Xena reached into her tunic and pulled out Antony's medallion and tossed it onto the map table in front of Cleopatra.

The Queen grabbed up the golden chain and medal and looked at it closely and stared at Xena, her face hardening.

"My room," the Queen suggested or ordered, Xena wasn't sure which but she nodded and walked behind Cleopatra.

Xena flinched when Cleo spun around angrily.

"What are you implying, Xena?" Cleo demanded.

"I'm not implying anything, Queen Cleopatra," Xena said calmly and handed the Queen the tattered remains of what had been her gown the night before. "It's the truth; you know what I was wearing last night."

Cleopatra examined the gown, noting its rips and then sniffed it. Xena watched the Queen's face fall.

Xena picked up the decanter of wine and sniffed it and then sniffed the goblet Cleo had been drinking from. "Do you notice a difference?"

Cleo sniffed and nodded.

"He's built up a tolerance to the drugs," Xena explained. "He does this often, usually only with slaves and servants. He drugged us both last night."

"I always thought the servants were willing," Cleo said wearily, sitting down on her sofa.

"Some might have been," Xena agreed. "Most weren't from what Gabrielle and I have found out. I wouldn't go along willingly and he tried to force me. He got rough."

"Did he…."

"No, someone came in and stopped him," Xena answered. "What will you do, Cleopatra? You know that Antony isn't what is best for Egypt or Rome."

"I know," Cleo muttered, a tear escaping down her face. "You've been in contact with Octavian, haven't you?"

"Yes," Xena admitted. "As your friend, Cleo."

"Will he negotiate?"

"Yes, you'll remain Regent of Egypt under Roman rule," Xena explained. "No loss of land, minor forfeit of wealth to help pay for the war, and you won't be paraded through Rome as a war trophy."

"Antony?"

"He's the non-negotiating point, total surrender of Antony to Octavian, either alive or dead," Xena finished.

Cleopatra nodded.

"You've hurt me, Xena," Cleo said regretfully.

"I know, Cleopatra, and I am sorry," Xena said softly. "That was why Gabrielle left; she couldn't take the pain we were going to point out to you. She went against her patron goddess to try and stop this."

"You knew Antony would try and force you?"

"Yes, he has a reputation for it and he made moves on me the first day," Xena explained. "Once we observed Antony and his plans for Rome and Egypt, we were put in an impossible situation. That's why I'm leaving and joining Gabrielle. We're going home, Cleo. We shouldn't have come."

"I understand, Xena," Cleo said calmly. "Remember me to your gods; I fear mine have abandoned me."

Xena nodded and left the Queen to her thoughts and grief to stand by the rail of the great ship, watching the battle. The warrior heard the Queen reappear and begin snapping orders to her officers and their shouted protests.

The Greek warrior turned as Cleo shouted at her officers, demanding that they immediately turn her ship for Egypt.

"But abandon Lord Antony?" one demanded.

"He has betrayed Egypt and your Queen, leave him," Cleo ordered.

Xena walked down the steps and back into the shadows.

"Let's go, Sasha," Xena said softly and felt familiar arms wrap around her.

"Xena! Gabrielle!" Cyrene shouted with delight as the two entered the inn first, followed by the three men traveling with them. She quickly wiped her hands on her apron and moved between the tables to hug them.

"Oh Gods, it is so good to see you!"

"You too, Mom," Xena smiled and hugged her mom tightly.

"I thought you both were in the North! Where's the baby?"

"The gods messed with our lives again," Xena complained. "We took a short route to Egypt and now taking the hard way back to Germania. Mom, you remember Eli and Autolycus."

"Of course, welcome," Cyrene said enthusiastically. "Come, sit! Torris, bring food and drink!"

"Yes, Mom," Torris shouted from the kitchen. "Hi, Xena, Gabrielle!"

"I'll let Gabrielle fill you in on the details and tell you about our son, I want to visit Argo."

"She's in the pasture behind the stable," Cyrene smiled softly. "She's getting up there, Xena. Take an apple; she's getting grumpy in her age."

"So am I," Xena grinned.

# # #

A candle-mark later, Gabrielle found Xena in the pasture, leading Argo around and occasionally leaning against the horse's neck. The bard smiled at the fondness that was still so apparent between the horse and mistress.

"The horse is still beautiful," a male voice commented beside her and Gabrielle jumped, spinning to her right with sais in hand.

Gabrielle tried to stop her heart from pounding so hard as Apollo laughed at her.

"Gods, Father!" she snapped, sheathing the weapons alongside her boots. "What brings you here?"

"I bring news," he said easily, leaning on the fence rail watching Xena and Argo, with his daughter. "You know Antony abandoned his men and the battle when he saw Cleopatra leaving him during the battle of Actium."

"Yes, we watched that much before leaving Octavian," Gabrielle nodded.

"She took him back," Apollo announced and nodded at Gabrielle's stunned expression. "Yes, she couldn't turn him over to Octavian after all. Because of his perceived cowardice during battle his troops have lost hope and he's taking to drinking heavily."

"What about the negotiations with Octavian?"

"Nowhere without turning Antony over to Octavian, Cleo and her officers fight on," Apollo answered.

"Damnit! All that for nothing?" Gabrielle demanded. "Xena was almost raped, beaten, and drugged and it didn't work?"

"I believe it did work," Apollo countered. "The war is lost for Cleopatra and Antony. Octavian is what is best for Rome and Egypt. Artemis doesn't get what she wants but she was being selfish."

"I'm tired of doing what's right for everyone else," Gabrielle snapped. "What about what is best for Xena and me? When do we get to put ourselves and our family first?"

"Now," Apollo answered. "I'll take you and Xena home today, you won't have to travel all that way and be apart from your son any longer."

"Thank you, Father," Gabrielle said gratefully. "We do need to make one stop, though."

"Gabrielle, just send word to them," Apollo advised. "Artemis may turn them against you."

"I am Queen of the Black Forest Amazons," Gabrielle said firmly. "To give that up, it should be in person."

"You failed in a blood oath of vengeance, what will they do?" he asked with a frown, pulling the hood of his cloak back.

"Possibly demand my death," Gabrielle answered calmly.

"That I won't permit!" he growled.

"You may not have a choice, Father," Gabrielle countered. "I have to face them."

"Alright, but do it in the Spring after spending a winter with your son and wife. I'll have a say if they put you on trial," he growled.

"Thank you, Father," Gabrielle said softly.

"I'll also talk to the gods about leaving you two alone for awhile," he muttered.

"I would be grateful for that," Gabrielle agreed. "We should be ready to leave in a couple of days. Can we stop and see my family?"

"Easily done, Artemis may be upset with you but she won't dare do anything bold with me around. You were her Chosen but you're my daughter and Xena is the daughter of Zeus and Hecate, that carries a lot of weight," Apollo smiled.

"I just wish for a normal life," Gabrielle muttered, watching Xena smile as she stroked faithful Argo's mane.

"After all you've been through, I don't doubt it," Apollo nodded. "You know that you're the strong one in this equation, don't you?"

"Hardly," Gabrielle smirked. "Xena's the warrior; I'm a reluctant combatant at times."

"Yes, but haven't you ever wondered why everything seemed to go against you in particular?" he questioned.

"Besides the fact Ares was responsible for most of it?"

"But why you?"

"Without me, Ares figured Xena would be weakened and go back to him and her Warlord ways," Gabrielle answered.

"Exactly, even while you were gone, it was the hope that you were alive that kept her going," Apollo smiled. "You were left to the hounds while Xena had friends and family around her."

"I remember you leaving me in that nightmare," Gabrielle pointed out, losing her smile.

"Yes, and I ranted and raved at Zeus for days until he threw me out of Olympus for two months until I calmed down," Apollo shrugged. "Wasn't my choice and we didn't have enough proof that it was Ares behind the plot to separate you two."

"The Bacchanalia and my child, Ares wasn't around then," Gabrielle growled.

"You know Artemis couldn't break into the Spirit Realm and take on Alti and Bacchus because of her weakness in the North, right?" Apollo asked.

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded.

"I'm even weaker than she is," Apollo explained. "You belong partly to Bacchus because of that damned blood curse and there's nothing I can do about that and he was able to use that. As for your son, the Greek gods had no idea the Forest Spirits of the north would think of something like that."

"He truly is from Xena and me?" Gabrielle demanded.

"Truly, he is as much both of yours and Xena's as if she were a male," he assured her.

"The Bacchanalia had nothing to do with it?"

"Only in that facing Alti led you to the Forest Spirits, that's all. Nothing about the Bacchanalia affects your son, not even your blood lust. He might like his meat rare, though." Apollo smiled.

"I can live with that," Gabrielle grinned in relief.

"Make arrangements with everyone and I'll take you to your family in two days."

"Thank you, Father," Gabrielle smiled, hugging her father, the most handsome god among the Olympians.


	28. 28 Love Returns

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** major fight scene, character death, attempted assault. Call it "R"

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Gabrielle and Xena are about to leave Greece for their home in Germania when someone has other ideas for Gabrielle. Surprise guests!

* * *

Gabrielle tried to resist the tears forming in her eyes as she hugged the tall man tightly.

"You sure you don't want to travel with us for awhile?" she questioned, her green eyes looking him over carefully.

Eli had made a quick recovery from the slave galleys of the Romans but her critical eyes thought that he was still too thin from the miserable diet of gruel and stale water. Getting a regular schedule of baths and his beard trimmed had helped his appearance greatly too. He was more like the Eli she had once traveled with in search of a chakram.

"Yes, I want to feel the sand of Judea under my feet again but I'm going to take the long way around, no more ships for me!" he grinned and hugged her again. Then he grew serious. "Walk with me?"

"Of course," she agreed readily and nodded slightly at Xena as the warrior talked over something to do with the blacksmith, something about his business or other. Xena smiled and waved her mate on, she knew Gabrielle wasn't dealing well with finding Eli after all those years only to part company with their friend so quickly.

"We haven't had a chance to talk much," he pointed out.

"No, getting away from Antony and Octavian's forces as soon as possible seemed the best idea at the time," Gabrielle smiled.

"I would agree with that," he nodded. "Your heart is heavier than when I last saw you."

"Yes, you always could read people, Eli," Gabrielle commented.

"Want to talk about it?"

"A lot has happened," she frowned, trying to put her thoughts in order.

"It weighs on you and Xena both," he said softly.

"Yes, she blames herself for a lot of what happened and I totally take the blame," Gabrielle smirked. "We both made mistakes, Eli, and it almost cost us both our souls and lives."

Gabrielle proceeded to tell the mystic about the experiences with the monster Grendel and dying to save Xena, of coming back to life only to face Alti in the spirit realm and vampires in the physical realm. She ended the long tale when they reached the river behind the tavern and took a seat under a familiar tree. Telling him about facing Alti again and being tortured in Bacchus' spiritual Bacchanalia until she gave in.

"And Asher?"

"I asked the Spirits of the Forrest from the North to help me when Xena fell victim to the umpiirs, the vampires, and they granted it - with conditions," she began.

"They usually have conditions," he muttered.

"They wouldn't tell me what the condition was, I had no choice and agreed. We discovered after the Bacchanalia that I was pregnant," Gabrielle continued explaining and saw the horror developing in his eyes and nodded. She got the same reaction from Hercules when she told him about her pregnancy. "I thought so too, I thought the child was Bacchus' child and tried to kill myself."

"Well, obviously that didn't work, thankfully," he grumbled.

"No, the Gods stepped in and Xena saved me," she smiled. "We found out that the child was magically conceived to be from Xena and me by the Forrest Spirits, Bacchus has no claim on the child. Apollo says Asher didn't inherit my blood lust."

"May His name be blessed," Eli muttered. "The child is Xena's as well?"

"Yes, just like she was my husband," Gabrielle grinned at the disbelief on the Hebrew's face.

"Wow, this is truly a miracle!" he joined in her grinning. "You named him Asher."

"Yes, I had a vision of you being taken by the Romans and Asher being led to the cross just before I went into labor with my child," Gabrielle said.

"I am honored and Asher must be fuming in Paradise," he laughed. "He really did like the both of you though."

"That's why he tried to put his sword through my chest," Gabrielle grinned, remembering how awkward it had been when Eli's religiously fanatic brother caught her feeding from Xena's wrist in Bacchae hunger. Asher had suspected their relationship was against his religious beliefs but had ignored it since they were helping him and Eli. Seeing Gabrielle drinking blood, complete with fangs and yellow eyes, had totally unhinged him for a moment.

"That's why he tried," Eli laughed. "You confused him and made him doubt his thoughts and beliefs; he never did react well to questions he couldn't answer with a quote from the Torah."

"Like why he liked me as a person but was convinced I'm going to burn in some sort of demonland when I die?"

"Exactly," Eli nodded. "He liked you especially but you crossed sexual issues, which is a death penalty in our culture. The blood issue just pushed him over the edge."

"I didn't choose it, Eli," she reminded him, losing her smile.

"I know and you didn't choose to be tortured and driven nearly insane by your god Bacchus either," he pointed out.

"No, I didn't," Gabrielle agreed.

"Then forgive yourself already, Xena has," he encouraged her.

"I'm trying, I think it'll be better when we get back home to our son," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"You know your faith in each other is the greatest surviving miracle of all, your love is meant to survive the ages, Gabrielle," Eli commented.

"Did I ever mention that we're immortal?" Gabrielle asked ruefully. "That's a long time to be playing hero."

"You didn't but I guessed it with everything you've been through, including being crucified twice," he said calmly. "Not many people can survive something like that without divine help. As for being a hero for eternity, I think that should be left to the gods and the next generation. Take some time to be a family and a wife, be the bard that's in your heart."

"We try and something always comes up," she complained.

"Send out word that you've died, change your names and get out Greece and the Empire. I see nothing but trouble for you if you stay. I think Octavian will be good for Rome but the Empire is too big to sustain itself forever."

"You and Xena, trying to figure out what's going to happen in the world," Gabrielle smiled.

"I'm not good at that except for what is lying in the open and is common sense. I can predict that the Empire is going to have trouble out of Palestine and out of Germania," Eli grinned, trying to keep a serious face as he made his 'predictions,' getting a grin out of Gabrielle.

"That's easy! Your people are always stirring up rebellion and the Goths love a good fight and despise someone telling them what to do," she agreed.

"Yes, and you're already accepted up there and have a home," he pointed out. "Get out of here and get home as soon as you can. You both need some time."

"Yes, we both agree on that one," Gabrielle nodded, leaning against the tree. "Sometimes I wonder if we can have a quiet life, even for a few short years."

"Afraid that it's the excitement and danger keeping you two together?"

Gabrielle frowned, thinking carefully.

"No, I don't believe so," she mumbled.

"Then what drew you to Xena?"

"Gods, what didn't?" Gabrielle smiled, her eyes growing distant, remembering the first time she saw the warrior, taking on a band of raiders clad only in a shift. "She was magnificent. I convinced myself I wanted the adventure, the drama, all of it. I learned quickly that wasn't what drew me to her. Damn, I'm a bard and can't find the words to describe her and how I feel about her."

"Sounds like love to me," Eli grinned.

Gabrielle blushed and nodded. "She was so stern and unbending but I could see beyond it, I could see the wounded woman inside and how lonely she was. Xena needed me and I needed her," the bard shrugged, trying to describe it.

"Do you ever doubt her love for you?"

"No, we've gotten distant a couple of times and had to work through the traumas, but I never doubted she loved me," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Do you doubt your love for her?"

"No, never," Gabrielle shook her head. "I sometimes doubt whether I'm good enough but not my love."

"Remember that during your doubts," Eli suggested and Gabrielle leaned over on his shoulder while they watched the river run by.

"Thank you, Eli," she said softly.

"My pleasure," he nodded.

Cyrene tried not to cry as she hugged Xena and Gabrielle goodbye once more and Xena tried not to notice that her mom's hair was a little more filled with grey and not as lively a red as it once was. The warrior pushed back the observation that her Mom's hands were hurting her more and more each year and how Cyrene was moving slower this year, noticeably slower.

"Don't worry about me," Cyrene admonished her daughter with a smile. "I'll be fine. Torris and Despesia are taking over more and more of the Tavern and Reija drops by to check on things every season."

Xena blushed, realizing her mom had known damn well what Xena was thinking.

"Mom, we can't stay," Xena said softly. "Especially if Artemis is still mad at Gabrielle."

"I know, I've always known that you couldn't stay," Cyrene commented. "I was so glad you tried though when you bought that little place. I love you both but I know you'll only keep running into trouble in the Empire."

"We run into trouble no matter where we go," Xena said bitterly.

"Take Gabrielle home and build a life with her, it's long past time you two settled down for awhile," Cyrene advised.

"That's the plan, Mom," Xena nodded and hugged her again as Gabrielle walked up to get in on the hugs.

"Take care of her, Gabrielle," Cyrene said softly.

"Always, Mom," Gabrielle smiled and the smile widened as she looked up into Xena's blue eyes.

"Autolycus is traveling with you?" Cyrene asked as she handed Xena a saddlebag of food.

"Yeah, he wants to travel on land for awhile," Xena grinned.

"That's good, it's been years since you've seen him," Cyrene agreed. "Give my love to your family, Gabrielle."

"Thanks, Mom, I will," Gabrielle promised as they mounted their horses.

Xena glanced over at the pasture behind the stable and Gabrielle knew the warrior's heart was breaking that it wasn't Argo she was mounting. The faithful horse was watching them and whinnied in protest, watching Xena about to leave her behind again.

"We'll take good care of her, Xena," Cyrene promised, following her daughter's eyes.

Xena nodded, not trusting her voice right then.

Autolycus kept quiet as they left Amphipolis, sensing the need for the two women to be with their own thoughts for awhile as they left their home and family once more, maybe never to see Argo or Cyrene again.

# # #

The ride to Gabrielle's family home was uneventful for once and they arrived two days later on Lila's doorstep. Briareus, Lila's husband opened the door with a smile as two children rushed past him and dashed into the pasture next to the farmhouse.

"You must be Xena and Gabrielle, I recognize you from Lila's descriptions," he greeted them.

"Yes, is Lila around?" Gabrielle smiled and accepted his hug. "This is Autolycus, a friend."

"She's over at your Mom's place, the next farm over," he informed his sister-in-law.

"Is everything alright?" Gabrielle asked with a frown.

"Yes, her husband is ill and Lila is helping out around the farm while I take care of this place and the kids," he explained. "Please come in."

The three travelers settled in around the dining table as Briareus brought watered down wine.

"How many children do you have now?" Gabrielle asked as another child dashed out of the house.

"Four," Briareus grinned. "Two boys, two girls. One of them is named Gabrielle after you."

Xena grinned at Gabrielle's blush and smile of appreciation.

"And you?" he questioned. "We heard from your mother, Xena, that you both had children now."

"Yes, you knew about Sasha," Xena smiled. "She's fifteen spring seasons now and Gabrielle just had a son, our son."

"Then you are both blessed by the gods," he said simply.

"Thank you," Gabrielle smiled. "How is everything going?"

"It is well," Briareus grinned. "Everyone but Hecuba's husband is well. The children are growing like weeds and the farm is doing more than fine."

"What's wrong with Echemus?" Xena questioned.

"He had a broken leg but fluid settled in his lungs, the healers aren't sure he'll make it," Briareus explained.

"We should get over there and see Mom," Gabrielle suggested.

"Why don't you go on over and see your mom and Lila. We'll stay here for the night, we don't want to overwhelm your mom."

"Okay, don't let the kids wear you out," Gabrielle grinned and stood up to kiss her mate and hug her brother-in-law.

"Take care, Little One, and give your mom my love," Xena said softly.

"You bet."

Manic brown eyes watched the bard mount her horse as Xena waved at Gabrielle from the doorway.

Hecuba and Lila had been delighted to see Gabrielle and had insisted on a large meal. With plenty of time for Gabrielle to catch them up on everything the bard had been through over the last few years since they had seen her.

Like Xena, Gabrielle tried resisting showing her surprise at the realization how much Lila had matured and how much her mother had aged. She knew that they realized it as well by their comments on her ageless beauty and youth.

Even though Gabrielle lightly brushed over the dangers she had been through with Xena, especially the trips to the Spirit Realm facing Alti and Bacchus, she caught Hecuba and Lila exchanging looks. Gabrielle knew they were aware she was glossing some things over but refused to fill them in on the details.

Then Lila and Hecuba took turns filling Gabrielle in on their lives and the bard was delighted with the news.

Briareus was getting ready to take over his father's blacksmith business in town. The farm was successful enough to hire enough help to keep it going while Briareus was working in town during the day. Hecuba and Echemus's farm was doing well enough to where they were comfortable and had a hired hand as well.

Despite what the healers predicted, Gabrielle thought that Echemus would recover. She had been around long enough to judge levels of illness and a person's strength. What she saw in Echemus was a great depth of love for her mother and a stubbornness that his thin frame hid from the general world.

The stories continued well into the night and it felt a little like old times for Gabrielle when she curled up in a bed with Lila. Only this time Lila looked like the older sister between the two.

"Are you happy, Gabrielle?" Lila asked as they settled in the guest bed.

"Not totally," Gabrielle admitted. "We've been through a lot the last few years."

"You've been through a lot before this, what's different?"

"Maybe it all adds up," Gabrielle said, dodging the question for a moment. "No, the last few 'adventures' were horrible. I was tortured, drugged, crucified and raped by Bacchus and his minions."

"Oh, Gabrielle," Lila cried and drew Gabrielle into her arms. "That wasn't your fault, obviously."

"Doesn't help my feelings about it, with the torture, drugs, and wine, I gave in. My body enjoyed some of it," Gabrielle whispered.

"Gabrielle, you've dealt with rape victims before," Lila protested. "You don't sound like you had any choices. Did you want to be there?"

"No, never!" Gabrielle said firmly.

"Did you want to get drunk and drugged?" Lila continued.

"No, they forced me," Gabrielle said softly, looking at her scarred wrists in the moonlight. "They beat me, whipped me and crucified me."

"Did you want to have sex with anyone but Xena?" Lila asked.

"No, never," Gabrielle said, fighting back tears.

"Then you weren't at fault," Lila said firmly. "And I'm betting that Xena doesn't blame you for it either."

"No, it did come between us though," Gabrielle explained.

"Is that why you're so anxious to get home, besides to see your son?" her sister asked.

"Yes, we need some time to rebuild," Gabrielle said. "This last incident with Cleopatra and Antony was a mistake."

"What are you worried about? From what I hear from the merchants, Antony is losing," Lila pressed.

"No, Cleopatra knows that we were acting for what was best, even if it hurt her," Gabrielle explained, her voice thoughtful. "Antony is no longer in power and won't be able to take revenge against us. No, it's my patron Goddess that I think might cause us some problems."

"You mean Art…" Lila was surprised when Gabrielle pressed a hand over her mouth.

"Don't say it!" Gabrielle hissed. "I have the favor of Apollo and it's keeping Her at bay right now but I'm not taking any chances. I walked away from fulfilling my blood oath to the Amazons to kill Antony and She was pissed at me. I have to give up my Queenship to the Amazons and I think she's going to cause trouble over it."

"What will they do to you?" Lila questioned with a frown.

"Possibly demand my death," Gabrielle said calmly. "At the very least they'll banish me."

"Then don't go back to them!" Lila protested.

"I have to face it, Lila," Gabrielle insisted. "Just don't tell Mom and worry her. I'm probably not going to the Black Forest until mid-spring or summer."

"You'll get word to us?"

"Yes, no matter what happens, someone will let you know."

Xena frowned as she looked at the road once again and added a growl when she didn't see Gabrielle coming towards the farm. It was almost noon and the warrior knew that the bard wanted to head home as soon as possible. They were still unsure if Apollo would zap them home or if they'd have to take the long way through the first snows.

Briareus came over from the stable and noticed her concerned look.

"Shouldn't be any problems, there's been no talk of bandits around and it's a short distance," he volunteered.

"I know, this just feels so damned familiar," Xena grumbled. "When Gabrielle tried to come home for her father's funeral she was attacked and had to flee to the Amazons for protection. It was a mess."

"I remember Lila telling me about that," he mentioned.

"We kinda pissed off one of the Goddesses recently and she might have done something stupid," Xena explained.

"Then for your sanity, go look for her," he suggested. "I think Auto is currently in a tree playing with the kids."

"He's a kid himself, even after all these years," Xena grinned.

"We'll be back," Xena promised and headed for Hecuba's farm.

Gabrielle lifted her head from the forest floor with a groan. The bard growled when she realized she couldn't move her arms or feet. She began to struggle against the bonds holding her.

Shifting her body around, she was able to take in the sight of her kidnapper as he tended a fire.

"Don't bother, I learned how to tie up a hostage from Xena," he grinned. "I hope I didn't hit you too hard, my love."

"Draco, have you lost your mind?" she snapped. "Let me go!"

"Well, I wanted a chance to talk to you alone and I knew that Xena wouldn't agree," Draco explained.

"Talk about what? I haven't seen you since that stupid incident with the Virgin priestesses," Gabrielle growled.

"Now, Gabrielle," he scolded. "Don't knock that incident, it was the moment that I realized I was in love with you and couldn't live without you."

"Draco! It's been 16 ½ summers since that happened! You haven't found someone since then?"

"Of course not, my love!" Draco said cheerfully. "There's no one but you! It took me forever to find you after I got out… after an unfortunate delay in looking for you."

"You were in prison?" Gabrielle asked, still working against the bonds.

"Well, actually," he hesitated and he knelt beside her and stroked her cheek. Gabrielle struggled to get away from his touch. "I was arrested on an old charge from when I was a bad guy, before I met you."

"Draco, look at me and listen carefully," Gabrielle said calmly. "I am not in love with you; I will never be in love with you. I am married to Xena, we have kids and I love her very much."

"I know you were mated with her but I know that once you see how much I love you, you can't help but return my devotion and depth of love," Draco said firmly and eagerly.

"Draco, Xena and I are blood bonded, it was approved by the gods themselves," Gabrielle tried explaining. "You were put under a spell by baby Bliss, he shot you with Cupid's arrow and you saw me."

"How can you say that our love is the result of a spell or enchantment?" Draco protested, lying down next to the struggling bard and pulling her body close.

"Draco, please!" Gabrielle pleaded. "I can't do this!"

Draco pulled back slightly, noting the bard's beginning tears. "Gabrielle, my love, what troubles you? I know it's been so long and there's some gray in my beard and hair but I've kept in good shape. My love for you has never waned."

"Draco, please, I…I was hurt," Gabrielle whispered.

Instantly, Draco was on his knees and pulled her into a sitting position. "Someone would hurt you?" he demanded. "Tell me who and I will rip out their hearts and show it to them as they die!"

"It was Bacchus," Gabrielle admitted, hoping to take advantage of his feelings. Either he'd let her go, not wanting to hurt her any further, or he'd go off bent on revenge for her. Going up against Bacchus, the odds were that she wouldn't see him again. Maybe she would rethink that thought, as much as she was uncomfortable with Draco, she didn't want him dead.

"Bacchus hurt you?" he demanded. "How?"

"You want details, Draco?" Gabrielle snapped, her green eyes flashing with anger. "If you lift my shirt up you'll find scars from where he whipped me until my back was in ribbons. Check my neck, you'll find scars from bacchae bites. Look under my bracers and you'll find scars from where he crucified me!"

Draco fell backwards onto his tailbone at the level of her anger.

"The scars you can't see are the worst," Gabrielle said, feeling the tears falling down her face. "How many times do I have repeat this?" she asked softly. "I was raped, Draco, by Bacchus and by his Bacchae, his Maenads and male servants."

"Gabrielle, I will spend the rest of our lives making this up to you, I swear it!" Draco promised, getting to his knees.

"Draco, I was a full Bacchae, only my love for Xena and her love for me saved me and brought me back, I am meant to be with her," Gabrielle tried to explain.

"We are meant to be together," Draco protested. "I never felt emotions like this, not for anyone. Not even Xena, this must be real and the destiny for both of us!"

"Draco, if you don't believe that I can't love you," Gabrielle tried again. "At least be reasonable! Xena will kill you this time if you don't let me go."

"What for?" Draco questioned, his voice sounding genuinely curious. "I'm not going to harm you. I know it'll take time for you to know me again and realize our love but I'm willing to wait. She has to know that it's time to let you go now that I'm back."

"Oh Gods," Gabrielle muttered, knowing it was useless to try and convince him.

"It is a good point, though," Draco said thoughtfully, gently stroking her hair and ignoring that she was trying to bite him. "Xena will be coming after us and no one can track like Xena."

Draco reached into a pouch on his belt and quickly gagged Gabrielle as she screamed and tried to bite him again.

"We'll have to move fast," he continued talking, as if to himself. "I think we can slow her down and loose her by taking the ship I've chartered. No one knows me after all these years and it'll be just you and me."

Gabrielle screamed in protest through her gag as he picked her up and threw her over his shoulder like a sack of grain. She was surprised when he carried her over to a horse and threw her over the saddle and jumped up behind her.

Xena, having visited Hecuba's farm, frowned as she followed the tracks she had picked up between the farms. She recognized Gabrielle's boots, both of them learning each other's tracks whenever they got new footgear just for this purpose. The tracks were easy to follow and very plain, it was obvious that Gabrielle had been heading back to Lila's farm and was walking the horse along, enjoying the day in the country.

Then the warrior came to a spot close to the woods where the footprints became scuffle marks and then disappeared. In their place, leading to the woods, was a set of larger boot prints, deep with weight, as if carrying something heavy. Like Gabrielle, Xena growled to herself.

She quickly made her way through the forest and found where the mysterious boot prints stopped at a camp. The experienced warrior could spot where someone had been lying on the ground and there were lots of footprints from the second pair of boots but not the person who had been lying down. Again the boot prints were deeper and led to hoof tracks.

Xena growled, after all this time, her heart was in a panic at the thought of Gabrielle being kidnapped again. This time she was not going to lose her mate.

Gabrielle began to feel afraid. Draco led the horse over rocky ground for over a candle-mark, doubling back, criss-crossing his trail and brushing over it in parts. She knew that he was well aware of Xena's famed tracking skills and was doing everything possible to throw Xena off the trail.

After the rocky mountain they had crossed, he had doubled back to a small village. By then it was nightfall and no one came out of their homes or the inn to challenge the stranger and he went directly to the stable.

The bard was grateful for the break to be off the horse when he pulled her from the saddle and dropped her onto a pile of hay.

"If I didn't want to make time, we would spend the night here and you could get to know me again," he said regretfully.

Gabrielle screamed her protests through the gag and let him see the anger, not love in her eyes.

Draco merely laughed at her struggles.

She watched as he quickly hitched a horse to a wagon and threw his travel packs into the back of the small transport. Gabrielle's eyes widened when he pried the top off a travel crate and grinned at her.

The bard screamed in anger, pulled frantically at her bounds and kicked at him when he reached for her.

"I know it's a little small and something like a coffin, but that way you won't have room to kick and bang against the sides," he explained as he lifted her over his shoulder again and dropped her into the box.

The bard shouted, screamed and begged around the gag but Draco merely shrugged and nailed the lid down.

Xena growled as she lost the tracks on the rocks once again and it was getting dark. The warrior knew luck was turning against her and for Gabrielle.

"Gabrielle," she whispered softly. "Okay, warrior, think about this," she scolded herself.

"All right, someone grabbed Gabrielle and she's probably still alive if they're going to all this trouble to hide their trail," Xena muttered, sitting down on a rock. "They know someone's tracking them; maybe even know who she is and who will be coming after them."

She frowned. It had been a long time since they had spent any length of time in Greece and most of her old enemies were dead and buried or retired. Even if Callisto had gotten out of Tartarus, this wasn't her style, the warrior thought.

The only real enemies they had left were fighting a civil war with Octavian and were gods or goddesses. Somehow Xena couldn't see this being the work of either Mars or Artemis, they would have just taken Gabrielle and wouldn't have left a trace or trail for her to follow.

That left someone who wanted Gabrielle and didn't want Xena following them. Xena knew that Callisto had twisted Joxer's love for Gabrielle but she felt they had made quite a bit of progress in healing those wounds recently and Xena dismissed him as potential suspect.

Xena also didn't think that if Valesca got out of the lava like Callisto did, that the insane goddess wouldn't take this much time just to throw Xena off the trail. The former Amazon would most likely just zap her and Gabrielle to ashes rather than play cat and mouse with them.

That didn't leave anyone, Xena complained to herself. Most of them were long dead or not interested any more.

Interested. Her mind clicked on that word. Who would be interested in anything Xena and/or Gabrielle did after all these years together?

Who could maintain a focus that long? Callisto, Velasca, Mars, Artemis, and Ares. Someone obsessive?

Obsessive, with Gabrielle.

Xena's eyes narrowed. Obsessive because of an enchantment? she asked herself.

"Draco," she muttered. Xena became very concerned. A power crazed warlord she could deal with. A love sick warlord was another matter.

Love could make anyone unpredictable. Even Xena, and she knew it.

Gabrielle coughed and rolled over onto her hands and knees as Draco cut her bindings. She pulled the gag out of her mouth and closed her eyes as her stomach finally released its protest at having been on the ocean, even for a short time.

When her stomach finally stopped dry heaving, the blonde collapsed on the sand and rolled over to sit up and look for Draco, automatically feeling for her missing sais.

The former warlord was removing an axe from what remained of the small boat they had used to get to wherever they were. Gabrielle realized, with a feeling that went along with the sinking boat, that they could well be trapped wherever they were.

Draco, satisfied that the boat was no longer sea worthy and couldn't be repaired, turned with a smile towards the small blonde.

"Welcome to our home, Gabrielle," he announced. "It's a small island. Originally there were only a few huts for the fishermen and an old abandoned villa at the top of the house. I spent a couple of months repairing it and making it worthy of you and your beauty. The fishermen are gone and a couple of friends I met in prison are now here. Fishing is easy here, there's a few sheep and pigs, some olive trees and such. A perfect haven."

"Draco, you have got to let me go!" Gabrielle snapped. "Not only will Xena kill you but I'm getting damned close!"

"Ah, my love," he exclaimed, going to his knees in front of her. "My gentle, non-killing bard, please just give the place a chance."

"Draco…"

He held up his hand in warning. "No more words, Gabrielle, come see your home."

Gabrielle snapped her jaw shut, knowing it was useless. She ignored his outstretched hand and got to her feet unsteadily. She finally accepted his arm until her legs regained their strength.

The island was indeed beautiful and small. Typical of a Greek island, it was basically a large rock sticking out of the ocean with enough dirt to make the land fertile and green.

The huts were, in fact, well built homes. Gabrielle barely took in the buildings as her eyes scanned the dock for boats, anyway to escape this island. She was dismayed not to see any boats anywhere.

The long trek up the hill around the rocks stretched her legs and other muscles so that by the time they reached the villa, she felt more normal and like herself.

"What about water and supplies?" she asked, curiosity gaining the upper hand when they reached the top.

"A pulley system hauls water and supplies up the hills," Draco said proudly. "Don't worry; you'll never have to haul water jugs up the hill."

Gabrielle wasn't sure what she expected from Draco's description but she certainly didn't expect the simple but beautiful villa that Draco had obviously worked very hard at fixing up. The walls were freshly clayed and painted, flowers were planted everywhere and the garden was making a comeback from years of neglect. The furniture was simple but comfortable looking. There was even a highly polished piece of bronze for a mirror in the main bedroom.

Gabrielle's quick mind noted the large bed in the master bedroom and the small, child size bed in the other room. She definitely knew where Draco intended on both of them sleeping. She was not amused but impressed with all his hard work.

It pointed out the depth of his obsession with her and how impossible it was going to be to dampen it or convince him it wasn't real.

"It's very nice, Draco," she said, as she noticed his eager almost puppy dog like expression waiting for her approval. "Draco," Gabrielle knew it was impossible but she had to try. "I am not in love with you, I never have been. Didn't you think it strange that Xena was so head over heels in love with you for those couple of days and then was over it in an instant? Baby Bliss had us all under a spell."

"How can you say it was a spell when I would gladly rip out my spleen and carve your name on it to show my devotion to you?"

"That's nice," she commented and gave up trying to convince him.

"I have a cook for us so you don't have to worry about anything today. Take some time, roam around the island, get to know the place. I'm going to go down and talk with my guys," he said. "Don't worry about them, they know that I will personally yank their…their, uh, personal belongings off of them very slowly if they even speak harshly to you and they are loyal."

"Draco, we cannot spend the rest of our lives on this island, we'll both go insane!" Gabrielle protested.

"Well, after we hear that Xena has given up searching for you, in a few years, we might start to roam Greece again," he promised.

"Draco, Xena will never stop looking for me!" Gabrielle insisted and held up her left hand. "See that scar? That is from our wedding, we were blood bonded together by the Gods themselves."

Draco frowned and refused to look at the scar.

"Hercules and Iolaus were our Kumhdas at our wedding," Gabrielle pressed on. "Representatives from all the tribes and all the important kingdoms were there to watch the Queen of the Amazons marry her Champion and Consort, Xena. Brutus, Pro-Counsel of Rome was there, Draco."

"It was a mistake because I wasn't around," he muttered.

"Zeus, Artemis, Athena, Aphrodite, Cupid, Hephaestus, Apollo, and Hecate, all of them were there and gave their blessing," Gabrielle countered. "They said to the Amazons and our families that Xena and I were fated to be together and it was a soul connection."

"No, this isn't possible," he growled, his eyes beginning to flash angrily.

"Please, Draco, just take me back to land," Gabrielle pleaded. "Xena and I have been married for years and we have a daughter and a son together. Let me go home to my child."

"Children? How is that possible?"

"Another blessing from the gods," Gabrielle said easily. She certainly wasn't going to tell Draco that Sasha was the result of Xena losing her memory and sleeping with Ares. It was the truth; after all, both children were gifts from gods.

Draco's frown deepened until he was scowling. He abruptly turned on his heel and stormed out of the villa, slamming the door behind him.

Gabrielle sat down at the kitchen table, trying to get her own thoughts in some sort of order.

"Xena, please, I need a miracle," Gabrielle whispered.

Xena growled and cursed the Fates, the Norns and whoever else she could think of as she lost the track once again in the village. Not even the infamous 'pinch' could get any information out of the villagers.

All Xena found out was that someone had arrived with a wagon and horse, boarded the wagon for a night and day and it disappeared in the night without anyone seeing the driver or any passenger. The description of the man didn't help either. He had kept his cloak hood up and spoke in low tones.

Xena knew that on this well traveled road, she'd never track a wagon with no description of the wagon or the man. The warrior also figured that Gabrielle wasn't cooperating, that meant her mate must be tied up and hidden in the wagon.

"Apollo, will you come?" Xena called to the sunset.

She squinted slightly as a brilliant light filled the area to the side of the road and her horse whinnied in protest. When she looked again, Apollo stood before her.

"Apollo, I'm grateful," Xena said respectfully, gritting her teeth at having called on one of the gods for help, even if he was Gabrielle's father. Xena hated dealing with the gods.

"Xena, don't be grateful yet," Apollo warned. "I can only stay a moment and long enough to tell you that I can't help you."

"Gabrielle, your daughter, has been kidnapped and you can't help?"

"Xena, take it up with Father, he has had enough of Mars and Artemis complaining about the two of you and has decreed that your fates are your own to make. Zeus has forbidden any of the Olympians to help or harass you."

"The gods decreed that we were blood bound, Gabrielle being kidnapped can't be part of their wishes," Xena protested.

"I'm sorry, Xena," Apollo said sadly. "I agree totally and would take you there immediately but Zeus is really pissed off after that mess with Antony and Cleopatra."

"Then go, damnit!" Xena snapped. "I'll figure it out myself."

Apollo began to fade from sight. "I'm truly sorry and I will be begging Zeus to let me help you."

Xena growled something under her breath that didn't sound like gratitude.

Gabrielle was a little confused when Draco didn't return for dinner. The cook refused to talk with her and answer any questions. Gabrielle noticed that after cleaning up from a simple dinner of fish, olives, fruit and lamb shank, the cook left and took all the knives with her.

The bard, hating to eat in silence, and hating someone who wouldn't talk back even more, paced restlessly back and forth in the villa as the sun set and the night became chilled.

After what seemed like many candle-marks, Gabrielle felt the tension catching up with her and her energy draining rapidly away. She finally relented and went to lay on the small bed in the small room. Under her pillow a length of wood from the pile for the fire.

Gabrielle woke up reaching for the piece of wood and cried out as someone pinned her to the bed, strong male arms holding her wrists. Draco attempted to kiss her as his knee forced her legs apart.

"Damn you! Get off of me!" Gabrielle growled.

"I need you," he muttered as she threw her head side to side, avoiding his lips, smelling the cheap wine on his breath.

"This isn't love if you do this!" Gabrielle shouted as one of his hands clawed clumsily at her breast.

Somehow the words seemed to get through to him and he hesitated.

"Love me!" he begged.

"Draco, please, I can't," she cried, angry at the tears falling from her eyes. "You're hurting me, like Bacchus."

The words had just the affect that Gabrielle was counting on. Draco's eyes became horrified and he scampered off of her and sat down on the edge of the bed, avoiding her eyes as she pulled down her sleeping tunic.

"I'm so sorry, Gabrielle," Draco whispered as she sat curled up in the corner against the wall. "I'm not like that. I've never forced a woman in my life."

"Draco, you're under an enchantment," Gabrielle said softly, hoping that he could finally hear her. "That's why it's so strong."

"You have to love me," he growled. "I can't exist without you anymore."

"Draco, go to bed," Gabrielle urged. "I can't love you and you can't force those feelings or I would have loved Joxer years ago."

"He's not worthy of you," the former Warlord growled.

"Don't start, Draco," Gabrielle warned. "He's a good man and he certainly didn't spend any time in a prison!"

Gabrielle felt the warrior stiffen in anger but he apparently held it in check. It was damned hard to talk to him reasonably in the dark, she cursed.

"I'll find a way!" Draco promised and left her, stumbling in the hallway to the larger room.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered, her hands shaking so hard she didn't dare to light a candle. The blonde pulled the pillow to her chest and wrapped her arms around it as the shaking spread to her body. She bit down on the pillow as images forced themselves into her head. Hot tears flowed past her closed eyes as she could "feel" the hands of past rapists all over her body, their bodies demanding ownership over hers, of the pain of being forced.

Draco's attack had forced Gabrielle into a total and complete flashback of the abuse she had suffered as a Roman slave and as an unwilling participant in the Bacchanalia with Bacchus. Gabrielle whimpered as her muscles twitched, much like she was caught in a nightmare.

Gabrielle, caught in the grip of the terror, sprang out from the bed and dashed out of the villa into the night.

Gabrielle groaned as she turned over into a patch of sunlight on the bed. Her body ached and she felt chilled to the bone. The blonde frowned as lightning like pain shot from her feet.

The bard pulled the covers back and gave a puzzled look at the bloody bandages covering her feet and the shift covering her body. It was different than the one she was wearing last night.

Gabrielle threw the blanket back over her body as Draco entered the room with a tray of food.

"I'm glad you're awake," he said with a soft smile. "I was scared last night."

"What happened?"

The former Warlord sat the tray down on the bed next to her and sat down on the edge of the bed. He hung his head and wouldn't meet her eyes.

"I frightened you last night," he said softly. "I attacked you. Your words stopped me and I went to bed. The cook came running in sometime in the night and said you had run off in the dark."

Gabrielle frowned, she could remember most of Draco's attempted assault, including him stopping and leaving but was very fuzzy on what happened next.

"It took forever to find you," he complained. "By the time we did, you were soaked to the skin, freezing to death and your feet were cut to ribbons on the rocks. You weren't unconscious but you weren't aware either. You kept rocking back and forth, crying out for Xena and begging someone not to hurt you anymore."

Gabrielle closed her eyes, remembering some of the pain she had been reliving the night before.

"Draco, let me go," she pleaded. "You can see this isn't going to work. I belong with Xena."

"I've been thinking about that," he said slowly, finally raising his eyes to meet hers. Gabrielle was cautious, his eyes still held that manic light in them when he looked at her.

"Draco," Gabrielle's voice was a warning growl but he didn't seem to hear it.

"I figure without Xena around, then that bond of yours will be broken and you'll be forced to recognize our love," he reasoned and Gabrielle was stunned by his twisted logic.

"What?" she whispered, disbelieving he had said what he had said.

"Without Xena around, then you'll have me," he smiled, his eyes totally insane. "I've even got it angled. I'll take her out and dedicate the kill to Mars and gain his favor. I can return to being a powerful warrior with his favor and I know he doesn't like Xena."

"Draco, have you totally lost your mind?" Gabrielle demanded. "You seriously think I could love you if you kill my wife?"

"Of course, once she's out of the way, then it's easy," he nodded and stood up. "Don't worry about anything, the cook will take care of you until those feet heal. I'm going to send word to Xena where we are and when she gets here, I'll kill her," he explained simply.

"Draco, listen to me very carefully," she tried again. "This isn't going to work. You harm even a single hair on Xena and I will personally cut out your throat."

"My gentle bard, you couldn't," he smiled.

"Draco, a lot happened since you were gone," Gabrielle insisted. "I was taken as a Roman slave and sold to a gladiatorial school. I became a killer, Draco. A trained killer who was good enough to win the wooden sword of freedom in the Circus of Rome."

Gabrielle nodded firmly at his look of disbelief.

"Caesar himself gave me my freedom because of my killing skills," she insisted. "The scars you saw on my back are from the lash of my masters and trainers. I can kill, Draco, easily and I could take you."

Draco's face softened and Gabrielle wanted to shriek in anger, she wasn't getting through to him and knew it.

"Not my Gabrielle," he persisted. "Don't try and escape, please. I won't be gone long and then we can begin planning our future once Xena is out of the way."

Gabrielle screamed in anger when she realized there was a chain around her ankle leading to an iron ring embedded in the wall.

Draco blew her a kiss as he walked out of the room. Gabrielle resisted throwing the tray after him.

Gabrielle had learned a lot while a slave and common sense was among the list. Food and healing was what she needed right then, not a temper tantrum.

"Apollo? Father?" she called softly, concentrating on her father. She chanted an invocation song to him and frowned when he didn't appear. "Father, I'm in trouble. Please come."

Gabrielle was puzzled. She knew she didn't dare call on Artemis for help. The Goddess of the Amazons was probably still mad at her but why didn't Apollo, her own Father, answer her call?

Xena had searched the surrounding towns, up and down the coast, and the roads leading away from the town where she had tracked the wagon. She finally settled in at the inn after three days.

The warrior sent word to both Gabrielle's family and her own about her missing mate. She received word from Lila that Gabrielle hadn't returned and they had no news on their end either and begged Xena to keep them informed.

Sitting around waiting was driving the warrior crazy but she didn't know what else to do. Xena put out a description of Gabrielle, even offering a reward for any information leading to her mate. She had threatened a few of the local bandits and was frustrated when they knew even less than she did.

On the fourth evening, the warrior sat in her room sharpening her sword for the 50th time in two days. A knock caused Xena to narrow her eyes and reach for her chakram.

"Enter," she called, holding the chakram at the ready.

A young boy, around 12 winters old, stuck his head in cautiously. His eyes widened at the sight of the warrior and the sharp object in her hand. He threw a message tube at her and slammed the door shut behind him.

His footsteps were already echoing on the steps by the time she reached the door and flung it open after him.

Xena gave up any ideas of catching him and turned to the message tube. Securing the door, the warrior broke the seal on the end and pulled out the parchment inside.

"Xena, hello old friend. It's been a long time, too many years. As you may have gathered, Gabrielle has disappeared from your life. My demand from you is simple: you have two choices.

Release her from your bonding so she can recognize her place with me. Send word to her that you are moving on without her. You can have anyone in the world, Xena. Gabrielle and I are meant to be, no one ever touched me like she has and my desire and love hasn't lessened over the years.

Follow the map and you'll find a boat waiting for you. I have made a home for Gabrielle and myself on a small island. If you cross over then consider yourself hunted half a candle-mark from the time you land. I will kill you, dedicate your death to Mars and gain his favor and Gabrielle will be mine.

Knowing you and your pride, I'll see you soon, Xena.

Draco"

Xena's eyes narrowed.

"You'll see me soon enough, just before I send you to Tartarus this time," she promised.

Gabrielle growled as she worked at the chain again. Rubbing it against the stone floor hadn't even scratched the links and all attempts at picking the lock had failed over the last two days that Draco had been gone.

The cook had proven extremely loyal to Draco and wouldn't even talk to Gabrielle despite the bard's best efforts to draw the older woman into conversation. The woman was very attentive to Gabrielle's needs but the bard figured it would be easier to get a decent conversation out of a plant than this woman.

Draco ducked when he entered the room and Gabrielle threw a goblet at him, barely missing his head.

He grinned at her enraged face.

"I missed you too, my darling," he said easily. "Don't bother with the chain or the lock, both are enchanted. Only the key that hangs in the other room, can unlock that padlock and the chain can't be broken."

"Draco, you son of a diseased demon, let me go!" Gabrielle shouted, having lost her patience days before.

"Gabrielle," Draco shook his head sadly, the tone of his voice sounding like a parent explaining something once again to a stubborn child. "You know this is what the Fates wanted. I never felt anything about anyone before. Oh, I wanted Xena back in my bed, I admit that."

He sat down on the edge of the bed and caught her wrist as she attempted to hit him. Draco ignored the action as if it hadn't happened.

"But it's nothing to compare to what I've felt for you all these years," Draco continued. "Our love has to be."

"Cupid, I'm going to strangle you," Gabrielle muttered. One day of a mischievous child left unattended had led to this mess. A child who happened to be the son of Cupid and armed with Cupid's arrows. Draco falling for Gabrielle, Gabrielle for Joxer, Xena for Draco, Vestal Virgins for bandits and Joxer for Gabrielle. The bard had no idea that the affects of that damned arrow would have such long lasting consequences?

"I sent word to Xena to release you from your bonding or come and face her death," Draco informed the bard.

"Draco, not that you stand a chance, but if you harm Xena," Gabrielle growled. "I will kill you and then myself, damnit."

"No you won't," Draco grinned a confident smile. "You said you had a son. I know you, Gabrielle; you won't kill yourself as long as he lives."

Draco dove to the floor just in time to avoid her fists heading for his head. The bard lunged off the bed at him and the former warlord had to scramble backwards like a crab to avoid her fingernails, which were now like claws.

He laughed as he slammed the door shut as Gabrielle reached the end of her chain just a couple of feet from the bed.

"Damn you!" she shouted. "Father! Don't you dare leave me here like this!"

The bard grabbed up a chair and smashed it into pieces when her father, Apollo, didn't appear to her.

"Gabrielle!"

The bard frowned as she blinked in the darkness.

"Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle quickly jumped to her feet and went to the window of her room and leaned out.

A figure stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight and pulled his cloak hood back. Mischievous brown eyes sparkled up at her.

"Auto?" she hissed.

"Are you okay?" he called.

"Yes, just pissed off," she said just loud enough for him to hear. "This feels too much like old times."

"Get down here and let's go!" he hissed.

"I'm chained!" Gabrielle hissed back.

"I'm coming up and get you out of that chain," he called softly with a grin. "Xena's waiting with a boat."

"You can't!" Gabrielle hissed back. "The lock and chain are enchanted, nothing can break them. The key is now around Draco's neck and he's awake."

"Damnit!" Auto growled.

"Get Xena, her chakram can cut through," Gabrielle yelled.

"Alright, I'll be back," the thief promised and disappeared into the shadows.

Gabrielle waited impatiently, she knew it would take time to get back down to the beach and then back to the villa, even if two years in the galleys had left Autoclysus in good physical shape.

She wanted to pace with her restless energy but was afraid the clanking of the chain might bring Draco back into the room. Gabrielle sat on her bed and tapped her foot impatiently.

"Gabrielle!"

Gabrielle smiled with relief when Auto climbed through the window after a moment. He quickly crossed the small space and picked up the smaller woman in a welcome hug. The thief then pulled out half of the famous chakram with a grin.

"She wouldn't give me the whole thing," he explained and Gabrielle felt like laughing for the first time in days. He bent over the chain.

"What's the plan?" Gabrielle asked.

"I'm going to cut through one of the links, you stay here," Auto snapped as he worked at the chain. "Xena meets Draco tomorrow morning, kills him and we get out of here."

"Why can't we leave tonight and just leave him frustrated and behind?"

"This obsession thing of his is only going to get worse," Auto shook his head. "He's willing to kill Xena to prove his love to you, how twisted is that?"

Gabrielle frowned, knowing he was right but not wanting to see anyone else die, including Draco.

"I'm surprised he's letting you sleep in a small bed and hasn't forced himself on you," Auto said seriously.

"He tried but backed off when he realized he was hurting me," Gabrielle said softly.

Auto merely nodded. "I thought he might have. I'm glad he's still convinced he loves you enough not to force you. Xena told me about that damned enchantment."

"Yeah, how is she doing?"

"Going crazy, she was looking all over this region for you and we were covering the rest of Greece. She sent word to Joxer and me when Xena got word from Draco," Auto smiled.

"Joxer is here?"

"Yeah, he wouldn't take no when Xena told him to stay home," Auto explained.

"I don't like the plan, damnit!" Gabrielle growled.

"Got a better one? Once he finds you missing he'll just come after you and keep coming until Xena kills him," Auto shrugged, grinning as he held up the broken link, freeing Gabrielle from the wall. "I personally think she should just sneak up on him tonight and bury the other half of this chakram in the back of his neck."

"Auto!" Gabrielle protested.

He grinned a rueful smile. "Yeah, that's what Xena figured, that's why she's giving him a fair chance in that hunt he's set up."

"It's still insane," she complained.

"I know and Xena said that if you're dead set against it then she's waiting for you," Auto said.

"You mean she's willing to listen to me instead of just planning without me?" Gabrielle smirked.

"Some things don't change, do they?" Auto laughed softly. "Still treats you like a kid at times?"

Gabrielle, instead of being upset, smiled. "Sometimes, even though our daughter is almost 15 spring seasons old and our son is getting bigger everyday."

"What do you want to do, Gabrielle?"

The bard frowned and sat down on the bed, deep in thought.

"Auto, I can't just sit here and wait for Xena or Draco to come through that door," Gabrielle growled. "I'm not some damned prize in a contest. If Xena is going to face Draco, it'll be with me at her side."

"Okay, then lets get out of here," he grinned and gestured to the window.

Gabrielle wasn't surprised to see a climbing rope hanging from a grappling hook. She quickly scampered over the side and down to the ground. The bard heard Draco telling the cook he was going to sleep and to alert him if Gabrielle tried anything.

Auto twisted the rope and caught the hook before it hit the ground. It wasn't as fancy as the one he once wore tucked up his sleeve but it did the job. Gabrielle was actually glad to see his skills hadn't rusted over the years. He had a lot of gray in his hair and moustache but it made him seem more distinguished.

He raised a questioning eyebrow at her appraisal and she grinned.

"Admiring your work," she commented.

"Like falling off a horse," he grinned. "Let's get out of here before your boyfriend finds you missing. I'm afraid I don't run as fast as I used to and it's going to rain."

They had made it about 100 yards when they heard Draco scream Gabrielle's name.

"Damn!" Gabrielle growled. "Lead the way to Xena."

"You can't go running down these cliffs with that chain around your ankle!" Auto protested and was met with a clash of thunder and lightning. Both bard and thief looked up as the sky opened up with a hard driving rain.

"I can carry the chain, lets go!" Gabrielle shouted.

"Gabrielle!" Draco yelled from the doorway of the villa. Both bard and thief ducked down in the shadows and pouring rain. They looked around and scurried behind some large rocks and began to make their way down the steep hill.

Gabrielle and Auto increased their pace when they heard shouts behind them over the sound of the thunder and the rain. The bard almost fell into a large boulder when Auto crashed into her.

"Auto!" she yelled as she turned and he collapsed in her arms.

"Gods, that hurts!" he complained as she gently lowered him to the ground, noting with horror the arrow sticking in his shoulder. "Why do I always get injured whenever I'm around you?"

"Shut up for a minute," Gabrielle muttered and reached down into his belt.

"Hey! I thought you were married," he protested and felt his dagger leaving his side.

"In your dreams, Auto," Gabrielle growled and pulled the knife into her hand and watched the path.

"You have often been in my dreams, Gabrielle," Auto admitted with a smile as he winced against the pain. "I just got out of prison clothes and now I'm lying in the mud with my new clothes."

The thief heard shouting behind them and glanced back to see a soldier pounding down the path, arrow notched in his bow. The bandit warrior stopped and took aim but lost his hold on the string when Auto's dagger sliced into his throat.

Auto looked up at Gabrielle with an amazed look on his face.

"You kill?"

"It's been a long time since you traveled with us, Auto," Gabrielle smiled sadly. "I'm a warrior and I've been a gladiator."

"Wow," Auto muttered. "Can we go now? This kinda hurts."

Gabrielle bent over him and broke the arrow off without warning as Auto rammed his fist into his mouth to keep from screaming. The bard helped the thief to his feet and held him for a moment while he swayed with the pain and blood loss.

"Listen, I don't know if I can make it down the hill, you go and get to Xena," Auto suggested.

"No way, we don't leave our friends behind," Gabrielle shook her head and wrapped one arm under his and around his ribs. "Let's go."

Xena heard the figures moving in the dark before she saw them. The warrior hissed and caught Joxer's attention. He nodded when she pointed towards one of the paths leading to the cliffs and rushed forward with his sword drawn, taking a position behind a large rock.

"Xena!" a voice called softly in the dark.

"Gabrielle, here!" Xena called back and darted forward just as Gabrielle came into sight, helping a stumbling Autoclycus down the path. Joxer came out from behind the rock and took the other side of the thief from Gabrielle.

"Into the boat, quick!" Xena growled. "Are you okay?"

"I'm fine, Auto got hit with an arrow," Gabrielle panted. It had been hard work helping the injured man down a large rocky hill without falling and killing both of them on the rocks below.

"I'll be fine, just smarts like Tartarus," the thief growled. "That chakram thing did the trick with the chain."

"Good, let's get out of here," Xena urged, practically dragging Auto across the sand.

Gabrielle was already at the small boat and shoving it back into the beginning waves.

Joxer let Xena help Auto the rest of the way and moved to help Gabrielle with the boat.

At the sound of shouts behind them, Xena dropped Auto into the boat, trying to ignore his cry of pain as she spun and drew her sword.

Joxer and Gabrielle gritted their teeth against the cold water and continued to shove, diving in from the sides as the waves began to grab the boat.

"Xena! Come on!" Joxer shouted.

"Xena! We'll meet him on the mainland and finish this!" Gabrielle urged. "Not in the dark and not on his land!"

Xena turned to look at her mate and nodded. Gabrielle breathed a sigh of relief as the warrior sheathed her sword and jumped into the boat, practically on top of Auto.

Both Joxer and Xena grabbed up oars and began working the small boat further into the water.

After a few moments they could see torches making their way to the beach and the small group of friends could make out Draco and several men watching them angrily.

"Draco!" Xena shouted. "I accept your challenge, only on equal terms!"

"Name them!" he screamed.

"Sunrise on the beach straight east from here, two men only with you," Xena yelled, never easing up on the rowing.

"Agreed! I'm going to bury you this time, Xena!" Draco threatened. "I always had a soft spot for you but no more! You won't stand in the way of my undying love for Gabrielle any longer!"

"Undying love?" Xena muttered. "Careful, Draco, you will die for it," Xena called back and ignored the rest of his threats.

Xena smiled and leaned her cheek on Gabrielle's hand as the bard touched the warrior's shoulder.

"Gods, I missed you," Xena said over the sound of the waves.

"I went crazy without seeing you," Gabrielle said.

"Did he hurt you?"

Gabrielle heard the tense emotions in her warrior's voice and squeezed Xena's shoulder reassuringly.

"No, just made me mad," Gabrielle said truthfully. "He tried to force it one night but realized he was hurting me and backed off. He truly thinks he loves me."

"I'm going to have to kill him this time," Xena said firmly.

"I know," Gabrielle said sadly. "I wish there was another way but unless that enchantment is removed he'll just keep coming now."

"Why haven't we seen him in all these years?" Joxer asked, smiling at Gabrielle's welcoming smile.

"He was in prison for his past and just got out," Gabrielle explained.

"Figures," Xena muttered. "I knew you wouldn't wait," she grinned over her shoulder as Auto moaned.

"You finally gave me choices and options instead of telling me what to do," Gabrielle teased with a touch of truth.

"Yeah, maybe you can teach an old war dog new tricks," Xena growled and smiled at Gabrielle's laughter. "I'll learn yet."

"I know, my love," Gabrielle agreed, wishing she could hug her mate right then. "I love you as you are, frustrating as that can be sometimes."

"Hey!" Xena protested and even Joxer laughed along with Gabrielle.

Once they had Auto safely on the beach and a cloak under his head, Gabrielle turned and tackled Xena to the sand, kissing her fiercely.

Xena laughed and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman, holding Gabrielle tightly.

"Gods, I missed you, Little One," Xena whispered as Gabrielle's lips and teeth explored the warrior's throat.

Xena heard Gabrielle sigh and let the little bard pull back slightly until they could see each other's eyes.

"Xena, what about Draco?"

"One of us meets him in the morning and we end this," Xena said firmly. "Zeus has ordered that none of the gods interfere in our affairs; helping or hindering."

"That's why Apollo didn't come to me," Gabrielle said thoughtfully, looking up to see Joxer gathering wood for a fire.

"Yes, Artemis was raising all kinds of windstorms about our trip to Egypt and pissed Zeus off," Xena explained.

"That means Cupid and Aphrodite can't remove the enchantment off Draco," Gabrielle complained.

"No, it might not even work after all this time," Xena nodded.

"Auto is hurt, lets take care of him and we'll decide about Draco in the morning," Gabrielle suggested and rolled off her warrior.

Xena grinned, leaped to her feet and reached down to pull Gabrielle up.

"Thank you, Xena," Gabrielle said softly.

"For what?"

"I noticed you said either you or me will face Draco in the morning, you didn't automatically order me to stay out of the fight," Gabrielle said softly.

Xena felt herself blushing and looked down at her feet.

"I've been doing a lot of thinking since that mess in Egypt," the warrior admitted as they began walking towards Autolycus and Joxer. "I know I've done a lot of things wrong over the years and mostly because I'm so damned stubborn and don't listen. You told me you weren't ready to go into the Spirit Realm again and we both ignored that. I should have listened to you. I didn't listen when you said you wanted to stay with me in the North, even at the risk of losing the use of your hands. I let the gods trick us into separating us. If I hadn't done that, we would have learned about your pregnancy together."

"Xena," Gabrielle felt tears filling her eyes. "I made mistakes too and I admit it. All I want is to get home to our son, daughter and best friends and spend a few years making it up to you."

"Back at you," Xena managed to smile a small smile at her mate. "I can't wait to see Asher again. I hate being away from him for even a week, let alone a couple of months."

"I agree!" Gabrielle said firmly. "Did you notice his hair darkening a little before we left?"

"Yeah, he may end up somewhere between our coloring," Xena nodded, wrapping an arm around Gabrielle's shoulders. "I think he's going to be tall though."

Gabrielle laughed. "You're just hoping he's tall so you both can tease me."

"Yup!" Xena agreed as they squatted down and Joxer brought over a lantern so they could see the broken arrow in Auto's back.

"Hey, how bad is it?" Auto groaned as Xena ripped the rest of his shirt open.

"Not too bad," the warrior responded after a few moments of inspecting the wound. "That's going to hurt coming out, though."

"Yeah, I know," he growled and accepted a piece of firewood from Joxer to grip in his hands.

Xena, without warning, shoved the remaining part of the arrow through his shoulder as Gabrielle held him in her lap. Autolycus managed not to scream but his body broke out into a cold sweat in the chilled winter air and he gasped with the pain.

"Auto?" Gabrielle asked softly and the thief nodded that he was okay.

"I'm okay," he said, breathing heavily as Xena quickly bandaged the shoulder and Joxer made a sling. "Why do I always get injured around you two?"

"You do not!" Gabrielle protested.

"Oh no!" he said loudly. "Broken arm from some psycho Amazon who loved pain! Almost burned to a crisp from some religious box! Nearly assassinated several times from screwball schemes, now I get shot!"

"Auto, calm down," Xena laughed lightly. "You'll be fine, old friend. All of those things happened years ago."

"Yeah, I've been hiding as a Roman slave to avoid things like this," he snapped and found himself lying face down in the sand. "What?" he demanded as Gabrielle walked away.

"She was a Roman slave and gladiator, Auto," Joxer said softly, his voice angry.

"Oh damn! I forgot that!" Auto muttered. "I'm sorry, Xena, I really am. I didn't mean anything by it."

"I know you didn't mean to hurt her," Xena nodded and sighed with relief when the bard walked back towards them.

"Gabrielle! I'm sorry," Auto said, trying to sit up and wincing with the pain.

"I know, just forget it," Gabrielle smiled slightly. "Let's just get some sleep and get ready for Draco in the morning."

Joxer grabbed the bedrolls and gear out of the boat as Gabrielle and Xena helped Autolycus roll over onto his blankets.

Within a few minutes everyone was curled up near the rocks, trying to avoid the winds along the beach. Gabrielle curled up in Xena's arms, a smile of contentment on her face.

"I love you, Gabrielle," Xena said softly as she cut at the chains holding Gabrielle's wrists.

"I love you, Xena, more than anything," the bard muttered, feeling safe for the first time in days.

Draco was almost purple with anger as his boat slid up onto the sand.

The small group of Greeks just stood, watching and waiting as he and his men jumped out of the boat.

"Gabrielle! How in Tartarus did you get out of that chain?" he demanded.

"You forgot my chakram, Draco," Xena smirked. "Made by the gods, it can cut through anything, even things made by Hephaestus. Was easy to cut the chains."

Draco was so angry that he couldn't even speak and the two men with him shifted uneasily.

"Draco, I'll say this one more time," Gabrielle said firmly, stepping in front of Xena. "I am in love with Xena and have been since I was 17 summers. It is a blood bonding and approved by the gods. Stop chasing me and I'll walk away. Don't force me to hurt you to stop you."

Draco was breathing heavily and Xena growled at the manic light shining in his eyes.

"I can't move on and I can't fall in love with anyone while you live," Draco grumbled. "I thought by getting rid of Xena that we might have a chance, but I see I was wrong. I can smell her all over you!"

Gabrielle's green eyes flashed as she looked up at the former Warlord.

"She is my wife, Draco," Gabrielle hissed. "You are nothing to me!"

"Maybe when you're dead I can love again," Draco growled. "Don't force me to do this, Gabrielle. Just come back with me."

"Never, even if you managed to kill Xena, I would slit your throat the first chance I got," Gabrielle promised.

Xena reached out and put her hands on Gabrielle's shoulders and gently pulled the bard back away from Draco.

"Then die here, my love," Draco growled and turned back to his men.

One of the soldiers stepped forward and dropped the bundle he was carrying in his arms. Xena and Gabrielle frowned as weapons tumbled into view.

Joxer and Auto began protesting loudly.

Xena held up her hand for quiet and knelt down to examine the weapons. She nodded and returned to Gabrielle.

"Let me do this, Little One," she begged softly.

"No, this fight is mine, Xena," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Anything that affects you is my fight," Xena countered and Gabrielle's face softened.

"I'm sorry, you're right," Gabrielle agreed, wrapping her arms around Xena. "He doesn't realize I've become a fighter. He still sees me as the gentle, non-violent bard."

"So do I," Xena said softly.

Gabrielle smiled as she looked up into blue eyes.

"Thank you, my love," Gabrielle whispered. "Draco won't be expecting me to know how to fight; it'll be to my advantage. Add to it that he's totally unstable around me and I've got more than a fair chance."

"Counter that with you are still reluctant to kill and hold back in a fight," Xena grumbled. "He won't if he thinks the only escape from the madness is your death."

"I'll do what I have to," Gabrielle growled.

"He's taller, has a longer reach and has weight on you," Joxer complained.

"I've also been taught how to deal with that," Gabrielle countered and looked over at an impatient Draco. "I'm Dancer, Champion of Rome."

"Gabrielle, I love you," Xena said softly and kissed the bard gently.

"I love you, Xena, no matter what happens," the bard responded and faced Draco. "You'll fight me."

"Good, conditions?" he grinned.

"If you are defeated can you give your word never to seek me or Xena out ever again and disappear from our lives?" Gabrielle questioned.

Draco appeared to think seriously about it for several moments.

"No," he admitted and Gabrielle closed her eyes as she sighed. Xena could see the sad resignation in her mate's face and eyes when Gabrielle opened them again.

"Then there's no conditions because I'll never come with you willingly," Gabrielle said, her voice flat.

"Then to the death, my love," Draco growled.

"So be it," Gabrielle muttered and looked at the weapons scattered on a cloak.

She picked up her sais from the pile and tossed them at Xena's feet. "Keep these for me, lover."

"I'll keep everything for you," Xena said softly.

Gabrielle turned and looked over the swords, spears, and maces. There were two of everything and the bard selected one of each quickly. She dropped the mace and planted the spear in the sand near Xena and hefted the sword and twirled it, adjusting to its weight and balance.

Gabrielle glanced around the landscape as the sun rose over the horizon, committing to memory where rocks, where there were paths leading up the hill, and where the beach ended and the water crashed into rocks, almost a dead end.

Xena, Auto and Joxer moved back while Draco's men shifted closer to their boat opposite the small group of friends.

Xena saw Gabrielle breathe deeply and then saw a shift in the bard's face and eyes as her body moved into a fighting stance. The experienced warrior knew she was now watching Dancer preparing for a match.

Xena was worried, though. It had been years since Dancer had been called on by Gabrielle. It had taken a long time for the bard to integrate Dancer, Brie, and Gabrielle, bard, warrior and mother into one entity now known as Gabrielle. Xena wondered if her mate could focus enough to just let Dancer come through and handle business.

Draco moved forward after selecting the sword from his stack of weapons as well. He faced off in front of the bard.

"Last chance, Gabrielle," he growled. "Either come away with me or die!"

Looking up into his brown eyes, Gabrielle knew that he had lost his sanity from the enchantment with her and merely shook her head no.

Draco screamed in rage and rushed at Gabrielle, surprising her. The bard just barely got her sword up in time to block Draco's overhead strike as Xena screamed and Joxer held Xena's arms, trying to keep her calm.

Gabrielle stumbled in the sand and fell over backwards but kept her sword up, her arm and body shaking from absorbing the blows Draco was raining down on her. Finally, the gladiator growled and lashed out with her feet while her sword blocked another sword strike. She managed to tangle Draco's legs up until the warrior fell backwards himself.

Dancer rolled away from his feet and regained hers. Green eyes flashed angrily as Draco sat up and shouted a war cry of rage at her. Gabrielle shoulder rolled forward, bringing her sword up and out. Draco desperately rolled backwards and to the side to avoid the blow and yelled as he felt the sword glance across his upper arm, drawing blood.

When both warriors regained their feet, they began circling cautiously.

Xena grinned at the puzzled look in Draco's eyes and the hesitation. He really hadn't expected the bard to be the fighter she was.

Draco attacked again and Dancer flipped backwards out of reach and turned at a trot to several rocks near the cliff side. Draco growled in anger and followed, slashing at her with his sword. The former gladiator literally ran up the side of one of the huge boulders and back flipped over her opponent as he slashed where she had been. She hit the sand in a crouch behind him and sprang up, using her impressive leg muscles like springs and drove her sword through his side. Dancer had been aiming for the center of his back, but Draco had turned at the last moment and took the sword along his ribs.

Out of an instinctive reaction, Draco backhanded Gabrielle and connected with her jaw, rocking her concentration for the moment. Giving him the chance to complete his turn and get his sword up in a defensive position, his hand holding his ribs.

Dancer moved forward in a series of acrobatic moves that left Joxer breathless and Autolycus with his mouth hanging open in admiration and surprise. Xena grinned at the skill and talent the bard was displaying. Draco, if he hadn't been left bleeding in several places, would have been impressed.

"By the gods, Xena," Joxer said softly. "She's amazing!"

"Yeah, as good as I am or maybe even better," Xena admitted. She knew that Gabrielle never wanted to learn how to kill but Xena recognized the talent in her mate. The gentle bard had a gift for the physical part: speed, muscles that moved before thought, strength, agility, and a natural talent for the fight.

The warrior frowned when Draco got in a good blow with his sword hilt against Gabrielle's temple and the bard fell to her knees, dropping her sword.

"Gabrielle!" Joxer yelled and tried to keep from moving forward to help his friend.

Dancer rolled to the side as Draco attempted to overwhelm and overpower her, kicking the bard in the ribs as she rolled away from him. Gabrielle cried out in pain as several of the kicks connected with her ribs. She surprised Draco by reversing her roll and grabbing both his legs.

He rammed the hilt of his sword into the back of her neck, sending her to the sand.

Joxer and Auto held Xena's arms when they all realized the bard wasn't moving in the dark sand.

Draco, breathing heavily, stood over the bard and scowled at the friends as he raised the sword in both his hands.

Xena screamed as the sword flashed in the sunlight.

Xena, Joxer and Autolycus blinked in disbelief as they watched Gabrielle spin in the sand. It took them a moment to realize she had turned over and slapped her hands up just as the sword descended. The blade was caught in between her palms.

Before Draco, also stunned for a moment, could twist the blade and slice the gladiator's hands to ribbons, Gabrielle kicked up and smacked Draco in the jaw.

As he stumbled backwards, Dancer got to her feet and smacked the sword against the rocks, shattering it.

As Draco tried to comprehend the loss of his weapon, Gabrielle was on him with her fists and feet flying.

It took Draco another full minute to realize that the bard had driven him back and he was left shaking his head from another blow to the temple.

With a growl he finally comprehended that Gabrielle was no longer hitting him but going for her weapons. Draco shouted in anger and dashed for his own weapons.

The former Warlord barely dived into the sand at the base of his weapons and grabbed up the mace when he heard Dancer's footsteps behind him. Draco turned over and raised the mace up with both hands, barely blocking the blow aimed for his head.

He kicked Gabrielle in the knee, causing it to buckle and the warrior bard to cry out in pain and fall to her other knee. Before she could recover, Draco jumped to his feet and knocked her mace out of her hand and swung his own in a backhand motion, catching Gabrielle along the temple again.

Draco fell to the sand, his head swimming from the blood loss and strength it took to keep fighting at this level. He glanced over and saw Gabrielle trying to get to her hands and knees, blood flowing freely from her scalp.

Xena was screaming and Draco's men were cautiously keeping an eye on Gabrielle's mate and friends.

Draco crawled to his feet, the mace still in his hands and stumbled over towards the bard.

"Gabrielle!" Xena screamed but Gabrielle's eyes were closed and she gently swayed on her hands and knees. It was apparent that she was about to pass out.

"Dancer!" Xena screamed and the bard turned towards the shadow moving over her and threw her arms up in an Amazon defensive position of crossed wrists.

She screamed as her arms absorbed the shock from the blow but she twisted her hands and grabbed the mace out of the unsteady hands of the warrior. Before she could turn it and use it, Draco growled in rage and kicked it from her hand, out of both their reaches.

A blow from a massive fist sent the bard back to the sand and Draco stumbling for Gabrielle's unbroken sword.

Xena saw everything move into slow motion as Draco grabbed up the sword and Gabrielle regained her feet but swayed unsteadily. The warrior and male friends all could see that Draco would reach Gabrielle before she could reach any weapon.

"No!" Xena screamed as Draco rushed in close for an overhand killing blow.

Dancer shifted her body weight to her back foot and let her ears and senses guide her. As Draco began to lower the sword, Gabrielle dropped her body over to one side, bringing her leg straight up, almost vertical and under Draco's chin.

Xena grinned; she remembered that move from practicing with Gabrielle in Egypt. She had commented to Gabrielle that move could take someone's head off with the right momentum.

With the injured knee and lack of strength, it wasn't enough to take Draco's head off but everyone heard his jaw crack as he was lifted off his feet and sent flying backwards. Gabrielle fell to her hands and knees and slowly crawled over to the fallen former Warlord.

"End it here, Draco," she whispered as she grabbed up the mace and held it over his head. "Don't force me to kill you."

Draco's eyes flashed as blood spilled from his broken jaw. Gabrielle could see nothing but hatred and insanity and raised the mace high with both hands as Draco held his arms out to his sides in submission and acceptance of the killing blow as Gabrielle straddled him.

Gabrielle screamed a war cry and hesitated. Xena could see the confusion and pain in her bard's face and eyes and slowly moved forward out of Joxer and Auto's hold. Draco's men approached slowly as well, keeping their hands in plain sight.

Gabrielle's eyes were closed in mental anguish as she held the mace high for the killing blow.

"Gabrielle," Xena said softly. "Give me the mace."

Draco attempted to growl.

"You aren't Dancer anymore, Gabrielle," Xena continued softly. "Dancer is there but she doesn't control you. If he comes after us again, we'll deal with it then."

Xena saw Gabrielle's shoulders slump and gently took the mace from the bard's hands and then pulled Gabrielle up off of Draco and into her arms. The warrior turned to Draco's men.

"Take him back to his island and take care of him," she instructed. "Try and talk some sense into him."

"Yes, Xena," they said at the same time and dragged Draco away from the Greeks.

Xena wasn't surprised when Gabrielle began to cry in her arms and clung desperately to the warrior.

"Shhh, it's okay, Little One," Xena said softly. "Never cry because you couldn't kill."

"No!"

Xena was confused when she heard Joxer and Autolycus scream. She was about to lift the injured Gabrielle into her arms when she looked up and saw Draco rushing at them with a spear.

Everything moved too fast and too slowly, as if in a dream for the couple.

Something flashed by Xena and Gabrielle before the warrior could pull Gabrielle out of the way.

Everyone stared at the sight of the spear sticking through Joxer's chest.

Xena and Gabrielle screamed as Joxer fell onto his side, grasping the spear shaft, blood spilling over his hands. Gabrielle winced as she heard the familiar sound beside her and looked over at Draco.

The former warlord was trying to hold the blood back into his throat as Xena caught her chakram. Draco's eyes lost their spark and his hands fell away from his throat.

Gabrielle knew he was dead before he hit the sand face first. The bard stumbled and fell beside Joxer and drew his head into her lap.

Xena and Auto quickly knelt beside the former soldier. Xena looked up into Auto's brown eyes and shook her head. They all knew what a wound like that meant. Xena looked up at Gabrielle and saw the same knowledge as the bard gently stroked Joxer's spiky hair.

"Is she safe?" Joxer whispered, coughing on his own blood.

"Yes, Joxer," Xena answered firmly as Gabrielle closed her eyes and let the tears begin to fall from her eyes. "You saved her."

"Then I'm happy," he tried to smile. "Wish I could see Meg just one more time."

"Don't worry about it, cute and lanky," a voice giggled.

Gabrielle opened her eyes with a confused look as Xena and Auto's mouths hung open in similar surprise.

"'Dite?" Gabrielle asked softly and the Goddess of Love giggled again.

"Hey, Sweetcheeks," Aphrodite said cheerfully. "Autolcycus, you just get even more handsome with every year."

"What brings you here, Aphrodite? I thought none of the gods could interfere?" Xena demanded.

"Not with your fate but Joxer's just got messed up," Dite said cryptically.

"Artemis said that he was meant to father another child before Death came for him," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Now its like totally messed up because of a love spell," Aphrodite tugged impatiently at her pink nightgown, trying to get it to hang right.

Xena shook her head, trying not to be impatient with the self centered Goddess.

"So because of the love spell on Draco, Joxer's future has been messed up," Autolycus repeated, hoping to bring Aphrodite back on track. He noted Xena's impatient narrowing of her eyes and wanted answers as much as the warrior did. He had come to like Joxer over the last week.

"Yeah, so it's up to me or Cupid to fix it. Here I am," 'Dite grinned.

"So how do you fix it?" Gabrielle demanded as Joxer's head dropped forward into unconsciousness.

"I take him home, cure his wounds and watch over him until it's his time," Aphrodite said simply.

Gabrielle leaned forward and kissed Joxer's forehead. "Tell him thank you and that we love him," she said softly.

"Will do, blonde and beautiful," Aphrodite promised. "Then I'll be back, zap you home to gather your things and then take you north and get you out of this madhouse that is the Roman Empire right now. Dad can yell at me later."

Gabrielle sighed gratefully and only jumped slightly when Joxer and the Goddess of Love disappeared.

The bard's head fell back as hands reached for her to keep her from falling.

Xena sighed with relief when Gabrielle began to stir in her sleep. The warrior got up from the fire and lay down next to the bard and gently stroked the blonde's hair from her forehead.

Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly and smiled when she saw Xena's face.

"Hey," she whispered, her voice harsh.

"Hey yourself," Xena smiled. "You scared me there for a little bit."

Gabrielle frowned as she realized it was dark and they were by the campfire again.

"Joxer? Draco?" she asked.

"Draco's men took his body away," Xena explained. "No threats or anything. Aphrodite returned about a candle-mark ago and said that Joxer will be fine. A couple of days in bed to regain his strength and he'll be up and running the inn again. She said that she can't do anything about the illness that's eating his insides up though."

"I know, Artemis explained that its part of his fate," Gabrielle said softly and smiled as Auto brought over a flask of water.

"Sometimes I am very glad that I don't know what in Tartarus the Fates have in store for me," Autolycus said firmly. "Would take all the fun and adventure out of it."

"Auto, you just spent two years as a Roman galley slave for stealing," Xena laughed. "Haven't you had enough adventure? If Gabrielle hadn't been looking for Eli, we never would have found you down in that ship."

"I know, I know," he nodded but they could both see his eyes sparkling. "Just think about it though, Xena. I've been cooped up for two years and my skills have gotten a little rusty."

"Gods, Autolycus! You are a handful!" Xena grinned.

"How bad am I hurt?" Gabrielle asked, trying not to laugh.

"Broken knee, cracked skull, a couple of deep cuts, some light cuts and minor bruises," Xena said.

"How long to heal this time?" Gabrielle asked, her voice almost whining.

"I don't think you have the energy to heal yourself, so I figure a couple of days for the lights stuff and the skull. Probably a week with that knee," Xena said thoughtfully.

"Home?"

"Aphrodite will return in the morning and take us to your sister's place for our stuff and then we're home to our son and family up north," Xena smiled.

"Are you coming with us, Auto?" Gabrielle asked.

"Uh, no," he said slowly. "Your Germans are even less kind to thieves than the Romans. I've got some people to look up since I've been gone. You'll tell Herc and Iolaus I'm okay and hello?"

"Of course, and you'd better visit sometime in the future," Xena declared. "You'll like our son and daughter."

"If they look like either of you, then they're bound to be beautiful," Auto grinned.

Xena noticed Gabrielle's eyes closing and wrapped her arm around the little bard.

"She's quite a fighter, Xena," Auto said softly.

"Yeah, but killing still isn't easy for her, thankfully," Xena responded.

"Yes, somehow she's never lost that touch of innocence around her," he said, pulling up his blankets next to Gabrielle after getting a nod from Xena.

The warrior knew that Auto wouldn't dare lay a finger on Gabrielle but was offering to share his body warmth with his injured friend and shield her body from the shifting winds.

"You told me all that you've both been through," he continued, looking at the stars as he lay back on the bedding. "Kidnapping, rape, torture, gladiator fighting, Ares, gods, Amazons, all of it, yet there's something about her that is untouched. Her love for you is still so strong and so is yours."

"Thank you, Auto," Xena smiled. "She's my life."

"What a life you've led too," he grinned. "Not sure I could handle twenty more years around you two," he joked.

"Did I mention that we're immortal?" Xena grinned in response.

"Oh gods, which means this could go on forever!"

"Yeah, but with Gabrielle at my side, I can face forever," Xena said firmly.


	29. 29 Amazon Queen on Trial

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Rating:** R to NC-17 for sex.

**Violence:** very low actually, some fangs.

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Gabrielle, Xena and family travel to the Black Forest Amazons to face the consequences from their trip to Egypt. The price could be high for an Amazon Queen who fails a blood oath with a Goddess pissed off as well.

* * *

Xena stepped out of the cabin and onto the porch. Hercules glanced back over his shoulder as he leaned against a post and smiled at his half-sister and housemate. Both of them looked out into the yard to watch Gabrielle tossing a ball back and forth to Asher in the green grass.

The warrior bard looked relaxed and peaceful as she played with their son, but Xena knew her wife was worried.

"Is she talking about it?" Hercules asked, as if reading Xena's mind.

"No, ever since we got word four days ago about the Amazon All-Thing, she's been quiet," Xena commented.

"All-Thing. I see the Black Forest Amazons are adapting to the north," Hercules muttered.

"Yup, an All-Thing," Xena nodded. "It is a gathering of all the tribes and clans to decide major matters concerning the nation. I can't believe they're using this to put Gabrielle on trial."

"I still can't believe they're willing to do this," Hercules growled. "After all you've both done for them! She went to a cross for them!"

Xena closed her eyes as memories flashed across her mind of Gabrielle's body being nailed to a t-bar cross in an exchange for her Amazons. Gabrielle died for her Amazons that day and in the end her tribe had still been attacked and almost wiped out by the Romans.

"I know, and the struggles to help them survive," Xena muttered. "She has food and supplies sent to them every fall."

"How can they even consider this?" he demanded, trying to keep his voice low.

"Artemis is pushing them into it, I think," Xena said, leaning against him.

"Want me to talk to Dad?" he asked softly.

"No, he declared that the gods can't mix in our affairs," Xena reminded him. "I think Artemis is getting around that by dealing through the Amazons."

Hercules frowned, obviously unhappy with the situation.

Gabrielle looked up and tried to smile at Xena and Hercules. The bard knew they were worried about her; so was she.

Xena walked down the steps to join her mate and son. Asher grinned and tossed the ball to his tall mom. The warrior mom laughed when she caught it and then hid it behind her back for a moment. He continued giggling when she tossed the ball back to him. Xena grinned at Asher and then sat down next to Gabrielle in the grass. The bard leaned her head on Xena's shoulder.

"When do we leave?" Gabrielle asked softly as Asher amused himself with the ball, trying to balance it on a pinecone.

"I still say we don't have to leave," Xena growled.

"Xena, I'm the Queen of the Black Forest Amazons," Gabrielle reminded the warrior unnecessarily. "If I don't go, they'll declare me guilty of treason and send out assassins."

"We can handle assassins," Xena grumbled.

"Our own family? My own sisters?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"No one touches you, damnit!" Xena grumbled. "I won't let them hurt you."

"I know, my love," Gabrielle said wearily. "I didn't know the risks when I accepted the caste that day but I knew them when I became Queen and fought Velasca to keep it."

"It's not right that they're even doing this!" Xena protested.

"I know. We both know that Artemis is behind it," Gabrielle said easily. "She's still upset at me because I didn't kill Antony."

"What pisses me off is that she's not mad because of the blood oath we both swore but because she couldn't get to Cleo with Antony around," Xena complained.

"Well, you and I know that's the reason," Gabrielle managed to smile slightly. "I'm not sure the Amazons will believe that their patron deity lost it for a human and became petty and jealous."

"I don't want you doing this, Gabrielle," Xena growled.

"I know and I don't particularly want to face a trial either but I'm going," the bard said firmly. "You can stay here with Asher…."

"Don't be ridiculous and don't finish that sentence!" Xena warned. "I'm your Champion and your Chosen, they face both of us."

"Then let's get it over with," Gabrielle said, ending the conversation.

Later that evening the housemates and child sat around the table after dinner. Iolaus was heating water to give Asher a bath, since the young child had decided that dinner was better suited as a clothing decoration rather than as food.

Gabrielle laughed as she wrestled the boy to the fur in front of the fireplace, both trying for tickle holds.

Iolaus grinned and grabbed Asher up as Hercules poured the water into a basin for Asher's bath. Xena smiled and joined Gabrielle on the furs.

"Hey, Little One," the warrior said softly, smiling gently as Gabrielle's face softened. The bard welcomed Xena's lips as the warrior wrapped her arms around Gabrielle.

After a few moments of gentle kisses, Gabrielle curled up in Xena's arms by the fire.

"I remember you promising me something about my body and this fireplace," Gabrielle teased.

"I remember, when everything went wrong with Antony and Cleo," Xena whispered.

"Xena," Gabrielle's expression changed and Xena placed a finger on her bard's lips.

"No, serious discussions. Tomorrow, not tonight," Xena growled. "Asher is spending the night in Herc and Iolaus' room; we've got the night to ourselves."

Gabrielle smiled gently and pulled Xena down on top of her as she heard Hercules and Iolaus going down the hall with Asher.

Gabrielle grinned mischievously and surprised Xena by flipping the warrior over and ending up on top. The bard's hands and lips became quickly insistent as they roamed over what skin she could find. Gabrielle began working at the laces of Xena's tunic as Xena moaned and pulled Gabrielle's vest off.

Xena brought a knee up between Gabrielle's legs, adding some pressure to her mate's sex, and easing the arousal tension she knew her bard was feeling. Gabrielle moaned and attacked Xena's mouth with her lips, asking and receiving a welcome to match tongue for tongue with Xena.

The kiss was only broken by the need to breathe as Gabrielle laid her forehead on Xena's shoulder.

"Gods, Xena," she muttered, breathing heavily. "Even after all these years, just touching you drives me insane, in moments."

"I'll second that," Xena whispered, pulling at Gabrielle's belt impatiently. "I want to take all night with you, Gabrielle. To be gentle and explore all of your body with my tongue and fingers, to slowly taste all of you and feel you squirming under me."

Gabrielle closed her eyes and moaned, her hands tightening unconsciously in Xena's hair and the fur under them.

"But right now, I want you!" Xena growled, becoming forceful.

"Yes!" Gabrielle agreed, pulling Xena's tunic off over the warrior's head.

The rest of the clothes were shed without any particular order except what was close at hand.

Gabrielle found herself sitting in Xena's lap, facing the warrior, as they continued kissing passionately. The bard gasped when she felt Xena's finger trailing down from her breasts and past her stomach, ending between Gabrielle's legs. Xena moaned at how wet her mate was for her and bent her head slightly to take one of Gabrielle's nipples into her mouth.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle moaned, placing her hands on Xena's shoulders for support as her warrior entered her with two fingers, only to pull out and tease the bard's clit lightly and then enter her again. "Xena!"

"Yes, lover?" Xena whispered, her voice husky with the warrior's own arousal.

"Oh gods," the bard muttered again as Xena's lips moved to her other breast and a hand switched to the other breast. Yes, the warrior had many skills and that included using both hands almost equally well.

Gabrielle moaned and bit her lip as Xena's attention to her breasts and sexual lips became a blur and the bard could no longer tell which hand was where until Xena lightly nipped a breast and then the nipple. Gabrielle felt her body jerk in response and cried out as Xena entered her again with three fingers at the same time.

"Xena!" Gabrielle cried as her body tried to match the rhythm her warrior was beginning to set with her fingers. The bard pulled Xena's head up for an almost desperate kiss, joining them together. Then Gabrielle had to break the kiss to cry out again from the sensations. She gripped Xena's shoulders as her head snapped back from the sheer force of her orgasm.

Xena increased her thrusts into her bard and added her thumb to caress Gabrielle's clit. The bard bit her lip to keep from screaming. Xena, her eyelids heavy, adored the sight of her mate in the throes of passion. The warrior still couldn't believe after all their years together that she was able to bring that look to Gabrielle's face and body.

Xena felt Gabrielle's muscles contracting as she almost bucked off Xena's lap. The warrior gave up teasing Gabrielle's breasts with one hand and wrapped the arm around her mate, holding Gabrielle in her lap. Xena bent her head slightly and bit Gabrielle's nipple as she thrust, feeling Gabrielle's body stiffen and shake with orgasm.

Xena smiled as Gabrielle collapsed against her shoulder, letting the bard regain her energy. The warrior planned for a long night with her mate.

Suddenly a long wail brought both mother's heads up. Xena chuckled softly as Gabrielle sighed.

"Sounds like someone doesn't want to go to bed," Xena commented.

"That makes one of us in the house," Gabrielle muttered, nuzzling Xena's neck.

"Herc's been a dad, he'll handle Asher," Xena added, biting down on Gabrielle's neck in response.

Another long wail of frustration was as effective as throwing ice in the middle of the two women.

"Who goes this time?" Gabrielle muttered, reaching for her tunic.

"You're on top, but I'll go," Xena teased as they tried to disengage themselves from each other. Gabrielle smiled and leaned over Xena for another long kiss.

"Were you ever this difficult?" Gabrielle grinned as Xena reached for her trousers.

"Oh yeah," Xena nodded. "Mom says I never wanted to sleep, it was always a battle with me. Lycius was different, he wanted to get to sleep to get it over with."

"Hurry back," Gabrielle urged.

The bard was dozing when Xena finally returned and curled up on the furs next to her mate. The warrior smiled as she watched Gabrielle sleeping. Asher was much like both his mothers, Xena reflected. He was better coordinated than most children his age and had Gabrielle's unrelenting curiosity. Added on top of that was blue green eyes and hair color that couldn't decide between blonde and dark brown from season to season.

The shock of blonde hair he had been born with was slowly giving way to a deep dark brown but it was too early to tell which parent he was going to take after in height.

Xena thought Asher looked very much like Gabrielle when he was sleeping and would have been surprised to find that Gabrielle thought the same thing about Asher and Xena.

Gabrielle smiled at Xena's expression as the warrior gently stroked the bard's cheek.

"I love you too," she mumbled. "How's Asher?"

"Teething," Xena announced. "Another tooth is trying to come through."

"Add that to his attempting to walk and the bruises on the outside," Gabrielle smiled.

"Well, he has been moving along holding onto things rather well," Xena said proudly.

"Yeah, as long as the object wasn't trying to move as well, like Saminus," Gabrielle giggled.

The four parents had tried not to laugh at Asher over that one but finally failed. Asher had thought grabbing the large herding dog, Saminus, by the tail was the perfect solution for the awkward time between crawling and learning to stand up and walk. Unfortunately, Saminus hadn't thought it was the perfect solution and had first tried to get away from Asher.

Uncommon in toddlers, Asher had a pretty good grip. The young boy ended up getting dragged around the table as both dog and child howled. It wasn't a candle-mark later when Asher tried it again, trying to sneak up on the dog and grabbing two handfuls of fur at Saminus' neck. The dog, having learned the first time, simply laid down and refused to move, no matter how hard Asher tried to push or urge the dog into moving.

Xena laughed and pulled Gabrielle into her arms.

"He's going to be walking very soon, he's already standing on his own when we're not looking," she predicted.

"I'm not leaving him behind, Xena," Gabrielle said softly and firmly.

"I know, I couldn't do that again," Xena agreed. "That whole mess with Antony and Cleo was a major mistake. Why in Tartarus do we keep making them lately?"

"Maybe we're on the wrong path?" Gabrielle suggested.

"What do you mean? We've been going along as usual, saving the world, the Amazons and anyone else along the way," Xena asked.

"Maybe that's the problem," Gabrielle mumbled. "Maybe we're supposed to be parents for awhile and leave the world-saving to the next generation and warriors like Hallvor."

Xena frowned as Gabrielle drifted into sleep again.

Xena barely got her body curled protectively around Gabrielle and her own stomach protected the next morning when a shout from Asher warned her of his approach.

Gabrielle giggled along with their son as he clambered over them, encouraging them to wake up and pay attention to him. Xena glanced up and saw Hercules and Iolaus smiling at them as the two headed to bank up the fire and start breakfast.

"Good morning," Herc greeted.

"Hey, Herc," Gabrielle smiled. Even with the upcoming drama, being with Asher could always make her smile. "Hey, Ash, want some milk?"

Suddenly the boy's mood changed as fast as lightning and he frowned at his moms. "No!" he said firmly and crossed his arms in defiance. "Ale."

"Ale?" Xena questioned, "Where in Tartarus did he pick that up?"

"Iolaus is getting ready to keg his winter mead and has been talking about brewing a batch of ale as soon as the weather is warmer," Gabrielle explained.

"Well, kiddo," Xena grinned at her stubborn son, "Ale is for adults and idiots. Moms and little boys get milk for breakfast."

"No!" Asher snapped.

"Terrific, his favorite word lately," Xena muttered.

"And he can say it in Latin, Greek, German and Finnish," Gabrielle grinned.

"I'm surprised you haven't thrown the three Celtic dialects in there," Xena complained.

Gabrielle laughed and pulled Asher into her arms as she got to her feet. The boy's mood softened as magically as it had changed and he was laughing, playing with her necklace.

"What do you want to wear today?" she was asking as they disappeared down the hall.

Xena noticed Hercules and Iolaus smiling as they set about the morning chores.

"I'll go for firewood," she offered and grabbed her boots by the door. "Gotta feed the livestock too."

"I'll join you," Hercules offered and reached for his coat, already having put his boots on.

The two half-siblings made quick work of the morning duties of feeding the livestock, drawing water from the well and gathering an armload of firewood into Hercules' arms.

Another two trips and enough firewood was stacking up inside for a couple of days worth of cooking and keeping the small cabin warm.

Xena stood on the porch and looked around at their land as Hercules dropped the last armload of wood and began stacking the wood next to the door.

"You're not leaving Asher behind this time, are you?" he asked easily.

"No," Xena said. "I don't know how we could have taken him with us to Egypt but leaving him behind was a mistake. I know Gabrielle never said anything and neither did I but it drove us both absolutely crazy to be away from him."

"Well that whole trip was a mistake," Hercules agreed.

"I know and we're still paying for it," Xena complained, rubbing her hands over her arms. It was barely spring in the north and snow still dotted the shadowed places around their land and there were ice chunks in the river at night.

"An All-Thing is usually held in high summer, why are the Amazons rushing this?" Hercules asked.

"I think they're trying to keep the numbers from the north down," Xena ventured. "The Black Forest Amazons know that Gabrielle and I are especially well thought of up there. I just wish this wasn't happening."

"I know," Hercules said softly, walking up behind Xena and placing his hands on her shoulder, letting her relax against him, letting some of the tension fade. "Iolaus and I are going with you."

"No men on Amazon land, remember?"

"We were accepted as your Kumbadas, best males and god-parents to your children," Hercules reminded her. "We are family and I am the son of a Greek God, they will hear us on this."

Xena grinned at his stubborn tone and merely nodded.

"You know the Amazons better than I do," he continued. "Why are they doing this and what could happen?"

"Let's continue this inside, okay?" Xena suggested.

Once in the cabin, Xena and Hercules found Iolaus setting the morning food on the table and Gabrielle convincing Asher to hand over his latest find, a mouse that he had lured out of a corner with breadcrumbs and was now holding by the tail.

Xena and Hercules bit their lips to keep from laughing as Gabrielle debated with a toddler that was 15 months old.

Gabrielle finally won the round by offering Asher one of his favorite toys in trade for the mouse and Xena and Hercules were finally able to laugh aloud.

"Careful, warrior," Gabrielle growled as she headed to the door with the mouse. "I'll slip this into your nightshift."

Xena could only laugh harder.

After breakfast the adults gathered around the table once the dishes were cleared and Asher was amusing himself by the fireplace with a piece of charcoal and a flat piece of flagstone.

"Hercules was asking me several questions," Xena began the serious conversation. "One, he asked whether we were leaving Asher behind this time and I told him we weren't."

"Nope, not this time," Gabrielle agreed.

"Second, why are the Amazons doing this?" Xena said, throwing it out there for her mate.

"When Brutus and Marc Antony attacked the Black Forest Amazons and slaughtered them, Xena and I swore a blood oath of vengeance," Gabrielle reminded the two men.

"I remember, we found them after the attack," Hercules said softly.

"Eponi came after me a few years later, blaming me for the attack," Gabrielle continued. "Brutus told her that I betrayed the Amazons to save Xena from the Romans. We settled that and I told her of the blood oath against Brutus and Antony."

"The Amazons know that we settled with Brutus and that I was there when he died a violent death," Xena continued for her mate. "They've been waiting for us to move against Antony. Pony was driven nearly insane after the attack and I'm not sure ever totally recovered. She watched Ephiny, Solari and the others tortured and crucified and hid under the bodies of her sisters to escape detection."

"Oh Gods," Iolaus muttered, glancing over to make sure Asher was still amused and not listening closely.

"You know the rest," Gabrielle said calmly. "Artemis showed up and demanded we take care of Antony once and for all and zapped us to Egypt to do it."

"What went wrong in Egypt?" Iolaus asked.

"What went right?" Xena countered bitterly. "We were in an impossible situation. We liked Cleopatra and didn't want to hurt her and we were supposed to arrange for Antony's death at the same time. Gabrielle and I observed things and determined that Octavian is the best choice for the Empire and Antony would be a disaster."

"We still couldn't kill him without killing Cleopatra," Gabrielle added. "She loves him so much that she won't live without him."

"So you walked away," Hercules guessed.

"Not quite," Xena growled, her face darkening. "Gabrielle tried to get us out of there and told Artemis that we couldn't do it. Artemis attacked Gabrielle and almost killed her."

"Oh gods," Iolaus muttered.

"We got Gabrielle out of there with the plans for the upcoming battle at Actium," Xena continued. "She went to Octavian and I stayed with Antony and Cleo. I convinced Cleo that Antony wasn't loyal to her and she turned against him during the battle, ensuring Octavian's eventual victory."

"Then she went and took Antony back!" Gabrielle complained. "I sent word to the Black Forest Amazons that I would return in spring and renounce my rank of Queen to the tribe. You know the rest."

"They sent word back that it wouldn't be enough to renounce your position," Hercules grumbled.

"Exactly," Gabrielle nodded. "We're pretty sure that Artemis has told them her own version of what happened and turned them against me."

Hercules and Iolaus frowned as they held hands across the table. Iolaus nodded to his mate.

"We're going with you," Hercules announced. "We were recognized by your tribe as your Kumbada and your family. They have to at least give us a say in this."

Gabrielle frowned as she thought about it.

"What about the farm?" she asked.

"Ketli is due back any day now from gathering the wild sheep and cattle with the clan and the ships don't plan on sailing for another two moons," Iolaus explained. "He'll watch the place with a couple of his cousins from Eddval's clan."

"I don't know if they'll let you in but I'd like you there," the bard admitted and tried to smile.

"Okay, another question Hercules asked was what can we expect?" Xena continued. "It'll probably be a combination of a traditional northern All-Thing and Amazon law, I'm guessing."

Gabrielle nodded, "They have been trying to adapt the northern with their own Greek Amazon heritage. I did a lot of reading when I took over the Queen title and have an idea of what to expect. I'm not sure what mix of Viking they might throw in though."

The bard hesitated as she gathered her thoughts.

"When we hit Amazon land, I'll probably be arrested," Gabrielle reached across the table and grabbed Xena's hands when the warrior growled her displeasure at that thought. "I'm facing charges of treason, Xena. They'll likely take my weapons and may even shackle me."

Hercules and Iolaus were looking unhappy and weren't surprised that Xena's blue eyes were flashing with intense anger at the thought of Gabrielle's own Amazons doing that to her.

"They may or may not let Hercules and Iolaus follow us onto Amazon land and they might demand Xena's weapons as well," Gabrielle continued, glancing over to find Asher putting his charcoal down and looking around, his blue-green eyes eagerly seeking new entertainment.

Iolaus jumped up and quickly gathered the boy into his arm, swinging Asher around playfully as the toddler laughed hysterically in delight. Both Moms watched for a moment as Iolaus sat Asher down and they began to rummage through the boy's toy box for the next item of the day.

"They'll call a gathering of the Queens or Representatives from all the tribes of the Nation," Gabrielle continued. "Then they'll hear evidence and pleas and announce their decision – usually after a day or more of debating. Then we'll know."

"What could their decision be?" Hercules asked.

"Well, I'm hoping for acquittal," Gabrielle quipped and caught Xena's smirk at Gabrielle's attempt at lightening the mood. "Actually, I expect to be found guilty since I did fail to kill Antony and failed my blood oath to the memory of my Amazon sisters."

"Oh gods," Hercules said, rubbing his hand over his face and beard. "Vengeance never gets us anywhere."

"That's something I'm not sure mankind will ever figure out," Xena commented.

"What could be the punishments?" Hercules asked, knowing that Iolaus was listening closely as he played with the boy.

"Uh, well," Gabrielle hesitated and heard Xena growling in growing concern. "Death is most likely for breaking such an oath, especially for a Queen," she said softly.

"Only through me!" Xena promised angrily.

Gabrielle squeezed Xena's hands. "I know, my love, I know. They'll be expecting that as my Champion and Consort."

"How?" Hercules pressed the question.

"Some punishments include: maiming, banishment from the parent tribe, blinding, banishment with no contact with any other Amazon," Gabrielle explained, almost reciting from memory from the ancient scrolls. "I would be a non-person to all Amazons."

Xena flinched as Gabrielle's eyes filled with tears. The warrior knew that Gabrielle had no idea what she was doing the day the bard accepted the "right of caste" from a dying Amazon Princess and Xena had figured it had just been an adventure to Gabrielle. The bard had surprised her though, by accepting the Amazon way of life and all it encompassed and it had gone beyond "playing" at being an Amazon. Somewhere along the line, Gabrielle had become a true Amazon and Queen.

Xena knew that she could live with having Amazons ignore her and refusing to talk or deal with her but the warrior also knew that it would be very painful for Gabrielle. Then Xena thought about it further; could she live knowing that Yakut, Otere and the others of the Northern Amazons couldn't talk to them either? Xena wasn't amused with that thought.

"A death sentence could be several ways: poison, shot by arrows, stoned to death, running a gauntlet, being sacrificed on an altar to Artemis or even a blood hunt," Gabrielle finished.

"Blood hunt?" Hercules questioned.

"A pack of hunters is chosen and the hunted is given a dagger and one candle-mark head start," Gabrielle explained. "Sometimes the rules are if the hunted gets off Amazon land then they're declared safe and banished. No one's ever made it off Amazon land during a hunt."

"Gabrielle, as your Champion, how much of a role do I get in this?" Xena demanded. "You know there's no one on earth who could best me in a hunt."

"I know, my love," Gabrielle tried to smile. "I doubt even 50 Amazon hunters could take you down. I truly don't know. Unlike a Challenge, you can't stand for me in punishment. Whatever they decide, that's what I have to face."

"What about challenging Eponi to Queenship?" Xena asked.

"I'm already the Queen and under trial," Gabrielle muttered. "You can't challenge her because you're not an Amazon, not even as my Champion."

"They are not going to kill you!" Xena repeated.

"We'll figure a way out of it," Gabrielle said, trying to reassure her mate and best friends.

Xena continued to look very unhappy.

Traveling with Asher proved to more of a challenge than Gabrielle had faced before. Xena had a little more hands on experience with Sasha but even the warrior admitted that Asher was a handful.

Between his mood swings, curious pointing at everything, and demanding to stay with his normal schedule of feeding and naps, just a few days on the road with the small boy had worn out the family.

The other side of the coin was watching his face light up with delight at new animals coming into sight, new noises sounding in the forests, and as he watched the river rolling by them with fascination. Both Gabrielle and Xena were grateful that he didn't seem to be afraid of anything: loud noises, the dark, animals; nothing seemed to faze the boy. On the other hand, they were always on guard with him. Having no real sense of fear, they knew he could get in over his head faster than one of Zeus' lightning bolts.

Xena woke up on the fourth night to find Asher asleep next to her but the spot beyond that empty. She looked around and found Gabrielle sitting by the fire, staring at the flames. The warrior wrapped the furs around Asher and wrapped one around her shoulders as she got up and sat down next to her mate.

"Can't sleep?"

"No, tomorrow we hit Amazon land," Gabrielle answered.

"I know," Xena acknowledged her mate's nervousness.

"Gabrielle, no matter what happens, we are leaving here to raise our son and spend as much time with Sasha as we can," Xena promised. "Even if we have to travel all the way to Chin, I am not going to let them harm you."

"Xena, you know that we may not have a choice," Gabrielle said wearily. "I accepted all aspects of being an Amazon, even the bad stuff and the responsibilities."

"I didn't agree to you being killed, especially not for being unable to kill," Xena growled.

"I know," Gabrielle smiled, leaning into Xena's shoulder.

Xena let Gabrielle take the lead as they got closer to Amazon land and the small group slowed to walking their horses.

Gabrielle stopped her horse and dismounted. She glanced back at Xena for a moment and then moved forward slowly, crossing the invisible marker and raising her hands in the sign of peace among the Amazons. Xena kept one arm wrapped around Asher as she moved her horse forward; raising her hand as well. Hercules and Iolaus, followed their examples.

Almost instantly the area was filled with Amazon guards and scouts, all with weapons drawn.

An Amazon dropped out of the trees, using a rope and slowly walked up to Gabrielle and stood looking at the Queen through a leather and fur mask.

"Eponi," Gabrielle said calmly, recognizing the Amazon, despite the mask.

Eponi removed the mask and stared at the smaller Amazon. Without warning she backhanded Gabrielle with a short Amazon club, sending the bard flying back into Iolaus' arm.

Hercules grabbed Xena by the upper arms as the warrior growled.

Gabrielle shook her head as Iolaus helped the bard stand up.

"Gabrielle of the Black Forest Amazons, you are charged with treason," Eponi said formally.

"She is the Queen of the Black Forest Amazons," Xena growled, "You'll treat her with respect until she's convicted of anything!"

Eponi snarled and raised her club but one of the other Amazons stepped forward and whispered in Pony's ear. The Regent finally nodded and stepped back.

Gabrielle shook her head again and pulled her sword out slowly and laid it at her feet. She then pulled her sais out and handed them to Hercules and stepped forward to face Pony again.

"What next?" she asked calmly, ignoring her bloody nose.

"Your Consort and Hallvor are right, you are still a Queen," Eponi snarled. "I over-stepped my bounds. You, your Consort and child will be placed in the Queen's hut. The males will be cleansed and allowed to enter later today. We expect all the Representatives or Queens from the other tribes to arrive by tomorrow."

"Alright," Gabrielle said calmly. "Do you require shackles or a guard?"

Pony's eyes flashed with anger and she stepped forward a step. Gabrielle's green eyes were just as hardened and challenging.

Hallvor placed a hand on the Regent's shoulder, restraining her lover. After a moment Pony calmed down.

"You have come willingly and have surrendered your weapons without demand," Pony said, again sounding formal. "I don't think a guard will be necessary."

"Thank you, Regent," Gabrielle responded, intentionally using Eponi's title and then shook her head, mentally scolding herself. "I'm sorry, Eponi. We're all a little tense. There's no need to physically or verbally be at each other's throats."

Pony frowned at Gabrielle's attempt to defuse the situation.

"I'll agree to be civil, Queen Gabrielle," Eponi responded. "Understand that I am the one who brought the charges against you and demanded a trial."

"I knew it was you," Gabrielle nodded. "Doesn't change anything with me, Pony."

Eponi looked confused as she turned away from the small group.

Hallvor stepped forward. "Queen Gabrielle," the Viking tried to smile. "I wish you had stayed home."

Gabrielle smiled at her friend. "I couldn't do that any more than you could."

"I know," Hallvor smiled and motioned the guards and scouts to keep an eye on Hercules and Iolaus. "Sorry, guys, but you know the rules concerning men."

"We understand," Iolaus nodded.

"Xena keeps my weapons," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Of course, my Queen," Hallvor nodded as Hercules handed Gabrielle's sais over to Xena. "Asher? By the gods, he's grown in the last four moons!"

Xena grinned as she and Gabrielle walked along with Hallvor. They both noticed the Viking limping more than usual.

"He has, he's almost walking by himself and getting into everything," Xena smiled.

"How is it going with Eponi and you?" Gabrielle asked the Viking Amazon.

"Not so good," Hallvor admitted. "We've been fighting over this decision, so has all the tribe. Those who know you aren't in favor of this, Gabrielle."

"How many are?" Xena asked slowly.

"Enough to make it work," Hallvor complained. "Pony and I haven't seen eye to eye on this for weeks. I moved out and I'm staying in a single cabin with several sisters."

"Hall, don't let this tear you two apart," Gabrielle pleaded with her Amazon sister.

"It's not just that, we're also having problems - in general," Hallvor shrugged, attempting to dismiss it but Xena could tell by the Viking's body language that her old friend was hurting; physically and emotionally.

They continued filling Hallvor in on what had happened over the winter at the farm, especially the exploits of the mighty Asher.

Xena was impressed with her bard as they walked into the Amazon village. Word had preceded them and everyone stopped what they were doing to watch the entrance of their accused Queen.

Gabrielle held her head up and didn't let any emotion show as Hallvor escorted them to the Queen's Hut.

It wasn't until they were inside the wooden cabin that Gabrielle's shoulders sagged and Xena sat Asher down and took Gabrielle into her arms.

"Oh gods, that was harder than I thought it would be," Gabrielle whispered as Xena gently held and rocked her, comforting her mate.

Gabrielle noticed that out of respect, the Queen's chair was left empty as she took her place at one table and Eponi stood at another as they both faced a row of tables of Queens and Representatives.

The Queen's seat sat on a platform behind the row of the Queen's Council.

Xena stood behind Gabrielle as her Champion and Consort. Hallvor stood just behind Eponi.

Gabrielle and Eponi sat down and listened as each Queen and Representatives were introduced, one by one. They numbered twenty in all, including Otere from the Northern Siberian Amazons. Xena spotted Yakut among the crowd and a couple of other Northern Amazons as well and nodded. Yakut wiggled her eyebrows and Xena resisted smiling, maintaining her serious poise as Champion.

Xena knew they wouldn't get a chance to talk with Otere now that the trial had started but she hoped they would be able to see Yakut and the other friendly faces.

Hallvor stepped forward.

"Before you is Gabrielle, Queen of the Black Forest Amazons," Hallvor said, addressing the Council. "She was the Queen of the mid-land Greek Amazons until they were attacked and taken prisoner by the Roman, Caesar. Gabrielle moved what remained of the tribe to the Black Forest. Again we were attacked by the Romans and what remains is what we have rebuilt. Queen Gabrielle swore a blood oath of personal vengeance against the two Romans responsible for the second attack, Brutus and Marc Antony. Queen Gabrielle is accused of failing to fulfill that oath when she had the chance and went against the expressed wishes of Artemis, our patron goddess."

Xena rested a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder in support.

"Behind Queen Gabrielle is her Champion among the Amazons and in life, Xena," Hallvor continued. "She is also the Queen's Consort and accepted as an Amazon in that regard."

Hallvor pointed towards Eponi. "This is Regent Eponi of the Black Forest Amazons, chosen by Gabrielle as Regent and acting Queen while Gabrielle is away. I am Hallvor, mate to Eponi and Law Speaker for the tribe."

"Law Speaker?" Xena whispered and Gabrielle shrugged. The Viking continued to surprise them every time they saw her.

"Who brings these charges against your Queen?" one of the Council asked, a woman with fiery red hair and Celtic knotwork of silver adorning her leathers.

"I do," Eponi said firmly, standing up. "Of my own desires and of the wishes of our patron Goddess, Artemis."

Gabrielle resisted the urge to jump out of her chair or squeak as a flash of light blinded everyone. A moment later Artemis was standing next to Eponi and the Regent didn't appear surprised to see the goddess, even if Hallvor fell backwards, landing hard on her rump.

The spectators erupted in shouts, confusion and mumblings. The Council muttered among themselves, as well.

Otere, having met Artemis before, stood up and bowed her head respectfully but Xena noted that the Northern Amazon wasn't smiling at the sight of the goddess.

"Quiet!" Otere shouted in the agreed upon Germanic. "This is Artemis, known among the Romans as Diana, Goddess of the Hunt and of the Amazons of the south."

"Not among the Northern or others?" Artemis demanded, her eyes flashing with anger and amusement.

"I speak only for my tribe, you have visited us to help Gabrielle and Xena," Otere responded slowly. "Gabrielle being your Chosen. Your Greek gods are weak outside of their worship. You are stronger than most but still weak. We have our gods and goddesses and they are strong in our lands."

Artemis nodded, apparently satisfied with Otere's answer.

"What do you wish with this Council?" another Queen asked, this one from the high Carpathian mountains.

"I wish to observe and to speak on this matter," Artemis growled. "Gabrielle was my Chosen for many years and she has betrayed me and the Amazon Nation."

"I wasn't aware we had heard the charges or heard Queen Gabrielle's response," Otere commented.

Artemis looked as if she was about to lash out at the Northern Queen but nodded after a moment.

"I wish to observe and be heard on this matter," Artemis amended her statement.

Otere glanced at the other Council members and they nodded.

"You may," Otere said for the Council and motioned for Artemis to take a seat. The goddess was angered but sat down without a word.

Gabrielle was suddenly very tired and felt Xena squeeze her shoulder again. The bard tried to use the shields she had learned during her spirit travels to block the energy raging around her. The tension was so thick it was almost choking her. Her empathetic abilities were driving her crazy and Gabrielle knew it was just beginning.

"The charges?" the Celtic Queen, Meryl asked.

"Failure to fulfill a blood oath of vengeance for her tribe," Eponi began. "Disobeying the direct wishes of the Patron Goddess of the Amazons."

"That's rather vague," one of the Council complained. "What were your wishes, Goddess Artemis?"

The goddess stood and looked a little uncomfortable. "I demanded the death of the Roman Marc Antony and arranged to transport Gabrielle and Xena to Egypt to accomplish this."

"How does that differ from Queen Gabrielle's blood oath to kill Brutus and Marc Antony?" a Council member questioned.

Artemis glared at the Council for a moment. "I also specified that I wanted Cleopatra alive and that I didn't care who won the civil war between Antony and Octavian."

"Was Cleopatra left alive?" Meryl asked.

"Yes," Artemis said softly.

"I request that the Council consider these charges before Queen Gabrielle replies," Otere said and the Council nodded. "We will retire and discuss this, everyone stay seated."

Gabrielle sighed heavily and leaned back into Xena's arms, not daring to glance at Artemis.

"Oh gods, this is going to be harder than I thought," she muttered as Xena knelt down beside her.

"We'll be fine," Xena said softly. "This is one of the reasons I never set out to conquer a kingdom when I was a warlord, I didn't want to be a royal and sit through hours of stuff like this."

"My Xena, has to have the word 'warrior' attached to a royal title," Gabrielle managed a smile and gave a small wave to Yakut and the other Amazons she recognized. "Where's Asher?"

"With Hercules and Iolaus," Xena answered. "They won't be allowed near the place unless called on to testify so they're watching the tiny terror."

"I'm worried, Xena," Gabrielle admitted. "How do I answer the charges?"

"Truthfully, as always from you," Xena smiled and stood up when they noticed the Council returning.

A Queen from the high mountains of Espanola remained standing as the rest of the Council sat.

"Our decision is thus," she said in heavily accented Germanic. "Goddess Artemis' wishes, as stated, were fulfilled and will not be addressed by the Council. In that her wishes were Marc Antony's death and Cleopatra's life, the only question is Queen Gabrielle's failure to kill the Roman. In that Queen Gabrielle's blood oath was against Antony, we declare Artemis' wishes the same as the oath. We dismiss the charge of failure to obey the Amazon patron Goddess."

Artemis was on her feet in an instant and her eyes literally blazed with anger.

Eponi was also on her feet, talking quickly to the Goddess as Xena stepped in front of Gabrielle protectively and instinctively.

"Goddess Artemis," Meryl called loudly. "If you cannot accept our decision then you are invited to leave."

"How dare you?" Artemis hissed. "I am a Goddess, mortal!"

"And we are Amazons of all tribes and countries," Meryl responded. "You demanded your Regent call an All-Thing against her Queen and we are here. You will honor our way of doing things or leave. We do not recognize your authority over the Council."

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered, she knew Artemis was a heartbeat away from striking all of them.

"You are not the only goddess of Amazons, Greek," the Spanish Amazon said calmly.

"Artemis, please!" Eponi begged and the goddess reluctantly sat down.

"Queen Gabrielle, the charge is that you failed as an Amazon to fulfill a blood oath of vengeance for the death of your Amazons tribe," Meryl continued. "Did you take such an oath?"

Gabrielle took a deep breath and stood to face the Council.

"I took that oath," she acknowledged.

"What was the oath?" Otere questioned.

"'My tribe is dead but the Amazon spirit will never be killed,'" Gabrielle quoted, her eyes unfocusing with memory. "'For Ephiny, Solari, all of them, Brutus and Marc Antony will pay.'"

The Council shifted uneasily.

"This was a blood oath of vengeance?" Revita, the Spanish Queen asked.

"If I may speak, I was there and I know my Consort's mind when she made that oath," Xena asked.

"Xena is not exactly known for her truthfulness when it comes to something she wants," Artemis protested.

"My past is behind me," Xena growled.

"Would you swear to Artemis that you speak the truth?" a Council member questioned.

"No," Xena growled. "She has a personal grudge against my mate."

"To Athena then, the Greek goddess of Truth and Wisdom," Otere suggested and Xena nodded.

"Yes, I will swear to Athena of the Greeks and to Frigga of the North that I'll speak the truth," Xena agreed.

"What was Queen Gabrielle's intent when she made that oath?" Meryl asked.

"Justice," Xena answered easily. "She wanted revenge for the slaughter of her tribe, especially the way Ephiny, Solari and some of the others were tortured and crucified but most of all she wanted justice. I questioned her the next day on her intentions and Gabrielle admitted she wasn't an assassin and couldn't just hunt Brutus and Antony down and kill them. Hercules and Iolaus, our Kumbadas were there as well and heard both the oath and Gabrielle's intentions."

"Queen Gabrielle, did you wish the death of Brutus and Marc Antony?" Meryl pressed the question.

"Yes," Gabrielle admitted. "I was crucified to save my Amazons and Brutus knew that type of death would drive me insane with grief. I wanted them dead because justice demanded it."

"Did you have an opportunity to kill the Roman Brutus?" Otere asked.

"Yes, in a way," Gabrielle answered. "We learned that he and Cassius were facing Octavian and Marc Antony in a civil war. Xena and I were watching the way things were developing, wanting both Antony and Brutus dead made it difficult to choose sides. Brutus, to gain favor with Ares, kidnapped our daughter and forced us to act against him."

"Ares? What does your daughter have to do with Ares?" Revita demanded.

"She is the child of Xena and Ares, Greek God of War," Hallvor explained. "She was adopted into the Northern Siberian Amazon tribe as Gabrielle's daughter."

"So Brutus died and Marc Antony lived," Meryl encouraged Gabrielle to continue.

"Yes," Xena continued the story. "We choose sides with Antony and Octavian. Gabrielle and I agreed that our daughter's safe return was the first and only concern. If Antony or Brutus could be killed, that would be a bonus. I helped Antony and Octavian during the battle while Gabrielle saved Sasha from behind the lines."

"And Brutus?" a Council member asked.

"He saw me coming at him and fell on his sword," Xena said grimly. "I was holding and cursing him as he died."

Gabrielle could feel the satisfied murmuring from the crowd behind her and several Council members were nodding with satisfaction as well.

"You left Antony alive," one pointed out.

"Yes, I tricked him and his Generals into taking most of the brunt of the battle but Antony lived. We got away with Sasha before his assassins could kill us," Xena explained. "The men he sent to kill us turned on him and let us slip away. We chose to protect our daughter before taking our revenge on Antony."

"Antony tried to assassinate you?" Eponi demanded with a frown.

"Yes, just as I figured he would," Xena smirked. "It was what the warlord Xena would have done. He knew Gabrielle was an Amazon and we wanted revenge for it but we pledged not to kill him in exchange for his help in getting Sasha back. We got Sasha back and Brutus was killed, Antony was happy and we were satisfied. He still tried to kill us."

"So you passed up an opportunity to kill him but that is understandable," Revita nodded. "I assume this isn't the charge? Brutus died at Philippi ages ago."

"No, this charge is more recent," Eponi grumbled. "When I met up with Gabrielle again and demanded to know why she hadn't avenged her Amazon tribe and hadn't seen to its resurrection. Gabrielle said she had heard there were no survivors and had helped in bringing about Brutus' death."

"What was her explanation about not going after Antony?" a Council member asked.

"Gabrielle was sickened from poisoned grain," Eponi informed them. "She became ill when trying to save a village from the poison. Xena told me that Antony was in Egypt most of the time and had married Cleopatra and it made moving against him difficult."

"Xena?" Otere questioned.

"Cleopatra became a friend of ours and she married Antony," Xena explained. "To destroy Antony, we'd have to destroy Cleopatra."

"I know something of the politics," one of the Council members said. "Antony has married Cleopatra, despite his marriage to Octavian's sister. They have four children together and he adopted Caesarian, the son of Julius Caesar and Cleopatra. Antony has been at war with Octavian for years."

"Eponi, explain your charge," Otere demanded.

"Xena and Gabrielle were recently given the opportunity by Artemis to complete their blood oath and failed," Eponi said firmly. "They not only failed to kill Antony but they refused."

The crowd behind Xena and Gabrielle shifted uneasily.

"Goddess Artemis?" Revita motioned for the Goddess to stand.

"I offered to transport them immediately from their home in the north to Egypt where they could settle things once and for all with Antony," Artemis said. "Once he was dead, I would transport them back to their home. They agreed and I took them to Egypt."

"Artemis is forgetting that she was answering a plea from Cleopatra to aid in the battles against Octavian," Xena growled. "That's why Antony accepted our presence there; he knew Cleopatra had called on Artemis for help."

"This is true? Cleopatra asked you to get Xena and Gabrielle to help against Octavian?" Otere demanded.

"Yes," Artemis snarled.

"Within minutes of meeting with us, Antony demanded an oath that we wouldn't try to kill him as long as we were guests of his and Cleopatra's, tying our hands against fulfilling the blood oath," Xena continued. "Gabrielle even admitted to him that she still wanted him dead. If we hadn't sworn a truce he would have either thrown us overboard or killed us."

"Artemis demanded that we kill Antony and leave Cleopatra alive and she didn't care how we did it," Gabrielle said bitterly. "She also didn't care that Cleopatra is very much in love with Antony and won't live without him."

"May I suggest a break at this point?" Otere asked and the Council nodded. "Good, a candle-mark for the midday meal."

Gabrielle slumped into Xena's arms as Artemis zapped out of sight.

Hallvor and Eponi quickly began talking in heated whispers and angry gestures.

"Let's get something to eat, all of this nonsense is draining," Xena suggested as they turned to greet Yakut and many other Amazons.

"Queen Gabrielle, you and Xena were in Egypt to kill Antony," Meryl recapped. "Please continue."

"The more I talked with Cleopatra the more convinced I was that there was no way to kill or destroy Antony without taking Cleo down with him. I couldn't kill him because of our truce and I discovered I couldn't destroy him without killing Cleo," Gabrielle continued. "She was our friend, a fellow Queen, a mother and a woman who loves her mate. To kill Antony under those conditions was impossible for me."

The Council frowned.

"There are times when a Queen is called to kill for the good of the tribe, do you reject that?" one of the Council asked.

"No, but I never relished it and always tried to find another way," Gabrielle responded softly.

"If I may speak on this?" a voice asked and everyone turned to see an aged Amazon walk forward between the benches of spectators.

"You are?" Otere asked.

"Byblos, former Law Speaker for the Southern Amazons under Queen Melosa, Queen Gabrielle and Regent Ephiny," Byblos said.

"Speak, please," a Council member urged.

"Queen Gabrielle was poisoned by the Roman delegates at her wedding to the Consort Xena and nearly died," Byblos began. "It was more than a miracle that she lived. It was most painful, some of the worst torture that has ever been thrust upon an Amazon. One of the assassins was captured alive. For days before the trial Gabrielle argued with Ephiny and the Council about other alternatives to a possible death sentence for the Roman."

"After nearly dying, she was willing to let him live?" a Council member asked.

"Yes," Byblos nodded. "Gabrielle was dedicated to finding ways of peace rather than war and blood. When it came time for his judgment, the Queen agreed with the death penalty as was her duty and she witnessed the punishment – with her eyes closed and a heavy heart."

"Queen Gabrielle, could you ever betray a friend, even for the good of the tribe?" Meryl questioned.

"No," Gabrielle responded easily. "I asked Artemis to release us from the mission and she refused. I tried to explain that I couldn't do this and live with myself. I couldn't destroy a friend, even out of vengeance for Ephiny and the others. I wanted to go home to my newborn son."

"What was Artemis' response?" Otere asked.

"Is that relevant?" Eponi demanded, jumping to her feet. "The Council has already stated that Gabrielle's disobedience isn't at question here."

"I'm curious," Otere admitted. "Goddess Artemis agreed to help Queen Cleopatra by taking Xena and Gabrielle to Egypt and order Xena and Gabrielle to kill Antony, no matter what the costs. Is that correct?"

"Yes, your Highness," Xena agreed, beginning to be hopeful that they might actually get out of this in one piece.

"So Artemis was willing to betray Cleopatra's petition for help and to demand that Queen Gabrielle betray a friend just to kill Antony?" Otere pressed, ignoring Artemis' dagger-throwing eyes.

"Yes, Queen Otere," Xena nodded.

"To judge a Queen guilty of betraying a tribe," Revita was frowning. "I want to know more about the Queen. Are there those here who would speak of Queen Gabrielle?"

Artemis suddenly shouted in anger as bright lights filled the area, sending everyone scrambling backwards.

"How dare you show up here?" Artemis shouted as Apollo, Aphrodite and Freya appeared in the center of the meeting space.

Apollo quickly held up his hands above his head in the sign of peace.

"High Council," Xena quickly stepped forward. "This is the Greek god Apollo, God of the Sun, of Healing, and of the Arts. This is the Greek Goddess Aphrodite, Goddess of Love and Beauty. This is Freya, Northern Goddess of Love, Seidhr Magick and the Forest."

"I apologize for my abrupt entrance and not properly petitioning for entrance on Amazon land," Apollo said formerly. "I ask forgiveness from the High Council so that I may speak on behalf of my daughter."

"Daughter?" Revita squeaked.

"She is my daughter," Apollo nodded.

Glances passed back and forth as Aphrodite glared at Artemis.

"You are accepted, God Apollo," one said finally. "Do you agree to abide by our decisions here?"

Apollo frowned and glanced at Gabrielle and Xena.

"We know how protective parents can be over their children," one Council member said calmly. "Being a god, we ask for your word that you'll abide and not interfere."

Apollo continued to frown, "She's my daughter and a favorite."

"Oh agree already, cousin!" Aphrodite urged. "Let's get this over with so they can go home."

"Gabrielle?" Apollo questioned.

"It's alright, Father," she said softly. "I knew the possibilities when I came here."

"That speaks for itself," he said gently and turned to the Council. "I agree."

"Then the gods shall be heard from concerning this," Otere declared. "Have the other witnesses sent for as well."

For the next three candle-marks, Apollo, Aphrodite, Freya, Yakut, Hercules, and Xena talked about Gabrielle's character and her reign as Queen. They talked about the bard's gentle nature, her reluctance to kill, even after becoming a gladiator. The gods spoke of her destiny to pull Xena out of the darkness and away from Ares and, therefore, saving the world. Hercules talked of Gabrielle's struggles to come to grips with herself after her forced gladiatorial training and killing. Freya told those gathered of Gabrielle's willing sacrifice of her life force to save Xena, knowing it meant her death. Yakut told of the nightmare struggle against Alti and how Gabrielle fought for the Northern Siberian Amazons, risking life and soul even though the Northerners weren't her original tribe.

Xena spoke of Gabrielle's undying love for the Amazons and how shattered she had been when they had received word the tribe had been killed. Xena especially spoke of Gabrielle's inability to kill in cold blood and described the recent battle with Draco. Everyone was enraptured by the warrior's description of the battle and Gabrielle's inability to kill Draco, even after he had nearly killed her.

Finally, Xena described Antony's attempted rape and how Sasha and Gabrielle had stopped him in time. Gabrielle poised over him with her sai and still being unable to kill him.

"You're saying that she didn't kill him after he beat you and tried to rape you? Even after he killed her Amazons?" Revita demanded.

"I asked her not to," Xena explained. "I never wanted Gabrielle to follow the same path of blood that I was on until Hercules helped me and I met Gabrielle. She was a moment away from killing him until I asked her not to kill him because of Cleo."

"Why did you stop her?" Otere asked.

Xena knew she was on unsteady ground. One of the worst crimes against an Amazon was rape, it always called for a death sentence and Xena had stopped an Amazon from killing a rapist. A rapist who had attempted to rape a Queen's mate.

"I knew we could fulfill our goal of destroying Antony without killing him and destroying Cleopatra in the process," Xena said.

"Explain," Otere demanded.

"I knew with the brutal attack on me, I could convince Cleopatra that Antony was unfaithful and timed it to approach her during a critical point in the sea battle the next day," Xena explained. "She realized the truth about Antony and turned away from him during the battle. She left the battlefield and pulled her ships along with her. Antony saw her flagship leaving and he followed her."

"I had heard that Antony deserted the field of battle and was disgraced," the same Council member who had spoken on the politics and goings on around Rome spoke. "He followed Cleopatra and caught up with her on land, didn't he?"

"We found out later that he had," Xena nodded. "We left as soon as it was clear that Antony had lost the battle. I knew that Octavian would win the day and would press the victory."

"How does that fulfill your oath?" Meryl demanded.

"Gabrielle and I helped destroy Antony just as if we put a sword through his chest," Xena said firmly. "He's now a drunk, his men think he's a coward and are deserting nightly to Octavian's troops. Cleo doesn't trust him and they are on the run. Within the year Egypt will fall to Octavian and both Cleo and Antony will be dead."

"I thought you wanted Cleopatra to live," Otere asked.

"We do but her choice is Antony and she'll follow him in death," Gabrielle said. "I failed myself; by destroying Antony we destroyed a friend and a fellow Queen. That's what I'm guilty of."

"So, you claim that you have fulfilled your oath in that Marc Antony is as good as dead by your hands?" Revita questioned.

"I would say that," Xena agreed.

"Are there any others who would speak?" Otere asked.

"I would speak," Artemis said. "Gabrielle was my Chosen on Earth and she made me proud for years, even with the taint of Bacchus clouding her."

"Oh you bitch," Xena muttered.

"I have never held that against her, even when it interfered with her in the North, almost costing Gabrielle her soul and Xena her soul and life," Artemis continued.

"Bacchus?" Meryl asked.

"Bacchus is the God of Wine, Vine and Bacchae," the Carpathian Queen explained. "He is well known for his drunken orgies, seasonal celebrations that can be deadly and the Bacchae are vampyre."

"Vampyre?" the Celt asked.

"Blood sucking females that are totally under his control and power," the Carpathian Queen continued. "They are doomed to forever seek out the blood of humans and will turn other females into Bacchae."

"How is Gabrielle connected with Bacchus?" Revita demanded.

"What does this have to do with Antony?" Xena demanded.

"Everyone has talked of her leadership qualities, her personality and her character," Meryl pointed out. "Does this affect her life and has it interfered with her duties?"

"Gabrielle was bitten and became a half-bacchae one Harvest," Artemis explained and Xena growled. "She turned Xena into a half-bacchae as well, almost costing Xena her soul. They managed to kill Bacchus, for a time. It was brought to life later that Gabrielle had tasted two drops of Bacchus' blood, the requirement to becoming a full Bacchae. It affects her to this day."

"How so?" a Council member demanded as Gabrielle's head dropped.

"Once a month she feeds on rare meat, almost raw," Artemis continued as Gabrielle blushed. "During the time of the full moon she drinks blood. Sometimes animal blood is enough but sometimes it has to be human."

The crowd behind them erupted and the Council began talking among itself.

Xena stood behind Gabrielle's chair and wrapped her arms around her bard. She could feel Gabrielle holding back sobs.

Finally Otere stood up and banged a goblet on the table in front of her.

"Enough! This isn't a fish market where we haggle over local gossip!" she shouted. "Yakut, Shaman of the Northern Siberian Amazons, step forth and speak on this!"

"Yes, my Queen," Yakut agreed readily. "We of the Siberian Amazons have known of Gabrielle's Bacchae nature for awhile now. At first it was just a few of us, myself and the Queen included. We had no problem with it. Her need for blood is handled in private between Queen Gabrielle and her mate."

"Has it interfered?" a Council member demanded.

"I'm not sure if I would use that term," Yakut frowned. "It has been used against her as a weakness, just like it is being used today."

Artemis glared but kept silent.

"It also helped when our tribe was attacked by umpir, what you call vampires," Yakut continued. "Queen Gabrielle was able to use her Bacchae side to defeat the head vampire and bring peace between the vampires and the tribe. Without her help we would have all fallen to the vampires and would have become monsters."

"Are you saying that Gabrielle is a monster?" Meryl questioned.

"No, she has a condition that demands she takes something from her mate that Xena gives willingly," Yakut countered. "She has suffered with this but has adapted fairly well, again showing a strength of character that surpasses many of us."

"Regent Eponi, did you know about this?" Otere asked, watching Eponi shift uncomfortably in her chair and Hallvor looking at her feet.

Pony hesitated. "Yes," she finally admitted. "I learned about it when we were traveling together. Gabrielle and Xena were keeping it quiet but something… there was an emergency in the camp and I saw the marks on Xena's neck and the blood on Gabrielle's lips."

Several Council members looked revolted and Xena growled at the murmurs of disgust from the spectators, she hugged Gabrielle tighter.

"Did you demand that she give up her rank as Queen because of it?" Otere asked.

"No," Pony had to admit. "I told her that if Artemis accepted her then I didn't have a problem with it."

"Queen Gabrielle, did Artemis tell you that she accepted this part of you and still accepted you as her Chosen?" Meryl asked softly.

Gabrielle's green eyes were filled with tears as she tried to raise her head. She couldn't even look at Artemis.

"Yes, many times," Gabrielle said softly. "She said she was proud of how I handled it."

Otere nodded for a moment and glared at Artemis.

"Then I suggest to the Council that this part of Gabrielle's character not be called into question since her own patron Goddess accepted it, her Regent accepted it, her mate accepts it and aids the Queen in her struggles, and the Siberian Amazons as a tribe accept it," Otere said and Xena was relieved when several Council members nodded in agreement.

"Does anyone else wish to speak?" one of them asked and no one stepped forward.

"Regent Eponi," Meryl began. "You have brought this charge and you have heard all there is to be said on the matter. Do you revoke your charge?"

Eponi frowned and Hallvor leaned forward to whisper fiercely in the Regent's ear. Pony turned and looked at Artemis and flinched at the anger she saw in the goddess' eyes.

Eponi hesitated. "We have heard that Gabrielle had Marc Antony defenseless after he assaulted her mate, a Consort to the Queen, and she let him go. Queen Gabrielle had sworn a blood oath to kill him and she let him live, dishonoring the memories of Ephiny, Solari, and the countless other Amazons that died at his hands. I hold to the charge."

"Damn you," Xena muttered under her breath.

Hallvor pulled back away from her mate and glared at Artemis.

"The Council will retire to discuss the charge and the evidence," Meryl declared. "We will meet everyone when a decision has been met."

The rest of those assembled stood still while the Council left to go to the meeting hall and the god and goddesses disappeared. Eponi turned to Hallvor, a pleading expression on her face but the Viking shook her hand off and leaned heavily on a crutch.

The Viking Amazon's face was pained as Eponi begged quietly with her but Hallvor shook her head and turned away from her mate and Regent.

"That doesn't look good," Xena commented as she held Gabrielle from behind.

"No, it doesn't," Gabrielle agreed.

"Why didn't you bring up Artemis trying to get Cleo into bed?" Xena asked as Yakut and the others walked towards them and Gabrielle wiped away tears from Artemis' betrayal.

"Once the Council declared that part of the charge invalid, there was no point," Gabrielle shrugged. "They could see she's got an agenda of some kind. I think they'll deal fairly with the facts."

"Gods, I am tired after that and I want to see Asher," Xena declared as Yakut hugged Gabrielle and then Xena.

"Good to see you, Yakut," Xena smiled and Gabrielle tried.

"Thank you, Yakut," Gabrielle said softly.

"Nothing to thank me for, I spoke the truth," Yakut smiled broadly. "You are accepted among us, we don't care how much you nibble on Xena's neck."

Gabrielle blushed as Xena laughed, the tension easing somewhat.

The friends had a lot to catch up on since their last visit to the Northern tribe, and Xena wanted to get Gabrielle's mind off the Bacchae thing. Their friends weren't treating the bard any differently but Xena had caught several curious glances and some looks of disgust from unknown Amazons and didn't want Gabrielle noticing.

The warrior wasn't surprised when Gabrielle tossed and turned with nightmares during the night after a late evening with Yakut and other Northern Amazons.

The arguing inside the meeting hall continued for two long and stressful days as Gabrielle paced and Xena sulleningly sharpened her sword.

Finally, the Council sent word to everyone that a decision of sorts had been reached and to assemble on the third day at mid-day.

Yakut and her mate, Karita, tried to keep Gabrielle and Xena busy until that time but it was an uphill battle.

Hercules and Iolaus were confined to the guest hut and reluctantly took Asher from his mothers.

Gabrielle was too nervous to even accept a hug from her two housemates.

"Xena?" Hercules asked softly as he hugged his half-sister.

"I'm not going to let them hurt her," Xena confirmed Hercules' suspicions. "I'll challenge every member of the Council if I have to."

"Let out one of your yells," Hercules advised. "I think Apollo is hovering around with Aphrodite, unseen."

"Aphrodite?" Xena asked.

"She likes the both of you and is totally pissed off at Artemis," Hercules grinned as Iolaus smirked. "Seems Aphrodite and Artemis are occasionally an item until Arte went and fell for Cleopatra."

"The gods and goddesses are worse than most humans I know," Xena complained softly.

"Usually caught acting like spoiled brats," Hercules agreed. "You know Gabrielle won't agree to a rescue, no matter what they decide."

"I know and it might cost me a relationship but I won't let them kill her," Xena vowed.

"Xena," Hercules said softly.

"Just get her and Asher out if I can't," Xena urged and the demi-god nodded.

Xena trotted to catch up with Gabrielle and Yakut as they walked towards the meeting area.

"Xena, promise me that you won't interfere," Gabrielle insisted.

"No, I can't promise that and you know it," Xena growled and Gabrielle nodded wearily.

Xena noticed that Otere wasn't among the Council when they returned to their seats and looked around for her northern friend. She spotted the Queen coming in behind the rest of the Queens and standing behind the Council.

Xena growled and she felt Gabrielle's hand reach behind her to touch Xena.

"I see," Gabrielle said softly. "What does it mean?"

"I don't know but I don't like it," Xena whispered back.

Meryl stood and the crowd quieted down.

"May the record note that Goddess Artemis is absent, as are the other deities that have attended this trial," she said formally. "Also absent from this part are the visitors Hercules and Iolaus, invited male kin and friends of Queen Gabrielle."

"Queen Gabrielle," Revita said firmly and Gabrielle rose slowly. "We have debated for days and have come the conclusion that there is no 'just' decision in this matter. It has been determined that, technically, you are guilty of failing to complete your blood oath of vengeance for the death of your tribe members."

Xena placed a hand on Gabrielle's shoulders, her other hand resting on her chakram.

"Coming to this decision has been most difficult and I must state for the record that the decision was not unanimous," the Spaniard said, glancing back at Otere. "We acknowledge that several of the northern Amazon tribes refuse to agree to this vote."

"Having been found guilty, we will now retire and debate the sentence," Meryl declared and Xena growled as Amazon guards approached her mate. "Queen Gabrielle will be kept under guard in the Isolation Hut."

"She's still a Queen!" Xena protested.

"Yes, that's why she isn't being chained," Revita said softly.

"Xena, don't fight this!" Gabrielle urged but her eyes showed her anxiety.

The warrior pulled Gabrielle into her arms and held her tightly. Xena glared at the guards as Gabrielle began to pull out of her arms.

"She gets one bruise and I'll have your heads," Xena promised and she saw the Amazons hesitate a moment before motioning Gabrielle to walk ahead of them.

Yakut and Karita, her mate, came up on either side of the warrior, a gentle hand on each arm as Gabrielle walked away, a little unsteady on her feet.

The Council stood and moved once again towards the Meeting Hall. Otere was frowning, along with several other Queens and representatives from the Northern tribes.

She shrugged as they followed the rest of the Council.

Xena paced restlessly as everyone hovered around the meeting area. The warrior refused to talk to anyone as the Council debated her mate's fate. Yakut and Karita let her pace.

"Gods, I can't stand waiting!" Xena shouted.

"I know," Yakut said calmly. "I wonder what is going on with Otere and our northern sisters?"

"Got me," Karita mumbled.

"Xena," Yakut began, "I don't think they'll call for a death penalty."

"They won't like it if they do," Xena growled. "They should have let me stay with her. Do you know what tonight is?"

Yakut and Karita looked puzzled when Yakut's eyes suddenly widened and she turned pale. "Oh sweet Goddess Akko, it's a full moon. Has she been holding it off with rare meat? Animal blood?"

"No, she's been so worried about this trial she's barely been eating," Xena growled. "She went last night without it and by tonight she'll be hurting."

"We can request that you visit her," Karita suggested.

"No," Yakut said thoughtfully. "I'm betting that Eponi and Artemis arranged this to use the Bacchae thing against Gabrielle. What happens if she doesn't get the blood she needs by the third night?"

"Gods, it's like someone who has become dependent on a hallucination herb or alcohol," Xena said slowly.

"What will she look and act like two mornings from now?" Yakut questioned.

"She'll be shaking uncontrollably, her eyes will probably be yellow, her fangs may even be showing. Gabrielle will hardly be able to speak or concentrate," Xena explained, closing her eyes against the torment of describing the potential pain of her mate.

"Not the picture of an efficient Queen willing to die for their tribe," Yakut commented bitterly.

"You think Artemis would go this far?" Xena asked. "Gabrielle was her Chosen for years; they almost died for each other."

"I don't understand your gods and goddesses," Yakut admitted. "Could she be capable of doing this to her Chosen and one of her Queens?"

"Well, I'd vote a huge 'no' normally," a voice joined them and Xena spun with her chakram at ready and glared at the figures standing just in the shadows of the hut.

Aphrodite, Cupid and Apollo stepped into the light of the lanterns and fire.

"'Dite," Xena acknowledged them with a nod. "Spill what you know."

"Look tall, dark and gorgeous," Aphrodite grinned, brushing a hand over her perfect hair. "It wasn't my place to talk about this; it's not something Arte like wants to get around to the other gods."

"Xena," Apollo said calmly, "Please sit, there are reasons for Artemis' reactions but it can't come to light and Gabrielle would agree."

"Why would she agree with Artemis getting away with all of this?" Xena demanded.

"Because it's for the good of the Amazon Nation," Cupid said calmly.

"Someone had better start explaining," Xena threatened as Yakut and Karita sat quietly, wondering if they should leave the Greeks to themselves but the gods did say it involved the Nation.

"You know Artemis fell for Cleopatra, right?" Aphrodite began as they all sat down around the central fire. Karita got up and opened the door slightly, keeping an eye on the guards outside. She nodded for the Greek Goddess of Love to continue. "Well, it turned into something, actually."

"You mean Artemis hooked up with Cleopatra?" Xena asked. "I thought she was loyal to Antony even though he played around."

"Totally loyal to Antony," Aphrodite agreed. "She would, like, do anything he wanted."

Xena's eyes widened and she shook her head. "No way, Cleo wouldn't dare!"

Cupid nodded, his face grim. "Cleopatra took Artemis to bed several times, driving poor Aunt Artemis insane with lust. The rumors and legends of Cleopatra's prowess in bed are very true. I'm surprised she didn't make a play for Gabrielle."

"Go on," Xena demanded.

"Cleopatra had Artemis in bed and out of her mind and Antony joined in," Cupid said calmly.

Xena closed her eyes and fought against the revulsion her own memories were crowding her with. She knew what Antony was capable of and how far he would go, she just hadn't expected Cleopatra to cooperate in any of it.

"He… Artemis?" she stammered.

Aphrodite was no longer smiling and Cupid was staring at the fire.

"Gods and Goddess can't be hurt by mortals, right?" Cupid asked bitterly. "When we mate with humans, we let part of our godhood down. In a way we become part mortal for a short time so our god-energy doesn't destroy our human mate."

"Antony hurt Artemis," Aphrodite finished. "Not by physically raping her but by humiliating her. Cleo chose Antony over her in bed and then demonstrated how much she preferred the male over a Goddess. He took her repeatedly in front of Arte. Cupid and I heard her weeping and found her."

Xena watched as mother and son looked miserable at revealing what had happened. "Why didn't she zap him? Or leave?"

"Cleo had..uh..," Cupid hesitated. "You know that Hebrew story of Samson's weakness with his hair?"

Xena nodded, confused.

"Each of the Gods has a token or a symbol that we have to have with us to maintain our power, it's a physical connection to our godhood," he explained.

"Ares and his sword," Xena nodded, remembering the hassles she had gone through in Callisto's body when Ares lost his sword and godhood.

"Exactly, Cleo tricked Arte's token away from her and taunted her with it while Antony was having sex with her," Aphrodite growled. "She couldn't leave and he would hit her whenever she tried to get out of the bed."

"She begged pleaded with us until we swore that we'd never tell any of the other Olympians," Cupid explained. "We had to agree, she was out of her mind with grief, guilt and pain."

"So, she was using Gabrielle to get revenge on Antony for her own attack and Cleopatra's betrayal?" Yakut asked, wanting to clarify things.

"Yes, she's still out of her mind with what happened," Aphrodite continued. "The stupid love-sick wench thinks that Cleo might take her back if Antony is dead."

"Hasn't she figured out that Cleo only wants Antony?" Xena complained.

"She's beginning to," Apollo nodded. "I became involved because they needed me to heal Artemis after the beating. She was too ashamed to let Athena know what happened."

"Why didn't she just zap Antony afterwards? Or send her dogs after him and run him into the ground?" Xena asked.

"She was afraid the truth would get out," Cupid said. "There's already that legend of that huntsman seeing her naked and Artemis ripping him apart with her dogs."

"Think about it, gorgeous," Aphrodite urged. "The Virgin Goddess of the Amazons being sexually bested by a man and beaten, not good for the rep, especially her being naked and all."

"She's the victim of a rape, whether Antony touched her not; it was an emotional rape!" Xena protested with a growl. "She wasn't at fault!"

"No, but she didn't fight back with Cleopatra being there and she didn't take revenge later," Apollo pointed out. "Artemis is afraid that her Amazons will lose faith in her and it would damage the Nation."

"And you agree?" Xena growled.

"Actually," Apollo hesitated. "I like the Amazons, no matter how they typically feel about males and male gods. I especially like them since one of my favorite daughters is an Amazon and, yes, I do understand Artemis' thinking."

"Times are changing, Xena," Cupid added. "You've seen part of it. I'm now Eros and Mom is Venus and Artemis is Diana. It's just a name change and some new minor gods and goddesses added with the Romans but it's not the ending of the change."

"Poor Apollo over there is almost helpless in the north," Aphrodite continued explaining. "He's a sun god and they have a sun goddess. You already know how we lose strength outside our realm of worshippers."

"Some of you are hoping to survive the transitions that time will bring about," Yakut reasoned.

"You are cute under all that leather and fur," Aphrodite grinned. "What is it with you Amazons and leather? Not that I'm complaining much, I do like my women butch at times but…"

"Dite!" Xena snapped.

"What was the question?" Aphrodite asked sweetly. "Oh right, yes, we want to survive, of course, and not fall the way of the Titans. Cupid and I figure we'll get by, the world always needs love and there'll always be a god of War."

"Artemis is hoping to spread her influence to the other regions, mostly through the women and the Amazons, specifically," Cupid added.

"She's worried that a beaten, non-virgin Goddess of the Amazons won't be as appealing," Xena reasoned, her voice bitter. "Doesn't she realize how many women suffer through that? Artemis could be someone they turn to in their grief, Gabrielle included."

"We know that but she won't listen to reason right now and transferred her anger onto Gabrielle," Apollo said.

"Okay, that explains her motivation and lack of sanity," Xena growled. "What do we do about it?"

"Well, we can't come out publicly with it," Cupid frowned. "But maybe we can lessen the damage she's doing."

"What do you suggest?" Yakut asked.

"Aphrodite is going to talk with the Council behind closed doors and remind them that Gabrielle was willing to die for them, even putting herself in a position to be crucified for her Amazons," Cupid began.

"I'll tell them just enough so they understand Artemis' motivations a little better," Aphrodite said. "We'll also let them know that your fates aren't decided here and there's more than just the Greek gods involved in your futures."

"Terrific," Xena mumbled. "Do we ever get a break? I mean it, that mess with Antony and Cleopatra just topped off a very bad run and we just want some peace and quiet and raise Asher."

"We'll see what we can work out in the future," Apollo promised. "Right now, let's just get the two of you through this. First step is for Aphrodite to crash their debate, second step is to get you to Gabrielle so she'll be in top shape when the Council reconvenes."

"You'll take me to her?" Xena asked hopefully.

"You two are like some of our best work," Aphrodite said with a smile. "Can't have that messed up because of tall, dark, and gruesome Bacchus."

"Your friends can keep an eye out for the guards here, I'll cast a spell over the guards at the Isolation Hut so that they don't see or hear anything," Cupid grinned. "And Mom will go and talk with the Council."

"How bad is she?" Xena asked with a frown.

"Lack of sleep, lack of blood from the meat, the high stress, being found guilty," Apollo rattled off. "It's added up quickly for my daughter. She's hurting badly and doesn't feel she can ask for animal blood from the guards."

"Let's do it," Xena growled.

The warrior found her bard curled up on the small cot provided in the plain and empty one-room cabin. Gabrielle was shaking and sweating at the same time. Xena whimpered at the sight of the bard's half open and unseeing yellow eyes as the warrior knelt next to her mate.

Apollo had been right, the combined factors of the last few days had hit the bard hard and intensified the Bacchae craving.

"Gabrielle?" Xena said softly, placing a hand slowly and carefully on the bard's arm but didn't get a response. "Gabrielle!" the warrior said more firmly. "Come on, baby. Come on, snap out of this."

Xena pulled her breast dagger out and barely winced as she cut her forearm. She held it against Gabrielle's mouth. At first the bard didn't respond and Xena was very worried. Then Gabrielle growled and latched her mouth around the wound and began to drink deeply.

Xena moved up onto the cot until she was half holding Gabrielle in her arms as her mate drank from her. The warrior felt her body jerking with the blood loss and the eroticism that always hit her whenever Gabrielle fed from her.

The warrior began to feel a little lightheaded when she noticed Gabrielle pulling back from her arm.

"Xena?" Gabrielle's voice was confused and Xena shifted so Gabrielle could look at her, half lying in the warrior's lap.

"I'm here, Little One," Xena said softly as she bent down to kiss her mate.

Gabrielle moaned as Xena's tongue danced over her fangs, accepting the taste of her own blood in Gabrielle's mouth. Gabrielle reached behind Xena's head and the warrior could feel that Gabrielle was still trembling.

Gabrielle pulled back with a smile. "Must remember to breathe," she mumbled, laying her head against Xena's chest as her Champion held her close. "How did you do this and is anybody hurt?"

Xena laughed softly, stroking Gabrielle's hair.

"No one got hurt trying to stop me," Xena reassured her mate. "Your father, Aphrodite and Cupid are helping us tonight."

"Why and how?"

"They know that Artemis isn't her normal self, they like us, and Cupid cast a spell on your guards so they won't hear a thing tonight," Xena explained quickly.

Xena felt her heart skip a beat when Gabrielle opened her eyes and they were still Bacchae yellow.

"They knew," she whispered.

"Apollo knew the cravings were bad because of this mess," Xena nodded.

The warrior could see Gabrielle's muscles twitching and could feel her shaking hands.

"You're not gonna hurt me, Gabrielle," Xena reassured her mate and helped the bard sit upright. Xena stood up and quickly began removing her armor as Gabrielle's breath quickened at the sight of her half naked mate.

Xena let her leather shift drop and saw Gabrielle's muscles tensing, as if ready to spring. The warrior stepped in front of Gabrielle and grabbed the bard's hands as her wife reached for her.

"Let me," Xena said softly, moving Gabrielle's hands to rest on the bed. Gabrielle moaned in frustration as Xena's hands reached for the ties holding her top. Both relished the times they could visit the Amazons and Gabrielle could go back to her preferred manner of dressing, which was very little on top, a simple skirt and shorts below. The bard didn't have to worry about the scars across her back causing her to be mistaken for a runaway slave as they had before among the Amazons.

Xena let the top fall away from Gabrielle's full breasts with a sigh of arousal. She saw Gabrielle's hands clench at the blanket she was sitting on. The warrior knew Gabrielle was hanging onto control by just a thread and felt an impish impulse to push it. Xena was well aware that when Gabrielle was this aroused by the Bacchae craving and need for sex with it, that it was going to be a very hard ride and welcomed it. They had both been pent up after the last two years of mishaps and bad adventures and Xena had to admit it had affected them.

"Time to come back to me, Little One," she whispered, pushing Gabrielle down onto the cot and quickly removed the rest of Gabrielle's clothing. The bard was almost panting as she gripped the blanket, trying to let Xena control the seduction.

Xena leaned her naked body over Gabrielle's, letting her nipples lightly touch Gabrielle's, rubbing over them.

"Oh gods!" Gabrielle cried out, her back arching. "Xena!"

"Now, Gabrielle!" Xena hissed and lowered her body down to touch her frenzied Bacchae.

Gabrielle growled and flipped Xena over onto her back, the bard's lips attacking Xena's, almost hard enough to bruise. The bard surprised her mate by pulling back after a moment and resting on an elbow as she looked down in Xena's eyes. The yellow eyes of a Bacchae Gabrielle were always disturbing but Xena saw not only the Bacchae insanity but love flowing from them.

"I love you, Xena," Gabrielle whispered. "Never anyone but you."

"I know," Xena said softly, reaching up to caress the bard's check. "Let go and come to me."

Gabrielle closed her eyes with a whimper and when she opened them again, Xena's eyes widened at the sight of Gabrielle's fangs extending.

"Yes," Xena said calmly and thrust a leg between Gabrielle's, discovering how aroused the Amazon Queen was, pulling a moan from Gabrielle.

The bard growled as Xena's hands went to the bare skin of Gabrielle's neck and trailed down, pulling her wife closer to her. Gabrielle whimpered as her hands began dancing all over Xena's body, tweaking the warrior's nipples, squeezing her breasts, playing in the dark curls between Xena's legs. Her hands were always moving and sending lightning bolts of arousal through the warrior until Xena was breathing heavily and clinging to the bard.

"Gabrielle, please!" Xena pleaded and screamed as Gabrielle entered her roughly with several fingers and sank her fangs into Xena's neck. Xena felt her back arch up into Gabrielle as her fingernails clawed at her mate's back. The warrior's body connected with the Bacchae eroticism and thrust against Gabrielle's fingers.

Gabrielle whimpered around her fangs, her own body so connected to Xena's arousal that she couldn't tell which energy was coming from where and didn't care. She pulled back from Xena's neck as the warrior bucked against her, grabbing at the bedframe for some sense of support.

Gabrielle slowly worked her way down Xena's body, stopping for what seemed an eternity at the warrior's breasts, teasing them with her tongue and lightly scrapping her fangs over the nipples, getting more noises from her warrior.

When she reached between Xena's legs, Gabrielle felt her control slipping again. The taste of Xena's blood had calmed her for a moment but the scent of arousal threatened to overwhelm her. Gabrielle let her tongue play along her fingers as they kept up their rhythm of entering, stretching, teasing and almost pulling out of her lover. Her tongue moved up and Xena almost thrashed off the small cot as Gabrielle's tongue found her clit and Xena screamed with a minor release.

Gabrielle felt Xena quickly hit the high waves or approaching orgasm again as she kept up the pressure of tongue and fingers.

"Gabrielle!" Xena begged.

The Amazon Queen rocked her fingers and felt them curling inside her lover. Xena's eyes almost rolled back into her head as Gabrielle's hand settled inside her body, filling her. Both mates waited a moment as Xena's body adjusted to the sensation and the orgasm began building beyond control as the warrior's body shook and began to buck again.

Xena screamed once more as Gabrielle's fangs sank into her body and Gabrielle's tongue danced over her clit and lapped at her blood at the same time.

Karita jumped and Yakut dropped her cup of tea as another scream sounded in the darkness of the Amazon village.

"Good gods," Karita grinned. "Are they always like that?"

"You were away most of the times they visited us," Yakut grinned.

"And the other times we were all a little busy fighting vampires and Alti," Karita grinned. "I am very glad those guards are deaf tonight."

"Me too," Yakut smiled back at her mate, contemplating how long it had been since she had made her own mate scream like that. Maybe after the Council's decision, Yakut thought, we should take a few days going home.

"Xena!" Gabrielle cried out as her mate moved the bard onto her knees and thrust into her. The warrior saw her mate's eyes turning yellow again and nodded. Xena felt her own body jerking as Gabrielle's fangs sank into her wrist and she thrust her fingers and body against her mate.

Within moments the bard was curled around Xena's wrist and whimpering as Xena brought her to orgasm again and again until both collapsed onto the cot. Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle's body, a hand gently wiping away tears from her mate's face.

"Xena," Gabrielle whispered.

"Shhh," Xena whispered back. "No more saying 'I'm sorry' for anything in the past. It's over, it's done! I love you and I will always love you."

"What are Aphrodite, Cupid and Apollo planning?" Gabrielle asked in a sleepy voice.

"Aphrodite is pointing out that Artemis hasn't been herself lately and to take that into consideration," Xena mumbled. "She didn't want to bring it up in front of everyone so she's approaching them now. Cupid is keeping the guards out of here tonight and Apollo is making sure Artemis doesn't show up."

"For once I kinda like them helping," Gabrielle smiled and drifted off to sleep in her warrior's arms.

"Yeah, well," Xena growled. "Alright, I don't mind them helping out this time."

Gabrielle was saddened when she woke up to find Xena gone but felt like she could face anything, including the Council. The bard quickly dressed and stood in the center of the small cabin.

"Apollo, Cupid and Aphrodite," she said quietly. "Thank you, my Father and my friends, for last night."

The bard smiled as she heard a giggle in the air around her.

Xena sat upright with a jerk, reaching for Gabrielle and finding the other side of the bed empty. It took the warrior a moment to realize she was in the Queen's cabin and alone in the bed. She glanced over and saw Yakut by the main fire adding tea leaves to a pot over the fire.

Yakut looked up and grinned.

Xena looked down and blushed as she grabbed for her leather shift, seeing her clothes and armor at the foot of the bed.

"You suddenly appeared in the bed about a candle-mark ago," Yakut explained. "Your clothes and weapons with you. I guess your deities didn't want you caught with your….uh…trousers down in the Isolation Cabin."

"Keep it up, Yakut," Xena threatened. The warrior looked down at the bandages wrapped around midway up her forearm and around her wrist.

"The cut was deep but is healing nicely," Yakut shrugged. "The fang wounds were also deep but with your healing, should be almost gone by tonight. Those fang marks on your neck will show clearly though."

Xena shrugged as she reached for her boots. "Gods, I need a bath," she muttered. "I smell like sex and blood."

Yakut tried to look nonchalant but lost it as she grinned at her friend.

"Well, I'm not sure how Gabrielle is going to hide the scratches on her back with that little top of hers either," Xena grinned.

"The Council and everyone there will know you two were together last night," Yakut complained.

"Or else we each had company," Xena smirked.

"Not likely, the love between the two of you is legendary among the Amazons," Karita smiled as she walked into the cabin. "I doubt anyone will say anything. The Council was busy with Aphrodite and the major decision and everyone else won't know what to say."

"Except that Xena has many skills," Yakut laughed and Xena shook her head.

"I just hope the guards don't get into trouble," Xena growled. "Wasn't their fault, I didn't even have to sneak in."

"Well, you two certainly weren't quiet about it either!" Yakut grinned and ducked the boot Xena threw at her.

A guard knocked at the door and opened it.

"A decision has been reached, your presence is requested, Consort," the guard said.

"Thank you, I'll be right there," Xena responded and the guard disappeared.

Yakut and Karita were no longer grinning and neither was Xena as Yakut handed the Consort her boot.

"Oh Gods," Xena muttered, reaching for a wash basin.

Xena smiled softly when she walked up to her mate and took Gabrielle into her arms at the familiar table. Gabrielle held on tightly as the guard ignored them.

"Thank you for last night," Gabrielle whispered.

"Thank you, even if I am walking a little funny," Xena smirked and was pleased that Gabrielle managed to smile and blush a little.

"How's the energy level, I practically drained you last night," Gabrielle asked as Xena motioned for them both to sit down at the table.

"I'm okay," Xena shrugged. "A little tired. Take a day to get that back, I think. Anyone say anything?"

"No, but the guards had a very heated discussion this morning when they saw my back, thanks," Gabrielle smiled.

"Well, I'm also wearing fang marks everywhere," Xena countered.

"Anyone sees one set of those marks and I'll have their head," Gabrielle threatened and laughed softly as Xena began to blush and shift in her chair slightly.

They both lost their smiles as the Council began walking out of the Meeting Hall towards the high tables.

Gabrielle glanced over and saw Eponi sitting at the other table with Hallvor standing behind the Regent. Neither would meet her eyes.

"Queen Gabrielle," Revita said formally and Gabrielle stood and faced the Council. Xena stood a moment later, a hand on her mate's shoulder.

Gabrielle was in her traditional Amazon Queen garb, the mask on the table in front of her, but minus weapons. Xena had chosen to dress in her customary warrior garb of leather, brass armor adornments, gauntlets and knee protectors. Sword and chakram in their traditional place.

Gabrielle and Xena caught a few surprised looks as the Council took in the love bruise on Gabrielle's neck and the fang marks and bruising on Xena's neck as well as the bandages on her forearm and wrist.

Xena kept her grin to herself as she heard the expected "many skills" comment from some of the spectators.

"Queen Gabrielle," Meryl rose. "You have been found guilty of failing to fulfill a blood oath of vengeance to the Amazon Nation. As a Queen, this is a serious matter that calls for a death sentence. Because of the circumstances behind the oath and the incidents in Egypt, the Council agreed that a death sentence wasn't appropriate in this case."

Xena wasn't surprised when Artemis appeared at the table next to Eponi and the warrior expected the goddesses enraged expression.

So did, apparently, the Council, because Meryl held up her hand, holding off any protests.

"Goddess Artemis," the Celt said firmly. "You are a guest here, not the decision maker. You agreed to abide by our decisions in this matter."

Artemis glared but nodded her acceptance.

"Queen Gabrielle's has shown outstanding devotion and love to the Nation, not just to her tribe but to all the tribes she encountered, the Council agreed to consider this in our deliberations. Queen Gabrielle, for having been adopted into the Nation at a late age, has been a surprising Queen and is well respected among all the tribes and beloved by several," the Celt continued.

"Queen Gabrielle has sacrificed herself on a Roman cross for her tribe," Revita continued. "She has given all of her monies to secure land for her tribe to get them out of the Empire and out of Roman hands. She has nearly sacrificed her life and soul several times for tribes other than her own."

"The decision we reached was not an easy one and is not agreed upon by all among this Council," the Celt added. "Some tribes are threatening not to abide by the wishes of the Council. We urge them to do so and not risk civil war among the tribes. We hope we have reached a fair solution, even if it is harsh."

Xena felt Gabrielle's breathing quicken and squeezed her mate's shoulder.

"It is the decision of the Council that Queen Gabrielle be stripped of her royal rank and privileges and that she be exiled from the Amazon Nation for a turn of 10 winters. Gabrielle of Germania is to have no contact with any Amazon from this day forth until her exile is complete and no Amazon is to have willing contact with her," one of the Council members declared.

Xena wrapped her arm around Gabrielle's shoulders, helping her mate stay on her feet.

"If she's found on Amazon land?" Eponi demanded after Artemis whispered fiercely in the Regent's ear.

"A fair warning will be given by the scouts or guards," a Council member said. "If the warning is ignored, then the sentence is death for violating the exile."

Gabrielle's legs gave out and she collapsed into her seat as the spectators erupted into confusion, anger, disbelief, and some agreement behind her. Xena moved behind her mate protectively, a hand resting on her chakram.

"Gabrielle will relinquish the Queen's Mask to Regent Eponi and the Black Forest Amazons will determine their rites of succession after this proceeding is done," Meryl continued.

"Gabrielle," Revita called and Gabrielle looked up at the Council as tears filled her eyes. "The decision was the only one we could reach once we rejected the death sentence and we fought the law speakers about a limitation on the exile. I, personally, am very sorry and will be there 10 winters from now to welcome you back into the Nation."

Gabrielle got to her feet slowly.

"I-I thank the Council for their struggle and your attempt to be fair in this difficult matter," she stammered. "I urge the Black Forest Amazons to work with Eponi to continue to build the tribe and know that I will always love all of you."

Xena wrapped her arms around her mate as Gabrielle turned to her warrior, unable to hold the tears back.

The warrior looked over and glared at the Goddess of the Amazons.

"We declare this trial over," Meryl said loudly. "Gabrielle of Germania has two candle-marks to leave Amazon territory."

"The Northern tribes would be heard on this!" Otere shouted from the spectators and Xena was surprised, she hadn't noticed the Queen's absence among the Council earlier. Otere stepped between the two tables and faced the spectators.

"I am Otere of the Northern Siberian Amazons and I speak with permission of the representatives here and with the confidence of my tribe at home," she yelled. "We cannot accept this decision! Take away her rank if you will but you'll never tell us that Gabrielle is no longer an Amazon!"

"Queen Otere!" Meryl shouted. "Don't push this! Everyone agreed to the trial, its possible consequences and the right of the Council to sit in judgment over the individual tribes."

Otere's face was red with anger and Gabrielle attempted to pull out of Xena's arms but the warrior held firm.

"No, this is their decision, Little One," Xena whispered.

"No, not for me! They can't risk a war because of me," Gabrielle protested.

"Yes, they can!" Xena growled. "Two pantheons of gods were willing to go to war over our child; your tribe is fighting for you. You may have been the Queen of the Black Forest but you've always been accepted with the Siberians more."

"Gabrielle will continue to be considered our sister, welcome at our fires and will always have the right to call for help from any Siberian Amazon!" Otere shouted.

"And among my tribe!" another voice declared and a northern Germanic Amazon Queen stepped forward.

"Among us, as well," a representative of a Baltic tribe stood up.

"Artemis! Stop this before the Nation is split apart!" Gabrielle pleaded but the goddess merely glared at her former Chosen. Gabrielle turned to the Council.

"Council members!" she shouted. "Please stop this! Don't let the Nation be split among regional lines because of this!"

"What would you have us do, Gabrielle?" Revita asked. "Rescind our decision because a couple of tribes refuse to abide by the agreements they made when they came here?"

Gabrielle looked desperate.

"Damnit! Otere, don't do this for me!" she shouted.

"It's done and it's our choice, Gabrielle," Otere said firmly. "You gave everything for our tribe and we won't turn away from you for this."

Gabrielle looked around and saw the Amazons milling among the benches and could see the representatives and tribal members beginning to separate among regional lines.

"Xena, how do we stop this?" Gabrielle asked as the guards began to get nervous as the voices among the spectators became heated.

"I don't know, honestly," Xena admitted.

Xena could see Gabrielle's mind working quickly around the problem and then her bard's eyes widened and she turned to the Council.

"Queen's Council!" Gabrielle shouted. "I request reconsideration on a point of the trial!"

Everyone was suddenly curious and the crowd quieted down.

"You asked at one point if Eponi wished to continue with the charges," Gabrielle said quickly. "I put to you that you were asking the wrong person if they wished the charges to go forward."

"I'm the one that brought the charge!" Eponi shouted, jumping to her feet.

"And I charge that you weren't acting on your own!" Gabrielle snapped. "And I charge that you were not acting in the best interests of the Black Forest Amazons in bringing this charge. The evidence of that is what's happening to this very group of our sisters!"

"Gabrielle, this should have been brought up before this," Revita complained.

"Yes, and I apologize," Gabrielle said calmly. "I was hoping it wouldn't come to this."

"Everyone shut up!" Meryl shouted. "Everyone sit down! This has not been a pleasant few days and we all want this over with! Gabrielle, explain yourself!"

"Artemis!" Gabrielle snapped. "Eponi wouldn't have brought these charges without you pushing it. She knew I was coming to the tribe to give up my rank, you're the one pushing the treason thing."

"Everyone settle down," Revita demanded. "Discussion!"

The Council moved out of the seats and gathered around.

"Gabrielle, do you know what you're doing?" Xena asked as her mate sat back down.

"No, I'm playing it by ear here," Gabrielle admitted. Xena's eyes narrowed as she heard a giggle in her ear.

"Aphrodite?" she whispered.

"They're here," Gabrielle admitted. "They've been bending my damn ear off, all three of them arguing on what to do."

"What are they suggesting?" Xena whispered.

"Apollo wants to zap the five of us out of here, Cupid wants to smack Artemis along side the head and Aphrodite is suggesting something about pissing Artemis off to pull everything together."

"Is any of that helpful?" Xena asked.

"I'm not sure, we'll see where this goes," Gabrielle agreed.

The Council returned to their seats and one of the members remained standing.

"Queen Gabrielle, please explain what you are talking about, slowly," the Council member requested.

"I believe that Artemis pressured Regent Eponi into bringing these charges and then pressured her into continuing the trial," Gabrielle explained. "Pony, why did you call for an All-Thing trial when you knew I was going to resign my rank as Queen? Is this for the good of the tribe?"

Eponi stood up and frowned.

"Regent Eponi," the Celt said firmly. "Did you have word that Queen Gabrielle was coming to resign her rank as Queen because of the incident in Egypt?"

Pony shifted on her feet.

"Yes, Gabrielle sent a messenger to the tribe when she returned from Egypt that she would return in Spring, that Antony was alive and she would resign as Queen," Pony admitted.

"I submit that by leaving Antony alive I was doing what was best for the tribe," Gabrielle said firmly.

"How so?" Revita questioned.

"If we had killed Antony, Cleopatra would have blamed Octavian," Gabrielle tried to explain. "Cleopatra would have believed us assassins from Rome and would have continued the war with everything she had."

"We left Antony alive, bruised, battered and afraid," Xena added. "If we had killed him, Cleopatra never would have known he tried to rape me. By letting him live we were able to show Cleopatra what he is."

"This is for the good of the Amazon Nation?" Revita asked.

"Octavian will be a hard but fair Emperor of the Roman Empire," Xena said. "For a man and a Roman, he's the best choice. If we had killed Antony, Cleopatra and Octavian would be fighting each other for years and the Empire would crumble, the Amazon tribes would be at the whim of any petty Roman official wanting power the way Antony got it, by wiping out the feared Amazons."

The Council members were frowning as one.

"So, you admit that you knew you had failed in your oath and were going to resign your office as Queen?" the Celt asked.

"I also had additional reasons," Gabrielle said calmly. "My Consort and I have been through a lot in the last few seasons, most of it bad. We have a new son and I want a more normal life. We want to settle down and I can't devote the proper time to my tribe."

"You wish to continue living outside the tribe?" one of the Council members asked.

"We have a son and my Consort's heart is not Amazon," Gabrielle admitted. "We would have to leave when he turns 10 full winters old anyway."

Xena placed a hand on Gabrielle's shoulder and squeezed it.

"You are basically accusing the patron goddess of most Amazon tribes as acting against the good of the Nation?" Revita demanded.

"Yes, I am," Gabrielle said firmly and faced Artemis. "Artemis, I'm begging you for the Nation, rescind the charges and let me resign as I planned."

The Goddess of the Hunt faced the Council, as if she didn't hear Gabrielle.

"I'll put it to you, then," Meryl said calmly. "Goddess Artemis, do you think this trial is for the good of the Nation?"

Xena sighed when Artemis shoulders sagged.

"No," Artemis finally said. "I withdraw the charges against Queen Gabrielle and will accept her honorable resignation."

"Oh thank the gods," Gabrielle muttered as the crowd broke out into cheers.

"The Council will confer for a moment," Meryl declared and the Council gathered behind the tables.

Gabrielle sat down wearily and Xena put her arms around her mate.

"You are amazing," Xena whispered in her ear.

"Thanks, I'll admit I'm tired," Gabrielle smiled and stood back up when the Council returned to their chairs.

Meryl stood. "Because the charge was brought in proxy by a Regent and it has been rescinded by the Goddess making the charge, the Council declares this mattered settled. The transference of the rank of Queen will be left to the Black Forest tribe. Queen Gabrielle, this was an impossible situation to judge and we hope that you will continue to work for the better of the Nation without any malice towards any Amazon."

"I want to thank the Council for their willingness to look at everything," Gabrielle said formally. "I hold no malice against any Amazon but reserve some anger for my patron Goddess."

Revita and several other Council members nodded in agreement.

"This Council is closed," Meryl said firmly.

Gabrielle reached behind her and pulled out Xena's side dagger and placed it in her own belt. Placing her sais in their familiar position on the outside of her boots.

"Gabrielle?" Xena asked softly.

"Artemis owes me some kind of explanation," Gabrielle growled.

Xena turned her mate to look at her as Gabrielle's green eyes flashed with anger.

"Artemis wanted you to be the instrument of her own revenge," Xena said softly, watching Artemis out of the corner of her eye as the goddess argued with Eponi. "Cleopatra played as many sexual games as Antony, we just didn't know it. Cleo got Artemis into bed and Artemis let her guard down. Cleo then let Antony in bed with them without telling Artemis."

"Oh gods, no," Gabrielle whimpered.

"Yes, Artemis gave up part of her godhood during sex, apparently most of the gods have to when they're with a human," Xena explained, keeping her voice low as Yakut and Karita kept friends and well wishers back from the couple. "Antony took advantage and tormented her, emotionally raping her and beating her with Cleo's blessing and taunting."

Gabrielle closed her eyes and let Xena pull her into an embrace.

"She doesn't want any of the Olympians to know," Xena continued. "Artemis is feeling guilty and is afraid she'll lose the respect of the women warriors if they know she was beaten physically and sexually humiliated by a mortal man."

"That's why she took it personally and hard when I couldn't kill him," Gabrielle muttered.

"Yes, exactly," Xena nodded.

Gabrielle pulled out of Xena's arms and turned towards Artemis.

"Your gift is healing," the bard heard a male voice whisper in her ear and nodded, stepping forward slowly.

"Artemis!" she snapped. "I was your Chosen for years, face and answer me! In private, if you please!"

Artemis looked as if she was about to start throwing energy bolts at Gabrielle but the smaller demi-god stood her ground as everyone went quiet around them, including the Council members.

Artemis glared for a moment and then both disappeared.

Xena growled and kicked the chair over.

Gabrielle glanced around and found she was in a small clearing next to a river facing Artemis. On her hands were cestus; wide leather thongs that were weighted with lead in the palm and across the knuckles. Typically worn by boxers and gladiators fighting hand to hand, Gabrielle was familiar with them.

Artemis was wearing the same and no other weapons.

Gabrielle shook her head sadly.

"Artemis, don't do this," Gabrielle urged as Artemis began to circle her.

"You failed me!" Artemis hissed and Gabrielle felt her own anger rising.

"And you failed me, damnit!" Gabrielle snapped back and dodged a right fist heading for her eyes. "How in Tartarus am I supposed to fight you? You're a Goddess!"

"Here we're on equal terms, just like when I was with Cleopatra and she betrayed me," Artemis shouted, lashing out at Gabrielle again.

The bard didn't move quickly enough and found herself on the ground rubbing her jaw. Gabrielle threw her legs up, catching Artemis in the stomach and carrying the Goddess over her head as Artemis tried to jump on her.

Both goddess and woman regained the feet, holding their fists up defensively.

"I know what happened with Antony!" Gabrielle growled, sending her own fists out in a pattern that rocked Artemis on her feet, nursing a bruised nose.

Artemis surprised Gabrielle with a spinning kick that caught the bard along side her head and knocked her to the grass. The enraged Goddess followed through with a kick to Gabrielle's ribs that sent the bard onto her back. Gabrielle grabbed Artemis' foot and twisted it, sending Artemis to the grass with her.

"You got hurt by a man!" Gabrielle shouted as she leaped to her feet. "Get over it!"

"I had never been touched by a man!" Artemis shouted as she got to her feet.

"So what?" Gabrielle growled. "How many women have had it worse? I was raped and you weren't there!"

Gabrielle saw Artemis hesitate, her eyes confused.

"I was your Chosen and you weren't there, Artemis," Gabrielle snapped, letting the old wounds open up. She had never really faced Artemis with it. Gabrielle had asked the questions but hadn't owned up to her anger about the past. Now it was hitting her and she was going to bring it out now. "I don't care if it was part of my Fate! How do you think I felt, I called for Xena, I called for Hercules, I called for you and none of you were there!"

"None of us were allowed to interfere," Artemis protested.

"Then how in Tartarus am I supposed to know what happened to you? You didn't tell me, you didn't talk to me," Gabrielle countered. "I could have helped you."

"How?" Artemis snapped.

"I've been there! I lost count how many men were all over me in just one day," Gabrielle shouted, wiping away angry tears. "That went on for days! Then that damned Bacchanalia in the Spirit Land."

"You know I couldn't help with that," Artemis frowned, her anger fading.

"Knowing it in my head and feeling it in my heart are two different things," Gabrielle explained. "I was with Bacchus!" she shouted, ramming her fist in a tree.

"I was there when I could after it," Artemis protested.

"I know," Gabrielle said wearily. "Have you thought about why Antony didn't rape you?"

"He said that Cleopatra didn't need a poor substitute for a man and…and took her, tormenting me with her pleasure. He said he couldn't even work up the physical desire for me," Artemis whispered.

"Why didn't you zap Antony into pieces after he touched you?" Gabrielle asked.

Artemis looked troubled and glanced away, refusing to meet Gabrielle's eyes.

"I…I…I don't know," Artemis admitted.

"You were ashamed and feeling guilty and just wanted to get away from there," Gabrielle suggested.

Artemis continued to frown.

"So you wanted me to carry out your revenge without telling me and then took it out on me when I couldn't do it," Gabrielle said bitterly. "Why didn't you get mad at me about Lycrissus?"

"What?" Artemis asked, suddenly confused.

"The owner of the gladiator school, one of my rapists and owner," Gabrielle explained. "Why didn't you demand that I take revenge on at least one of my rapists and slave owner? I am an Amazon Queen and the men who raped me and the man who owned me are still alive. You didn't demand I take their lives."

"I don't know, I guess I thought you would handle that eventually," Artemis said slowly, no longer looking for openings to hit the bard.

Gabrielle shook her head. "Look inside yourself, Artemis. You didn't think of demanding it from me because you didn't even think about it."

"That's not fair and it is not true!" Artemis shouted in protest.

"Yes it is," Gabrielle argued, tears of anger and rage escaping from her eyes. "You've cared and ached for me when I was hurt but you dismissed it once I was out of danger. Now that you know what it feels like, it means more to you."

"You're saying I didn't care until I went through it?" Artemis demanded, her eyes angry and hurt.

"Yes, to a point," Gabrielle nodded, careful to keep Artemis' hands in sight. "No one knows what it's like except someone who's been there. Artemis, you can't blame me for what Antony did to you and you can't blame me for Cleopatra's betrayal. You just used Eponi almost as badly as Cleo used you."

Artemis drew back to hit Gabrielle and the bard waited, not raising her hands to defend herself. The goddess hesitated and dropped her fist.

"Amazon shouldn't be fighting Amazon," Gabrielle said softly. "You have to find another way to get past this."

"Why couldn't you just kill him?" Artemis suddenly shouted, her hands clenched into fists again.

"Why couldn't you?" Gabrielle countered. "The same reason I haven't faced Lycrassius, fear and guilt."

"Fear?" Artemis frowned.

"You may be a goddess, Artemis, but you were a woman then and you were hurt in the worst possible way," Gabrielle said gently. "You were afraid of feeling that helpless again if you faced him."

Artemis closed her eyes in anger as her body shook. Gabrielle waited patiently, her own anger just below the surface. Just the thought of Lycrassius and all the others who had raped her was enough to bring on an almost berserk fury that she was fighting against.

The question would be if one of them would snap or work past it.

Artemis snapped with a scream, launching herself at Gabrielle as the bard slipped mentally into Dancer, the gladiator and Champion of Rome.

Xena paced restlessly by the main fire of the village while Yakut and Karita talked with Otere and some of the other Northern Amazons from neighboring tribes. The warrior noticed Hallvor and Eponi arguing on the edge of the village and neither looked happy.

Several Amazons yelped in surprise when Gabrielle appeared out of nowhere in front of Xena. They tried to look nonchalant but everyone was looking at the Amazon Queen with a mixture of curiosity and apprehension. Most of them hadn't even seen a goddess or god and it seemed that Xena and Gabrielle dealt with deities all the time.

Xena quickly checked her mate over visually, taking in the bard's tear streaked face, bruised, battered and bloody body and that her mate looked very tired.

Gabrielle was able to stand but Xena could tell her mate was hurting.

The warrior sighed and opened her arms.

"We seem to be hugging a lot the last few days," Gabrielle muttered.

"I'm not complaining," Xena grinned as Gabrielle pulled back and they walked over toward Yakut and the others. "What happened?"

"Artemis and I are fine," Gabrielle said softly. "We yelled, we argued, we threw a few punches, I threw some verbal ones and then she broke down. She let the rage hit and I guess some of my old wounds came to the surface and we went off on each other. I became Dancer and she went berserk. We finally couldn't hit each other any more. Artemis finally talked about what happened. Artemis knew I understood and she finally understood some of my pain."

"What do you mean?"

"I yelled at her for leaving me in the hands of the Romans, fate or not, and she's finally understanding the pain I went through," Gabrielle attempted to shrug.

"And then?" Xena asked.

"We held each other and cried until we were sick from crying so much. I think women who have been abused will find Artemis a little more understanding now. She was like a child going through their first real heartache."

"The Olympians are a lot like children, with that much power and people worshipping them, they can be mostly spoiled brats," Xena agreed.

"Now this young teenage girl has gone through her first major trauma," Gabrielle nodded. "I think she'll be okay. Aphrodite and Cupid showed up, wrapped their arms around her and disappeared after I healed her some."

"You did what?" Xena asked with a frown.

"I healed her somewhat," Gabrielle said softly. "Her emotions are so much more out of control because of the god thing. Cupid and Dite were letting her know that she's not alone and is loved, what every survivor needs."

"You didn't have any energy to spare, though."

"Thanks for noticing," Gabrielle smiled as her head dropped back and Xena grabbed her mate.

Gabrielle was surprised to open her eyes and see Eponi sitting next to her bed and not Xena, Yakut, Karita, Hercules, or anyone else.

"Pony?" she asked as she sat up slowly.

"You've been asleep most of the afternoon," Pony said calmly. "Kinda reminds me of when I found you in that village suffering from the poisoned grain."

Gabrielle smiled. "Yeah, you were intent on challenging me and killing me. Want a second shot?"

"No," Pony smiled a sad smile. "I was wrong, Gabrielle. I shouldn't have let Artemis push me into this. The Black Forest Amazons won't accept your resignation for this either. They agree that I can be Queen in your absence but you will always remain a Queen to the Nation. That's the decision of the Black Forest Amazons, Gabrielle."

"Thank you, Pony," Gabrielle said gratefully.

"Artemis made a public apology to the Nation and to you," Pony continued. "She told me privately why she went a little insane. I'm still angry that you didn't kill Antony even if I understand a little of it. I saw Ephiny, Solari and the others crucified."

"I was crucified for all of you, Pony," Gabrielle pointed out, her voice a little harder. "What happened to Artemis will drive most any woman, human or goddess, a little insane. I've been there too," Gabrielle said. "Where's Xena?"

"With Hercules, Iolaus and Asher," Pony answered softly, handing Gabrielle a cup of fresh spring water. "Xena's bringing Asher over now."

"I'm tired of it all, Pony," Gabrielle admitted, lying back on the bed.

"What happened between you and Artemis, she wouldn't give details?" Pony asked.

"She was hurting from what Antony did to her and didn't know how to let it out and deal with it," Gabrielle tried to explain. "I used some of my god inherited gift of healing to help ease her pain and let her know that she's not alone and doesn't have to go through this by herself. Unfortunately, it takes a bit out of me."

"Well, Xena said to make sure you were to stay in bed if you woke up before she got back," Pony said.

"No risk there, I'm feeling weak as a newborn pup," Gabrielle admitted.

"Gabrielle…."

"No, Pony," Gabrielle said wearily. "No more apologies."

"I failed the tribe as Regent and I failed my mate's trust in me," Pony admitted softly.

Gabrielle opened her eyes and frowned at Pony's pained expression.

"Hallvor is leaving me and the tribe and some of the other Amazons are questioning my leadership abilities," Pony admitted.

"We'll deal with the tribe," Gabrielle muttered. "I still have faith in you, Pony. You're stubborn but you'll be a good leader. As for Hallvor, she feels she owes us a blood debt."

"Vikings can be rather thick-headed," Pony agreed. "She's leaving me though."

"I'm sorry, Eponi," Gabrielle said softly and the Regent wiped away her tears.

"We've all got a lot of healing to do," Pony admitted. "She's heading north with the Siberian Amazons."

"Your job will be to mend the tribe, mine is to go home with my family and raise my son," Gabrielle said firmly.

"Think you can stay out of it for awhile?" Pony questioned.

"I hope so, Pony," Gabrielle said sincerely. "I really hope so. Xena and I hit a couple of bad spots and it's taken some time to get close again. Asher is a handful and a delight. There are times I want to strangle him and then hug him in the next moment."

Eponi laughed. "You sound like a normal mom," she smiled for the first time since Gabrielle's return.

"That's what I want for awhile," Gabrielle nodded.

Pony got up to order food brought from the nearest Amazon and Gabrielle felt a warm breeze pass over her forehead.

"Thank you, Father, Cupid and 'Dite," she whispered and felt a gentle kiss on her cheek from someone unseen.


	30. 30 Way of the Valkyrie

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence/Sex:** Light actually. Sex = Strong R to NC-17

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Catching up over some years with Xena and Gabrielle. Major character death alert.

Sasha comes home for additional training. She's facing her final test as a Valkyrie which includes some fighting and an unexpected and painful twist.

* * *

Xena stopped her horse, chakram instantly in hand.

"What is it?" Hercules asked softly from the seat of the wagon. He glanced in the back and found Iolaus and Gabrielle still asleep with an awake, but quiet, toddler Asher between them. It was getting late on the road and the shadows were long and somewhat eerie in the deep forest.

"My hackles are tingling, it feels like Ares," Xena complained, her eyes darting around.

"We would have heard if he got out of that sarcophagus," Hercules protested.

"I said it felt like Ares, not that it was," Xena snapped, hating the familiar feeling tingling all over her body.

Hercules drew his sword when a cloaked figure stepped out of the shadows in front of the wagon.

The figure pulled back the hood to reveal an older woman, one who looked a lot like Xena's mother, Hercules thought.

"Hecate?" Xena asked softly. The presence of her deity mother was enough of a puzzle in northern Germania; the fact that Hecate was holding something in her arm was even more of a puzzle.

"Yes, daughter," Hecate said simply. "May I approach?"

Xena's eyes narrowed as Hecate smirked at her warrior daughter. Both of them knew that Hecate could probably level the forest if she wanted to and there wouldn't be much Xena could do to stop her.

"Of course, Mother," Xena smiled back, sheathing her chakram and glancing back at the sleeping Gabrielle. After the bard's emotional battle at the Amazon All Thing and her physical battle with Artemis, Xena wasn't surprised that Gabrielle was sleeping soundly. To help heal the wounds between the goddess and her Chosen, Gabrielle had pushed Artemis into a berserker rage, matched only by her own rage of years of abuse at the hands of others. The rift between them had been healed but Gabrielle had expended a lot of energy and now her body was screaming for some time to heal itself.

Iolaus was also feeling the effects of traveling; his crippled bones no longer welcoming long travel. He gladly curled up next to Gabrielle in the back of the wagon to help keep an eye on a precocious toddler named Asher.

Xena dismounted and smiled as Hecate pulled back her robe and bright eyes looked at the warrior with a mixture of curiosity and slight fear. The warrior knelt down as Hecate placed the boy in front of her.

"Hello," Xena said in Greek. "I'm Xena."

"Virgil!" the boy said loudly. "Pappa says it's like the poet cause he likes bards."

"Pappa?" Xena felt her heart skip a beat as she looked up into her mother's eyes.

"He still lives but Meg is having a hard time caring for him, the inn and a small boy," Hecate explained.

"Momma says that you're my aunt," Virgil grinned as the moon peaked out from behind a cloud and he got a look at Xena's face. "You look like Momma."

"She wants you to foster him for the season," Hecate continued.

"I thought Father said no interference or help in our lives," Xena said thoughtfully as she picked Virgil up in her arms as she smiled at him.

"He did," Hecate smiled. "You also know I don't listen to the Olympians. Take care of the boy. I'll take him and Asher to Meg's in the Fall, if you wish."

"Might be good for both of them," Xena nodded, at the same time hating the thought of Asher being away from them for any length of time, especially four months at a time. It was also common among families and especially among the nobles to "foster" their children out to relatives or liege lords for training and upbringing.

"Did you know we have a son?" Xena smiled at the boy in her arms.

"Momma said you did," he nodded.

"He's in the back of that wagon with his other mom, want to meet them?"

"Sure!" he said enthusiastically and Xena couldn't help but smile as she handed him to Hercules. She turned back to Hecate.

"How long does Joxer have?" she asked softly.

"He'll go before next spring," Hecate answered.

"Xena?" a confused voice called from the back of the wagon and Xena grinned impishly at her mother.

"Now we've got two boys, you're cruel, mother," the warrior laughed.

Hecate smiled and nodded. "Makes up for all you put your mother through."

"How are our families?" Xena asked, hoping to get all the information she could before Hecate disappeared.

"Doing well, although Cyrene is slowing down a bit. Toris is taking over more of the Inn each season but doesn't mind," Hecate answered. "Gabrielle's mother is happy with her husband and Lila has five children."

"Thank you," Xena said gratefully. She hated living so far away from her home and knew that it bothered Gabrielle not to be able to visit their families more often but it just wasn't practical for them to live in Greece or in the Roman Empire.

Antony was still alive and had followers and sympathizers in the Empire. After suffering defeat at Octavian's hands because of Xena and Gabrielle's interference, the Greeks knew that he would skin them alive if he ever got close. She and Gabrielle had also earned the wrath of the newest War God, Mars, son of Ares.

"Go see to your new family member and explain to your mate," Hecate laughed, stepped back into the shadows and was gone.

# # #

Journal Entry

That's how Virgil came to stay with us several months out of the year and Asher to stay with Meg the other months.

Gabrielle chewed thoughtfully on the end of her quill as she looked around the small clearing in front of the cabin. The bard was keeping an eye out for both her mate and her cabin mate. Xena was due back from checking the trap lines they had in the woods and mountains. Hercules had gone to visit a familiar clearing just out of sight of the cabin.

The demi-god often visited it when the work was finally done or the ground too hard with cold to work. Gabrielle knew he spent many hours by the grave that now was the resting place of his beloved traveling companion and mate, Iolaus.

The boys were more than a handful at times. They are under two years apart in age and have similar temperaments. Asher quickly established himself as the more aggressive leader of the two and Virgil as the joker. We had Virgil for three months when Apollo appeared in the middle of the night. We quickly bundled the boys up and found ourselves in Joxer and Meg's bedroom. They were waiting for us, Joxer barely hanging on long enough to make his goodbyes to his son, wife, and us, his daughter yet unborn.

Gods, I still break into tear and that was four years ago. The poet Virgil died that same year, I wonder if that was an omen? Joxer looked like a skeleton with a little bit of flesh still left on the bones and I had to keep from breaking into tears just at the sight of him as Meg held him in her arms.

I sometimes tell stories of Joxer's kindness and big heart when I travel to the other steadings. I know it pleases Xena that I go out occasionally and revert back to my bardic self, telling stories of our lives together or heroic tales that the Vikings love. They can't get enough stories about Greece, Egypt and other foreign lands. There's a natural curiosity that I find refreshing. They want to learn about other cultures, lands and people and not with the thought of conquering them like the Romans do. Of course the Vikings want to raid, grab all the riches and slaves they can but they don't want to wipe out a culture just because they think the Vikings are better than everyone else. I find that attitude very disturbing about the Romans.

"Joxer, I brought them," Apollo said softly as Virgil ran forward to hug his father, trying not to cry. Xena and Gabrielle had tried to prepare the boy, knowing about when Joxer was going to die made it imperative to explain to the boy but it also made it more difficult to face. It had been like a shadow looming over them; getting longer and darker by the day.

Joxer managed to open his eyes and lift his arm to touch his son. He smiled and looked up at Meg, his eyes bright with pain and the pain herbs the healers were giving him to make him more comfortable.

Xena closed her eyes for a moment. She had worked with the village healer when she was younger and had a talent for the herbs and workings. The warrior knew death when it was near and Xena had no idea how Joxer had held on as long as he had.

"I…love you…Meg," he whispered.

Meg, tears running down her face, leaned over and kissed his forehead gently.

"I know, lover," she said softly.

Joxer let Virgil crawl up next to him even though they could see it caused him pain. Asher held tightly to Xena's hand as Gabrielle walked over and knelt by Joxer's side.

"Joxer," Gabrielle said softly, trying not to cry in front of him.

"I always…loved…you," he whispered. "Meg knew."

"I know, Joxer," Gabrielle choked out. "You've always been the best friend I could want from anyone."

"Xena…good…friend…thanks…"

"You always were a good man, Joxer," Xena said firmly. "You won't be forgotten."

Joxer smiled a small smile and closed his eyes. After a few moments, Meg broke into tears and drew Virgil into her arms, over her protruding, pregnant belly.

Xena and Asher wrapped their arms around Gabrielle as she wept.

Then we received word the next year that my mother had fallen and broken her hip. She wasn't able to get out of bed and took fluid in her lungs. Gods, her husband wrote me that she died peacefully but I know how that death hurts, being stuck on a Roman cross produces the same liquid on the lungs. I guess it's normal that you want all of your friends and family to go peacefully or quickly and I'm no different. I remember begging Artemis for a reprieve when we learned of Joxer's illness. She asked me if I would beg for all of my family and friends when it was their time. I guess I will, I know I won't get answers from the gods but I still think of myself more as human than immortal.

I would wish a warrior's death for most of our Viking friends and a peaceful passing in sleep for our families. Someone asked Julius Caesar at dinner one night how he wanted to die, he replied "surprised and quickly," or something like that. I understand that. I don't want to go slowly like Joxer or my mother did.

Also earlier in that year, Meg had a daughter. A beautiful dark haired girl she named Rachel. It doesn't make up for the loss of a husband but the boys and Rachel keep Meg busy. The boys are older and starting to take small responsibilities around the place, helping pick up things around the cabin, pulling weeds in the garden, things like that. Both of them are clever and can be terrors if you leave them alone too long to plan or explore. I still remember Xena balancing precariously along the top of the barn roof to reach Virgil as he clung to the metal guardian. Virgil had bragged that he could take on a griffin by himself and Asher dared him to find one and prove it. The little rug rat somehow got up to the top of the barn to grab the wrought iron griffin that watches over the farm. One look down and he became terrified and couldn't move.

Neither of them could sit for two days once Xena got Virgil down safely. I thought I lost years off my life as we watched her reaching for the frightened little boy.

Gabrielle looked up, keeping an eye on the two boys playing tag in the grass. Asher was older but Virgil was already lean like his father and had apparently skipped inheriting his father's awkwardness. The bard thought he moved more like his Uncle Jett, the deadly assassin. Gabrielle shook her head with a smile.

"I wonder what happened to Jett and Jace?" she whispered to herself.

Octavian 'reluctantly' accepted the title of August Caesar and Emperor from the Senate. We've watched the politics from Rome closely and know that he carefully orchestrated it during these long years of his reign over Rome. He always was clever and a perfect successor to Caesar.

I remember being surprised at my reaction when we learned that Antony and Cleopatra had been defeated once more by Octavian a year after we left them at Actium. The defeat led to their downfall and joint suicide. I was surprised, after everything Xena and I had been through, that I felt nothing over the death of Antony, my sworn enemy. And I felt nothing for the death of Cleopatra, a one-time friend. I knew then that Xena was right in keeping us in Germania and somewhat isolated here on our farm. We needed a break from saving the world and being heroes.

Of course, having two small boys to raise and running a small farm takes all of our energy. The hard work, cold winters, and long suffering from old wounds also took Iolaus from us two spring seasons ago.

Gabrielle watched as Asher tried to tackle Virgil and missed, sending her young son face first into the dirt. The bard quickly capped her bottle of ink and jumped over the railing as he began to howl from skinned knees and bumped nose.

After settling the boys down, she returned to the scrolls.

Then the winter came and Iolaus was in such pain from the old wounds.

Gabrielle set the scrolls aside, unable to write any more right then as she remembered her friend.

Gabrielle smiled as she read her personal scrolls from years before. It had been a long time since she had read them and she had to laugh at some of the antics listed; she often wondered how two small boys could get into so much trouble that seemed years beyond their means.

The worst was when Asher decided at age 10 that he was big enough to ride Hercules' horse; Uncle Herk's war horse. With the encroaching Romans getting closer every summer, most of the tribe had been preparing for conflicts and skirmishes, the small family included. Even though Gabrielle could prove she was a free woman and a citizen of Rome, they all knew that most of the time soldiers attacked first and asked questions later. Hercules and Xena bought war horses from southern traders and had been working with Eddval's warriors, teaching them some of the typical Roman moves.

Asher was fascinated by the horses and was a natural. Virgil was adequate for a 9 year old and liked riding but not as much as his foster brother. During their last trip to their Greek home with Meg, Asher had broken his leg trying to ride a horse too large and wild for him.

Gabrielle looked at the scroll, remembering the day Asher proved that he hadn't learned his lesson at Meg's.

Xena growled and grabbed Gabrielle around the waist when gentle persuasion failed and the bard wouldn't move from Asher's bedside. The warrior yanked the weakly protesting mother away from the bed and lifted the semi-conscious Gabrielle into her arms. She turned to Hercules and found he was already moving towards the bed to watch the boy.

Xena tried not to cry as she carried her mate into their room to their bed.

Asher's injuries were deadly and they all knew it. Xena thought the broken ribs would heal but the trickle of blood coming from his ears and swollen head frightened them all into fervent prayers and Gabrielle into action.

For three days she had been at Asher's bedside, feeding him her own life energy as she continually healed him. Xena knew after the first two candle-marks that Gabrielle was the only thing keeping the boy alive.

Xena fell to her knees next to Gabrielle, finally weeping.

They had let Gabrielle stay with him for three days until the bard was delirious from exhaustion and didn't even have enough energy to lift a cup to her lips. She had refused to leave his side and both Xena and Hercules began to fear that Gabrielle would trade the last of her energy in a futile attempt to keep Asher alive.

Xena had gone outside and raged for a quarter of a candle-mark. It seemed she had to choose between Gabrielle's life and one more day of Asher's unconscious one. Even with Gabrielle's god-given gift of healing, the boy was only holding onto life and not improving and Gabrielle was getting worse.

Xena, hating herself, life, and everything in the universe, had chosen Gabrielle over losing both of them. The warrior fell into an exhausted asleep, laying her head on the bed, next to Gabrielle's hand.

It was morning when Xena opened her eyes, blinking against the sunlight coming in through their window. She realized sometime during the night Hercules had picked her up and put her to bed next to Gabrielle because she didn't remember getting into bed on her own.

Gabrielle was sleeping soundly and her breathing was steady. The warrior dashed out the door and into Asher's room and skidded to a stop, blinking in disbelief.

The boy was sitting up and chatting with Virgil and Hercules. He smiled at his mom and Hercules grinned.

"He woke up about half a mark ago," Hercules shrugged. "The ribs are still broken but the head is fine. That last bolt Gabrielle sent must have worked."

Xena said a rare prayer of thanks to the Gods and quickly hugged her son gently before returning to her mate.

That was a full turn of seasons ago. I haven't written in these scrolls for quite awhile. I haven't had the heart to write the news. Reading over the scrolls, I realized that I wrote that Iolaus had died but not the details. I know now that I just couldn't face it.

Gabrielle looked up from the hearth as she poured hot water over the muslin bag containing the pain herbs as Xena walked in from the hall. "How is he?" she asked softly.

Xena's jaw tightened and tears filled her eyes. "The pain and breathing are both worse. I don't think he's coming out of this one."

Gabrielle's head dropped, tears filling her eyes. "I could do some more healing," she suggested.

"No, Little One," Xena said softly, bending over and wrapping her arms around Gabrielle and lightly nuzzling the blonde's neck. "It's time; Herk is saying goodbye to him."

"It's too soon," Gabrielle complained, letting the tears flow.

"It's always too soon," Xena added. "Come on, Gabrielle."

Xena held Gabrielle for a few moments as her mate cried. Gabrielle pulled out of Xena's arms and moved down the hallway to Hercules' and Iolaus' room.

Hercules was leaning against the headboard with his arms wrapped around his smaller mate, as Iolaus tried to sleep sitting up. They knew if he lay down, he'd drown in his own fluids.

Gabrielle and the others had tried to ignore the hunter's hair going more gray than blonde and his body slowing down with each season. The wounds that he had suffered throughout his life, especially the crippling of his arm when Gabrielle had been taken as a slave, had settled into his bones and brought about an almost blinding pain in the cold season.

The last three winters had seen him struggling against pneumonia but he remained stubborn and wouldn't agree to move further south when Hercules suggested it. Iolaus had demanded to stay and help raise the boys.

Asher and Virgil sat against the wall, watching their Uncle Iolaus struggle to breath.

Xena moved to squat down in front of them and took them into her arms as they tried to stay strong and not cry in front of their Foster fathers.

Gabrielle moved to sit down lightly on the edge of the bed, handing Hercules the cup of tea that would help Iolaus with the pain and his breathing.

"Thanks," he said softly.

"I'm sorry, Herk," she whispered.

"I told him it was alright to cross over," he responded.

Gabrielle nodded and reached out to stroke Iolaus' cheek and then moved to the end of the bed.

Iolaus coughed and clung to Hercules' arms. He opened his eyes when the coughing finally eased up and attempted to smile at the group.

"Love you," he whispered.

"We love you, Iolaus," Xena responded. "You will be remembered, my friend, my brother."

"I love you, Iolaus," Hercules said softly. "Let go."

Iolaus grinned a familiar smile and winced as he tried to breathe. Then he closed his eyes and his head dropped forward.

Xena began singing softly and Asher started a low beat with his hands on his legs.

After a few moments, Iolaus stopped struggling and then stopped breathing.

Asher got up and helped Virgil to his feet. Gabrielle followed the two of them out as Xena stood up and moved to help her half brother with his mate.

I admit it was so hard. Even harder than losing Joxer. We had time to prepare for Joxer. Hellfire, we had time to prepare for Iolaus, we just ignored him getting worse every year. We were in such denial, even when Hercules would curl up in a chair with Iolaus in his arms.

I guess I'm able to write about this now because of recent events. May the gods smile kindly on Xena and everyone: we had to say goodbye to Cyrene and Argo. We received word from Torris last moon that Cyrene had gone to sleep one night and never woke up.

Gods, this is worst part of being immortal so far, watching our families grow older while we don't. Now we're losing them to the inevitable. Xena was devastated and I pretty much handled things on the road as we rushed back to Greece for the funeral. I think she would have run horse after horse into the ground to make it back in time to say goodbye to her mother if I hadn't insisted we rest along the way.

We did make it back for the funeral. Cyrene was laid to rest next to her son. She was such an important part of our lives. She held me so many times, especially after Xena and I would fuss about something.

She was so remarkable. I never thought I would see Xena, the mighty warrior and conqueror fear anything until I followed her to home all those years ago. Losing her mother's love and approval destroyed my warrior. I knew then what I was called to do and stood by her. When Cyrene forgave Xena for her past, I could see Xena's spirit and heart soaring and knew we could face anything from that moment on. Even if Xena didn't know it at the time, I still had to convince her that night that she needed a friend. Took her even longer to recognize me as a lover.

Gods, I'm going to miss Cyrene!

Argo, the loyal and way too intelligent friend of Xena, in the body of a horse. We found Argo alive when we got to Amphipolis for the funeral but she went down and wouldn't get back up that night. Xena spent the night with Argo's head in her lap, talking and singing to her beloved horse. Argo's spirit passed on at dawn.

Gabrielle looked over the scrolls and wiped away several tears. She had more to add now. Her own mother had passed on from some illness that swept through the growing town of Poteidia after breaking a hip.

The bard sighed and leaned back into Xena's arms as her mate walked up behind her and wrapped her arms around the smaller woman.

"Your Mom or my mom?" the warrior asked softly.

"Both, I haven't written in my scrolls in forever," Gabrielle explained. "I've barely even met my own nieces and nephews and we have no idea where your grandson is. It feels like it's slipping away, Xena."

"It is, time is going to take our families and friends, my love," Xena said softly.

"I know, but it doesn't mean I have to like this part of living forever with you," Gabrielle muttered. "We haven't seen Sasha in ages!"

"And Asher and Virgil haven't made it home for the summer, I know," Xena laughed softly. Gabrielle always got irritable at the first sign of Spring, none of them could wait to see Asher and Virgil for the summer months and they both tended to get a little impatient waiting for Hercules to return to the North with the boys.

"I'm sorry, lover," Gabrielle smiled and leaned against Xena's arm, loving the feel of arms around her.

"Maybe I can help?" a voice asked in Germanic from the doorway.

Xena spun with her chakram in hand and Gabrielle was on her feet with sai in hand, years of instinct and reflexes still strong in both women. Both got along with the Viking custom of never being too far from weapons, even in your own hall or home.

The dark-haired figure grinned at them, her blue eyes shining with amusement.

"Sasha!" Xena squeaked and Gabrielle laughed, sheathing her sai to dash into the taller girl's arms as Xena followed, hugging both mate and daughter tightly.

Gabrielle smiled and stepped back to appraise her adopted daughter as Xena stepped to the other side, doing the same thing.

Sasha, at 24 summer seasons, was a full grown woman but both mothers still could see the small and impish child they had raised. The Viking had her mother and father's black hair and Xena's blue eyes. She had Ares' smirk but had somehow grabbed Gabrielle's strange sense of humor.

Xena's eyes narrowed. "When did you stop aging?" she asked softly.

Gabrielle had been wondering the same thing.

"When I was sixteen summers," Sasha answered easily. "When I was accepted as a Valkyrie in training and went through a ritual for it."

"Let me guess," Xena said ruefully, "a shamanic experience to the Underworld, facing several challenges and actual death."

"Yes, Freya wasn't worried," Sasha explained, pulling off her travel cloak and hanging it on a peg by the door as she stepped through the main door. "I am the daughter of gods and demi-gods."

"Don't remind me of your father," Xena growled and Gabrielle smirked.

It was about 20 years since Xena had last faced Ares, sealing him in a tomb, hopefully for eternity. It was also just recently that Gabrielle could even think of Sasha's father without going into a rage.

"Yes, Mom," Sasha grinned, pulling her sword belt off and hanging it on the back of a chair.

Without the cloak, both mothers could see that she was as tall as Xena, as lean and wiry as a hunting hound and with a tan that spoke of plenty of time outside, even in the winter.

"So, how many hearts have you broken this year?" Gabrielle asked, pulling down a small keg of mead for all of them.

"A few," Sasha admitted with a grin.

"Marriage yet?" Xena asked. Sasha was well beyond the normal marrying age in the Viking North but the fact she was also a Valkyrie and a demi-goddess meant time had slowed down for her.

"No, not yet," the Valkyrie responded. "The guys here?"

"No, we expect them any day now," Gabrielle grinned as Xena brought goblets to the table.

"How goes the training?" Xena asked as Gabrielle began pouring.

"It goes well, I face the final testing soon."

Gabrielle and Xena glanced at each other, both catching the hesitation in Sasha's voice.

"What is it, Sash?" Xena asked.

"I was hoping I could stay around here for awhile," Sasha said slowly. "If you're still the kick ass warrior you've always been, I could use some additional training."

"What is the test for a Valkyrie?" Gabrielle asked, her bardic curiosity showing.

"Can't say too much, Mum," Sasha shrugged, her eyes glinting in amusement at Gabrielle's frustrated expression. "I can say that part of the test is to face the other Valkyries in a test of combat skills. I've been training with them for years, we all know each other's moves, forwards and backwards."

"You're hoping I can show you some new tricks," Xena smirked and nodded. "Good idea."

"Maybe I can show you a few as well," Sasha bragged and grinned at her mother's raised eyebrows.

"Sounds like fun," Xena grinned in return and Gabrielle shook her head.

"Who are you going to as a Valkyrie?" Gabrielle questioned. "Odin or Freya's Hall?"

"Freya," Sasha smiled and laughed softly as Xena's smile turned to a frown.

"I know she gets half of the honored dead," Xena muttered. "She's also the goddess of sexuality, fertility and such."

"Yes," Sasha agreed, catching Gabrielle frowning as well. "Moms, I'm 23 summers old, almost 24. I've had sex with a number of men and women. Some in service of the goddess, some for my own pleasure."

"Now I know how my mom felt when I grew up," Xena complained with a rueful smile.

"I'm sorry about Grandma Hecuba, Mum," Sasha said softly to Gabrielle.

"Thank you, Sash," the bard nodded. Watching her grown daughter and reflecting on the news Sasha was chosen by Freya. Which was worse, sending your child off to war or knowing your daughter was sexually active?

"What is the rest of the testing?" Xena asked.

"Can't say, Valkyrie stuff," Sasha responded. "Some of it I won't learn about until the test."

"Sasha," Gabrielle hesitated and saw Xena looking at her, wondering what the serious question could be. "You see the dead as a Valkyrie, right?"

"Yes, Mum," their daughter grew serious.

"Did you….?" The bard hesitated.

"Iolaus crossed over to the Elysian Fields and will be waiting for Hercules if he ever dies. If he doesn't then Iolaus will be given the choice to rest forever or come back somehow to Uncle Herk," Sasha said softly.

"Thank you," Gabrielle felt Xena's hand reaching out for hers and squeezed.

"Now, young lady," Xena smiled, raising her goblet. "To the gods! May they continue to keep busy among themselves!"

Both Sasha and Gabrielle laughed and raised their goblets as well.

Gods, those two are incredible! I thought Xena was good with a sword but Sasha is damned close to being able to beat Xena. She's better at using the sharp end of a spear but I can still beat her with the staff part. Which tells us a lot: Valkyries aren't accustomed to fighting Southern Amazon style with chobas and staves.

Instead of just Xena training Sasha, I've gotten into the action with staves, chobas and sais and they're both working on more sword work. Sasha was right, she has managed to show Xena a couple of new things as well, especially fighting with sword and shield. My mate has relied on that chakram for so many years that she never really learned the details of fighting with sword and shield combinations. I practice daily with Sasha, it was one thing I learned in gladiator training – fighting with almost every weapon you could get your hands on. I'm not used to the larger Viking shields though. Gladiator shields for a fighter my size are barely big enough to guard the hand and arm.

Xena hasn't said anything but I know she's aware my nightmares are back. I guess I shouldn't be surprised with the training and practicing, it's so much like what I went through in that damned school. I wake up thinking Lycrassius is reaching for or whipping me and Xena holds me, as always.

Will these damned memories haunt me forever? That was 25 winters ago. Would Lycrassis even be alive? He'd be somewhere around 55 winters. Old but not that old for a rich Roman; if he hung onto his riches, that is, and stayed out of politics.

It worries me sometimes to have Asher so far away from home and in Roman territory. He looks Northern and speaks Germanic, Latin, Greek and Finnish fluently and can pass for any tribe but I still worry. With Kryck lost to us, I worry like a normal mother, I guess.

I hate having him gone! I love it when both boys are here. I never really thought of myself as mother material when I hit the road with Xena but I do love it so. It somehow makes the losses of our family easier. I do admit that I haven't a clue how I would ever handle losing Asher or Virgil. I don't know how we survived losing Solan.

I remember being numb and reacting instinctively to the threat of Mars and Callisto. We really didn't have time to grieve. Maybe that's why it hurts so much to lose Iolaus. I know in a way both Xena and I said goodbye to our families when we moved North to get away from Casear and Rome. We knew the day would come when we'd get word that someone had died. I guess we're human: ignore it and maybe it won't happen.

I know I'll always picture my mom in the kitchen and Cyrene moving between tables as she ran the tavern. Argo will always be dancing in a field, waiting for Xena's whistle.

How in Tartarus are we supposed to survive watching everyone around us grow old and die?

Xena and Sasha broke out of the tree line, dashing towards the house in a dead out run. At first Gabrielle was startled and reached for her sais but relaxed when she realized mother and daughter were racing and neither was about to let the other one win.

The bard laughed as both dove for the steps, slapping their hands on the porch at the same moment. Mother and daughter collapsed onto the stairs, breathing heavily.

Gabrielle grinned. "Tie!" she announced and two sets of blue eyes glared at her, only causing the bard to grin even wider.

"I'm the one you sleep with, Gabrielle," Xena growled. "Still think it was a tie?"

"No fair!" Sasha protested.

Gabrielle giggled, a familiar warm feeling spreading over her as Xena looked up, her eyes darkening with love and desire.

"How cold is that water?" Sasha asked, pointing to the pump Hercules and Xena had dug the year before.

"Cold enough to chill both of you off!" Gabrielle smirked.

Gabrielle turned back to her scrolls as the duo headed off to get cleaned up for dinner.

"When is this damned test, anyway?" she yelled to Sasha.

"Full moon!" the young Valkyrie yelled back.

"Terrific," Gabrielle complained. "Just when the blood lust hits around here."

Gabrielle ignored Xena's worried expression. No matter how many years they were together, Gabrielle still resented her blood cravings.

"Full moon," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "Two weeks."

The physical training also consisted of helping out around the farm now that Spring was approaching. The tilling of the small fields and everything that went along with getting the farm out of its winter hibernation ensured that all three women were exhausted by nightfall and barely able to eat dinner before dropping off to sleep.

Gabrielle made sure to call a halt to everything occasionally and force her mate and daughter to take breaks. Once even an entire day off lounging by the river behind their home. The bard loved it when Xena was actually relaxing, the warrior turned farmer was always on the move, ever since the first day Gabrielle had seen her. Getting Xena to take time to relax was a major event.

It gave Gabrielle a chance to see sides to her mate that very few others ever got to see. The playful and romantic mate that the bard treasured.

Xena grinned, watching Gabrielle lean back against a tree next to the river. Even if they didn't physically age, it was still hard work keeping a farm going after all the years they had been here. The warrior was glad when she could get Gabrielle to take a break from the endless work. It softened the bard's face like nothing else could.

The mother turned in time to duck being hit with Sasha's latest catch from the river. Her daughter tried to look innocent, as if the flying fish had been an accident but Xena could see the same mischievousness in Sasha's eyes that she had known in her brother and in Solan.

Xena had to admit, watching Sasha turn back to her fishing, she and Ares had a beautiful daughter together. The warrior was also very grateful that Ares had been an absent father in Sasha's life.

Xena looked up at the sky and extended her senses, gauging the passing of the season. She hoped the warming temperature meant Hercules would make it back with the boys before the rainy season. It was known to turn the roads into impassable lanes of mud and made rivers raging obstacles of swift moving water.

Sasha turned her head to watch her Mom as Xena sat down on the bank beside her, picking up her own fishing pole.

"Mom, can I ask you something?"

"Sure, anything, kid," Xena said easily. She was still adjusting to the thought of Sasha having sex with anyone, let alone many anyones but Xena was determined to be an open and communicative parent. She had been so thankful that Cyrene was understanding and supportive after they had talked and Cyrene had forgiven Xena for the past. One thing Cyrene had advised was open communication and a willingness to listen before lecturing.

"I've read Mum's scrolls about how you helped get Hades' helmet back to him with the help from one of your former lovers," Sasha began.

"Yes, Marcus," Xena nodded. "I was there when he died trying to protect an innocent and I was the one he turned to when Hades lost control of Tartarus and the Elysian Fields."

"And you were with him for that time, knowing he was going to go back, knowing he was going to die again, right?" Sasha continued.

"Yes," Xena's eyes became thoughtful and pained. The first time Marcus died, it was early in her travels with Gabrielle and her attempt at redemption. Before she had discovered she had fallen in love with the bard. The second time, Xena knew she was in love with Gabrielle but thought Gabrielle had no clue and no interest in women or her, romantically.

"What was it like? Knowing he was going to die?" Sasha asked softly. "I mean, it wasn't like someone who's sick or watching someone die on the battlefield."

Xena frowned. "It was hard," she admitted, setting the pole aside as she sat her arms on her knees. "What I didn't tell Gabrielle, what I never told anyone, was that I was the one who killed him when his time was up."

Sasha blinked, absorbing the information.

Xena nodded at her daughter's surprised expression. "Marcus could have kept the helmet and lived out the rest of his life, maybe even had been made immortal by the helmet but he chose the right thing."

"And you killed him," Sasha said softly, her expression thoughtful.

"Yes, I drove a dagger into his heart after Hades promised to reconsider Marcus' case," Xena explained.

"Did it help knowing that Marcus might end up in the Elysian Fields and be happy?" Sasha questioned.

"It helped me live with it," Xena muttered. "Are you doubting your calling as a Valkyrie, calling heroes to the halls after their death?"

"It's not just calling the heroes after a battle or violent death, Mom," Sasha said softly. "It's picking which heroes will fall in that battle. I have to choose who dies."

"You've already been doing this, haven't you?"

"Yeah," Sasha's frown deepened. "I look at a warrior and know his past deeds and his skills and make my decisions, based on what Freya and Odhinn want from a hero. I haven't gotten close to any of them."

"And now you'll have to?" Xena asked gently. "I really don't understand the Vikings on this one. I'm not sure that should be left to Valkyries and gods."

"I know, it all fits in with the Norns, somehow," Sasha muttered. "I don't know how and why it works except that it does. The heroes are happy; I've escorted many to Odhinn or Freya's Halls. They are more than happy to be there."

"It's your own feelings that you're having problems with?" Xena asked.

"Yeah, part of it is bringing pleasure to the warrior before the battle that will claim his life," Sasha explained.

"Getting close to someone who is going to die because you say so," Xena commented and Sasha nodded. "Not easy to live with, but the other side of that is you escort them to happiness."

Xena shook her head. "Happiness and pain for you, not easy to live with."

"No, but what is?" Sasha shrugged, reminding Xena of herself.

Xena and Gabrielle grinned when Hercules and the boys rode into sight two days later. Sasha laughed delightedly and ran to greet her foster father and brothers.

Asher grinned and dropped off his horse easily as Virgil caught his reins. Sasha lifted the boy high in the air and hugged him tightly. She looked up with a grin for Hercules and Virgil.

"I'm so glad you got here," Sasha laughed. "I've missed you guys."

"We've missed you," Hercules agreed. "Your visit over Yule was nice but too short."

Sasha sat Asher on his feet and looked him over closely. "Staying away from wild horses?"

"Yup, Mom Meg won't let me anywhere near the war horses she keeps stabled for the Captain of the Militia," Asher answered easily.

Sasha looked up into the shy brown eyes of her foster brother.

"And you, Virgil? Keeping him out of trouble?" she teased.

"Nope," Virgil smiled back. "He keeps me out of trouble."

Laughing, Hercules dismounted and hugged Xena and Gabrielle as they trotted over to greet everyone. Xena grinned and grabbed Asher by the head and rubbed it quickly with a fist as he howled in mock pain. Gabrielle took the reins of the horses so Virgil could get down.

She hugged Virgil tightly and then Asher, glad to see her son and foster son.

"How's Meg?" Xena asked Hercules as she turned to hug Virgil.

"Doing well, really," her half brother answered. "Having baby Rachel to care for helps. She says she doesn't have time to worry about anything."

"Good," Xena nodded as the small group began moving towards the cabin.

"I'm glad you're here, Sash," Hercules grinned, wrapping an arm around the adult woman. "How long are you here?"

"Until the moon," Sasha replied.

"She's about to take the final steps to be a full Valkyrie," Xena explained further. "Wanna help train our warrior?"

"Sure," the demi-god agreed readily.

"Can we watch?" Virgil asked and Asher nodded, hoping for approval.

"Sure," Gabrielle answered after a moment. The last thing Xena, Gabrielle or Hercules wanted was the boys growing up to be soldiers but knew it was very likely. Already the boys were training with the older boys in Greece in staves and tracking. They were naturals on horses, except for wild war horses, Gabrielle corrected mentally.

Xena caught Gabrielle's frown and shrugged, figuring both of them were thinking along the same lines. It was time for the boys to start training with weapons and getting serious about it. Xena had been so pleased when Solan had turned away from being a fighter. Bitter thoughts of his death crossed the warrior's mind. Her peaceful son had been killed by a fighter, a warlord and insane goddess named Callisto.

Asher apparently had inherited both his mother's skills in fighting. He was fast as a cat, acrobatic like Gabrielle and as talented with a sword as Xena was at his age.

Virgil had inherited his father's shyness and his mother's blue eyes, other talents yet unrevealed apparently.

Gabrielle shuffled her feet as Xena growled. Sasha was making her goodbyes to Hercules and the boys while the Goddess Freya waited nearby under a tree.

Xena, finally unable to keep quiet, walked slowly over to the Goddess.

"Ysla," Freya greeted, using Xena's northern name.

"Freya," Xena responded. "Listen, I know part of the test is to face the other Valkyries. I don't have a problem with that but can you let us know the outcome? She is our daughter."

Freya smiled gently. "Of course, Ysla. She will do fine, the test is meant to help bond them together, not kill the Valkyrie."

Xena was obviously relieved.

"We don't tell the trainees that, we want them fighting at their best," Freya explained.

"You make the stakes high enough for the best performance," Xena nodded, appreciating the strategy.

"It's not easy," Freya said firmly. "She will get hurt and will probably hurt a few of the others."

"I understand. Thank you," Xena said softly and turned to see her daughter hugging Gabrielle and the bard trying to hold back her tears. Xena understood the emotion; she was biting back her own tears.

Now she knew how her mother felt, watching her kids grow up into adults and go off facing dangerous situations.

Xena held her arms open and hugged Sasha tightly as Gabrielle wiped at her tears.

"Freya says that we'll find out how you do but I know you'll be great," Xena said, trying to smile.

"I'm the daughter of Xena, Gabrielle and Ares," Sasha grinned. "Can't lose."

"Gods, she inherited your ego," Gabrielle teased and got punched playfully on the arm by Xena.

"I love you both," Sasha said softly and moved out of Xena's arms to stand next to Freya. The Goddess wrapped an arm around the young woman's shoulders, the cloak of falcon wings covered both of them and they disappeared.

"Damn!" Xena muttered.

Sasha looked over her weapons with a critical eye. The sword was sharp, the spear shaft was made of seasoned wood with the head finely honed and firmly attached. The shield was well made and the bracers fit very well. A typical Viking Sax knife completed the assortment of weapons.

Sasha redid the laces over her boots and tightened her belt. Unlike the usual bright chain mail armor the Valkyries usual wore, this test was about skill, not show and terror. She and the other Valkyries were dressed in simple tunics, woolen trousers, boots and had their hair in warrior braids.

Unlike her mothers, Sasha had never faced multiple opponents before except when training with the Valkyries and she was nervous. She wasn't going to show it though.

Sasha turned to face her opponents.

The Valkyries were grouped together, facing Sasha.

They all looked to Odin and Freya standing on a slight hill.

"Let the test begin, may the Norns bless your efforts," Odin announced.

Sasha wasn't surprised when the Valkyries spread out, forming a semi circle as they advanced on Sasha.

The would-be Valkyrie dropped her shield and dashed forward. She jammed her spear firmly into the ground and spun herself up and around it. Using her momentum she "ran" along the chests of her opponents in the semi circle, knocking them back into their companions. Two went down with broken jaws when Sasha spun around again and caught two of them with her boots.

That left eight more battle-trained female warriors.

Sasha knew they wouldn't fall for that trick again and barely got the spear up with both hands, taking two sword strikes on the iron wood. She quickly brought one end around across the jaw of one of the quicker fighters but winced when one struck under the spear, glancing across her ribs.

Sasha brought the spear up under the chin of another warrior and then back flipped out of the way. Landing on her hands, she kicked upward, just as Gabrielle had taught her.

Three more down from major wounds that bled freely.

Sasha ducked a sword strike as she bounded to her feet, grabbing up her shield with her boot, tossing it to herself in time to take another sword strike across it. The blow was strong enough to break the wooden shield.

The Greek would-be Viking dropped the shield and drew her sax before beginning to fight with both weapons as the remaining five Valkyries overwhelmed her.

Sasha knew she was in trouble in a matter of moments and used every trick her mothers and Hercules had shown her. She managed to break free from the group and everyone seemed to hesitate a moment, catching their breath. Two more fighters were down, one nursing a split skull from Sasha's sword hilt and another one holding a bad stomach wound from the young woman's sax.

The remaining Valkyries spread out as Sasha tried to keep all three of them in sight. She had taken a deep slash and the loss of blood was making her lightheaded.

All three rushed her at once. Sasha, instead of leaping up, as Xena was known to do, or trying to defend against all three at once, dived forward. She rolled into the legs of the lead warrior, causing her to fall into the path of the other two. In a moment, all three warriors were a tangle of legs, arms and weapons.

Sasha slashed at each lightly, causing a small cut along their necks and stepped back to the sound of applause from Odin and Freya.

The trainee felt the goddess' arms wrap around her as everything went gray from the loss of blood.

Xena bolted up in bed with chakram in hand.

"Easy, warrior," a gentle voice said softly.

"Freya?" Xena whispered, her voice harsh with sleepiness and surprise.

"Yes, Sasha is safe and passed her first test, she did better than any other before her," Freya said softly.

"Thank you," Xena said softly and laid back down, feeling the energy change and knew the goddess was gone. Xena smiled, unable to keep the pride from dancing in her eyes and across her face.

Sasha stretched her aching muscles in the morning sun. She was stiff and sore from the fight the day before and the general healing from Freya. Sasha would carry scars, the goddess refusing to totally heal, leaving sore muscles and scars for memory.

The Greek Viking was surprised and pleased with herself but had blushed most of the night away as her companion Valkyries praised and teased her throughout the night. The group had celebrated almost until dawn.

Now the second part of the testing was coming up and Sasha felt her confidence fading quickly.

The would-be Valkyrie hadn't been exactly truthful with her mothers. Sasha had been with a couple of women in sexual encounters before, both of them fellow Valkyries but she hadn't been with a male. Unlike some of the rumors about the Valkyries, not all of them were sexually active with the heroes they chose. That was reserved for full Valkyries given the volatile nature of Vikings, emotions, and the power of life and death over the heroes. The trainee Valkyries, like Sasha and a few others, weren't allowed to be sexually active with the heroes about to die.

Sasha had no doubts about her sexuality. She desired both sexes but her training had taken up all of her focus and time over the years. Now she was being faced with picking a hero to die and giving him a night of sexual pleasure, precluding his endless night of joy in Valhalla or Folkvang.

The Greek Viking stood up from her stretch and stood facing the sun, absorbing its warming rays. She felt the hackles on the back of her neck standing up and turned to find Odin standing under a nearby tree.

Sasha approached him confidently.

"AllFather," she said calmly.

"I am pleased with your test yesterday," he smiled, adjusting the patch covering where his right eye once rested.

"Thank you, Father," Sasha smiled in return.

"Your next test is ready, I will take you to a large settlement that is facing a battle in two days," he explained. "We'll watch the warriors and you'll make your pick."

Sasha tried not to let her nervousness show but Odin, watching her eyes, merely laughed.

"Don't worry, you've escorted warriors to our realm before," he said gently. "This will be more difficult, you'll actually get close to one of them. You will do fine and I have no doubt you'll pick a worth warrior for my Einherjar."

"What are you looking for in this hero?" Sasha asked.

"Someone level headed and calm," he told the young Valkyrie. "And a good fighter."

"Of course, it will be done," Sasha said, sounding more self-assured than she felt.

Sasha walked with Odin as they wandered through the settlement, listening to the debates among the warriors and the general talk among the women. Both were invisible to the mortals and so moved easily among the Vikings.

Sasha had learned from Freya and Odin that a lot more information could be learned from listening to the women than the men, sometimes. Women talked frankly and freely.

God and Valkyrie learned which leader was trusted, which warrior was favored by the young women, which ones were thought cowardly and who was overlooked.

A day and a night was spent among the Vikings.

At dawn the next day, Odin turned to Sasha.

"Have you made your choice?" he asked.

"Yes, AllFather," Sasha answered slowly. "Thorkell is a good man, a good warrior and level headed. He is admired by both warriors and villagers for his wisdom at such an early age."

"He could benefit the settlement by living," Odin pointed out.

"Yes, so could most of the warriors chosen by you and Freya," Sasha countered. "His brothers are also very much like him but not as good with warrior skills. They will be the asset to the clan."

"Good choice, I am pleased," Odin smiled gently.

"What happens now?" she asked.

"You approach him after dark," Odin explained. "It's your choice whether you reveal what you are and why you're seeking him out. Let the night happen and tomorrow during the battle you will point your spear and choose him to fall."

Sasha swallowed with difficulty.

"It is difficult the first time," he nodded.

"I know sexuality is different among the gods than mortals but I'm not experienced and I've never gotten close to one chosen," Sasha said slowly.

"It will be easier once it's over and you'll have the choice if you want to enjoy him once he reaches Valhalla," Odin offered. "All sexuality is your choice, even this test. You can walk away with no dishonor."

Sasha frowned.

"It's time to choose your path, young one," Odin said gently. "You will still be treasured among us if being a Valkyrie isn't your calling. You have until nightfall."

With that Odin was gone, leaving the young woman to wander through the village. She was still invisible to the inhabitants and Sasha found herself staying away from Thorkell at first but unable to keep her distance.

She spent the day watching as he helped the settlement prepare for the upcoming battle and reassured his mother and sisters that all would be fine. Sasha didn't listen to the reasons for the battle or even who the settlement was fighting, she didn't care. Odin and Freya had already decided who would win the battle and it really didn't concern Sasha and her choices.

The Greek Viking found that her assessment of Thorkell was a correct one. He was also gentle and loving to his family and clan mates.

Sasha sat down in the shadows, alone with her thoughts.

Xena held Gabrielle close as they watched the river passing nearby. They had decided to take the day off after hearing word that Sasha would be facing her final test the next day.

The boys and Hercules were off hunting for spring deer, leaving the two women the perfect chance to relax again.

"Careful, lover," Xena teased. "We'll get lazy."

Gabrielle laughed and nuzzled Xena's arm.

"Tonight is the moon," Gabrielle said softly.

"I know, that's the reason Herc took the boys to the hunting cabin tonight," Xena said easily. Even after all their years together, Xena knew that the Bacchae craving that hit Gabrielle once a month was still a source of pain for her bard.

"Alright," Gabrielle said softly.

"Gabrielle, accept it already!" Xena urged.

"Easier said than done!" Gabrielle snapped, pulling out of her mate's arms. "Even Artemis used it against me at my trial. How many Amazons now think I'm a monster?"

"Gabrielle, I can't do anything about that," Xena growled. "She was wrong to bring that up."

"Well, it happened and now I've got to deal with it," Gabrielle said wearily.

"The Northern Amazons know and don't care," Xena countered.

"That's not totally true, some of them treated me differently once they knew I was like the vampires they were fighting," Gabrielle protested.

Xena frowned. "How many times are we going to argue this?"

Gabrielle laughed softly, her body and face relaxing.

"Forever?"

"God, I hope not!" Xena teased, pulling Gabrielle back into her arms.

Gabrielle met Xena's lips roughly, her body covering the warrior's. Xena moaned, feeling the bard's arousal rising. Xena loved spending spring and summer days with Gabrielle. Her mate had reverted back to her favorite mode of dress around the farm: small top that showed off her ample breast and beautiful upper body strength, a leather skirt with shorts underneath showed off the bard's fantastic leg muscles as well. Xena loved watching Gabrielle every chance she got.

Xena didn't dress in her traveling warrior clothing as much as she did in their early years. Cotton trousers were more practical around the farm most of the time but she still preferred a leather vest like top with bracers.

Gabrielle's tongue begged and Xena readily parted her lips as her own tongue played back with her mate. The bard's hands moved to the laces on Xena's vest and a leg went between Xena's legs.

Xena moaned and thrust up against Gabrielle's leg. Her own hands went to Gabrielle's ties and loosened them. The bard whimpered as she worked Xena's laces open, both women uttering a small cry as bare breasts touched each other.

"Oh Gods, Xena," Gabrielle whispered, her breathing fast and her pulse racing.

"Yes!" Xena urged, her hands moved down and tugged at Gabrielle's shorts. Her mate wiggled until they got the clothing out of the way. The warrior knew her bard's arousal was always intensified on a full moon and that Gabrielle usually wanted it fast and fairly rough.

That was a side that had surprised Xena at first until she really thought about it. Gabrielle's inner fire had been something that had drawn the warrior to the gentle bard. Peace loving aside, Gabrielle could be a tiger in bed and Xena had crawled out of their bedding many mornings bruised, scratched, but well loved.

The warrior knew this was one of those times and felt a playful streak come over her. Xena flipped Gabrielle over and pulled her skirt off. Gabrielle growled and wrapped her legs around Xena, wanting her warrior close.

Xena grinned and grabbed Gabrielle's wrists together and pulled them over the bard's head. Gabrielle's eyes widened in surprise. Usually on full moons Xena relinquished control to her, this was new.

The warrior moaned as she lowered her body on top of Gabrielle and the bard arched up to meet her. Xena moved her lips all over Gabrielle's face, neck and ears, never staying long in one place until Gabrielle was moaning.

"Xena!" Gabrielle begged as the warrior moved to her breasts with her lips and teeth. The warrior ignored her bard's pleading and Gabrielle's thrusting against her as she took her time to love her mate. It was something Xena loved doing and never got enough of.

Xena kept a firm hold on Gabrielle's wrists even as she moved down Gabrielle's ribs, tracing each one with her tongue and lips, leaving little nips as she went until Gabrielle was whimpering.

Once Xena crawled between Gabrielle's legs, she released the bard's wrists but she knew Gabrielle would allow Xena whatever her plan was as the bard clutched at the blanket underneath them. Her body was trembling and sweating as Xena moved to the bard's feet and worked her hands and lips along the inside of Gabrielle's legs. By the time Xena got to Gabrielle's sex, the bard was almost in tears with the need for release.

Xena was determined to take her time and gently spread Gabrielle's labia lips and ran her fingers through Gabrielle's wetness without allowing any kind of release. The bard whimpered and Xena smiled up at her love.

Gabrielle's face was flushed and her eyes were heavy with arousal and Xena thought she had never seen anything more beautiful than Gabrielle during their love making.

Xena felt Gabrielle's muscles shaking and groaned, her own body highly aroused from all the noises coming from her mate. The warrior couldn't hold back any longer and entered Gabrielle slowly with one finger, barely relieving the bard's need.

"Xena!" Gabrielle demanded, rising up, her eyes now Bacchae yellow showing need on all levels.

The warrior smiled and thrust into Gabrielle with several fingers and danced her tongue over the bard's clit.

Gabrielle's body arched and her head snapped back with a cry of surprise and arousal.

Xena pulled almost all the way out and thrust back in roughly, knowing Gabrielle was beyond the gentle loving now. She growled and felt Gabrielle's body thrusting back against her fingers as she entered the bard again.

"Xena!" Gabrielle cried out, clutching the blanket tightly.

The warrior prolonged her loving as long as she could, pulling several minor orgasms from her mate and then ran her tongue over Gabrielle's clit and entered her roughly once more. Gabrielle screamed as her body arched and then collapsed.

Xena gathered Gabrielle into her arms and gently rocked her mate, holding her close and whispering to her.

Sasha waited until everyone had finished with the evening meal before approaching Thorkell. She finally got her chance when he picked up his sword and walked towards the woods, obviously deep in thought.

She followed quietly until he came to a small stream and sat down on a rock, beginning to sharpen his sword. The habit reminded Sasha of her warrior mother and she had to smile.

The Viking was handsome with reddish blonde hair and beard and he was even taller than Xena and Sasha. She appraised his body with the critical eye of a potential bed partner and found that she was pleased with the firm muscles and lean body.

Sasha mentally shifted to where she was visible and stepped out of the shadows into the moonlight.

Thorkell spun with sword in hand.

"Easy, warrior," Sasha said calmly.

He took in Sasha's bright chain-mail armor, weapons, warrior braids and rich embroidery around the hem of her tunic and sleeves.

"Valkyrie," he said just as calmly.

"Yes," she nodded, no sense lying to him, she figured. Honesty always worked best, she thought.

"You are for me?" Thorkell frowned.

"Yes, for the battle tomorrow," Sasha answered softly.

Thorkell sat back down heavily on the rock.

"This is hard, Valkryie," he admitted, leaning on his sword pommel.

"Yes, for both of us," Sasha admitted. "I'm Sasha, Thorkell."

"Will my clan be victorious?" he asked. "Will my brothers live?"

"I can't tell you that tonight," Sasha countered.

"What can you tell me, Valkyrie Sasha?" he asked with a smile.

"That you are worthy to be chosen by AllFather," Sasha said softly, sitting down at his feet, wanting to take away the feeling of deity between them.

"Then my life has merit," Thorkell said calmly. "What happens tonight?"

"You aren't married or engaged," Sasha said slowly.

"No, I've had women but no one permanent," Thorkell answered.

"What would you do on the last night of your life with a beautiful woman at your feet?" Sasha questioned with a small smile.

"Will you be the one to come for me tomorrow?" Thorkell asked.

"Yes, I wanted to know you tonight before taking you to Valhol," Sasha explained.

"Are we mates?" Thorkell asked with a frown.

"No, we aren't soul mates but we can pass the time in pleasure or just talk tonight," Sasha explained.

"I would like to talk," Thorkell decided. "Knowing I'm going to die tomorrow, I'm not sure it will rise to the occasion tonight," he joked.

The Viking slid off the rock to sit beside Sasha. She grinned, somewhat with relief. The Greek Viking had no idea how to seduce someone or even if this was a seduction.

The two began chatting, it was awkward at first but discussion turned to Sasha's training and Thorkell's brothers and home life. Soon they were talking like old friend, throughout the early evening and into the night.

Sasha found herself laughing so hard she fell against Thorkell's shoulder as he giggled like a boy over a story he told about himself as a boy. The Valkyrie looked up into Thorkell's blue eyes and felt a flush spreading over her body.

Thorkell's eyes darkened and he leaned down, his lips meeting hers softly for a moment.

The sensation sent sparks through Sasha's body and she moaned, reaching a hand up behind his head, pulling him closer. Thorkell deepened the kiss and pulled Sasha into his arms and the Valkyrie melted easily.

The Viking pulled back slightly and looked deep into Sasha's eyes.

"You'll come to me tomorrow as a friend?" he asked softly.

"As a lover," Sasha corrected and pulled him back to her lips.

Xena felt Gabrielle come up behind her as the warrior sat in front of the fire. They had spent the evening reminiscing about raising the kids and missing Iolaus. Gabrielle had been particularly mellow and relaxed after the day by the river.

The warrior was content. Their sons were healthy and growing up quickly, their daughter was going to be a legend if Odin and Freya had their way and the warrior and bard were still together after so many years.

Gabrielle leaned over Xena, running her hands down the front of Xena's cotton tunic. Xena felt her pulse begin to quicken when Gabrielle's teeth nibbled her earlobe.

"Full moon?" Xena teased as she leaned back in the chair, stroking Gabrielle's arms as the bard hugged her, her hands dancing across Xena's breasts. "What are you needing, Little One?"

"You, my warrior," Gabrielle growled, her teeth moving to Xena's neck.

Xena felt her back arching slightly and her nipples hardening.

"Yes, Gabrielle?" Xena teased. "You needing something? Maybe me in front of the fireplace here, you ripping my clothes off? Your hand deep inside of me as your fangs sink into my neck, breasts and thigh? My blood flowing over your fangs and down your throat?"

"Oh Gods!" Gabrielle growled and moved around the chair with the swiftness of her gladiator past, pulling Xena to the furs in front of the fireplace and covered the warrior.

The bard pulled Xena's top off in a flash. The warrior grinned as Gabrielle growled and pulled Xena up and onto her knees.

"You want it rough, warrior?" Gabrielle hissed. "Like this?"

Gabrielle pulled Xena's trousers off and ran a hand between Xena's legs.

"You're wet, my love," Gabrielle growled, turning the tables as Xena moaned in arousal. "Thinking about earlier when you drove me insane? You want me to take my time? Just run my hands over you for the rest of the night without touching you here?"

Gabrielle cupped Xena's sex and felt the warrior thrust against her.

"No, please! Now!" Xena begged. Just Gabrielle's voice, husky with desire, was enough to send Xena into a frenzy.

Gabrielle felt her control slipping as her eyes changed to Bacchae yellow and her fangs extended.

She thrust into Xena roughly as her body covered Xena's from behind. The bard knew her warrior very well and even when giving it rough, Gabrielle knew how to pull more and more out of her warrior until Xena was thrusting back, her body begging for more.

Gabrielle whimpered and Xena moaned as the blonde felt her entire hand being taken by her lover. She stopped for a moment, letting Xena's body adjust to the sensation until Xena began rocking back into her lover, small noises building as the intensity built.

One advantage of being together so long, Gabrielle knew exactly how to please her wife. She rotated her fists and pulled slightly and then pushed as she plunged her fangs into Xena's neck.

The warrior's screamed and bucked against the bard. Gabrielle drank deeply as Xena continued to thrust against her hand until the warrior collapsed against the fur and Gabrielle followed her warrior down. She gently pulled out of her mate and wrapped her arms around Xena.

Sasha moaned as she lowered her body down on Thorkell, taking him deeper again and again until they were both whimpering as he thrust up into her.

It was almost dawn and Sasha found that part of the Valkyrie magic enabled both of them to continue having sex all night. She also discovered that sex with a loving male was very nice.

She collapsed against his chest, panting.

Thorkell held her tightly in his strong arms.

"I have to go soon," he muttered.

"Yes," she nodded, reluctant to let him go.

"Will it hurt?"

"I don't know," she admitted. "I've never died."

"Me either," he smirked and kissed her nose. "Oh well, Valhalla awaits!"

Sasha frowned and pulled back from her lover.

"What is wrong?" he asked.

"I've never done this before, not this close," Sasha admitted.

"The rest is simple isn't it?" he asked. "I go into battle, fall and you gather me up and I meet AllFather and the greatest heroes of history."

"It's not just that, I'm the one that points the spear at you, deciding your fate," Sasha explained.

"You don't think you can do it because we spent time together?" Thorkell questioned.

"I'm not sure," she shrugged, reaching for her trousers.

Thorkell reached around her and hugged her tightly. "You decided my fate and I am honored that you chose me for Valhalla, I am honored that you chose me as your first warrior companion, and I am honored to have met you. Finish it or we both lose."

Sasha nodded and reached for her tunic with a sad smile.

Xena spun around with chakram in hand, knocking the milking stool over. "Odin?" she muttered, not quite believing the sight of the AllFather in her barn.

"Yes, Ysla," the deity smiled. "Shall we join your mate?"

"Is Sasha alright?" Xena demanded.

"Forgive me," Odin said quickly, "Yes, she is fine."

Gabrielle spun just as quickly as Xena had with sai in hand and dropped the goblet she had been cleaning. "Freya?" she questioned.

"Yes, Gabrielle," the goddess answered softly with a smile. "Sasha is fine, this is a friendly call."

Freya looked toward the doors and Gabrielle waited patiently for a moment and smiled as Xena walked into the cabin with Odin following her.

"What's going on?" Gabrielle asked everyone.

"We would like you both to observe Sasha's final test with us," Odin explained.

Gabrielle looked at Xena and nodded. The warrior turned to the warrior deities.

"Yes," she said firmly.

Gabrielle stepped up next to Freya while Xena stood next to Odin.

In a moment they were all standing on a hill overlooking a small valley where two groups faced each other.

"Where are the Valkyries?" Gabrielle asked.

"On the other hill, watching for their chosen warriors," Freya said, pointing.

The two mothers spotted their daughter among the warrior women watching the opposing forces.

"Can they see us?" Xena asked.

"No," Freya said gently.

Xena, the experienced warrior, could feel the energy building below as the sun began to rise over the tree line. The forces began stirring and Xena knew they were building up their energy and stress, preparing for the first charge. Judging from the way the warriors were arranging themselves, this wasn't going to be a battle of tactical skills of the leaders, it was going to be an all out crash between the groups.

It would be a slaughter and a lot of good warriors were going to die or be maimed.

Xena turned away when the warriors screamed on both sides and rushed forward. The former warlord found she no longer craved the first rush of battle. The sound of crashing metal, shouts, and sounds of horses screaming assaulted their ears. Xena wrapped her arms around Gabrielle as the bard turned away from the carnage.

Xena looked up and saw the Valkyries moving their horses towards the edge of the battle. She spotted Sasha's dark hair among the typically light colors of her companions. Most of the Valkyries had chosen white steeds but Sasha's horse was as black as her hair and stood out among the rest.

Gabrielle, feeling Xena's energy change, turned and followed Xena's finger and spotted Sasha on her magical horse along with the other Valkyrie.

Sasha found part of the Valkyrie magic was the ability to see every warrior clearly, as if they were standing separately from the others on the field. She easily found Thorkell among the second rank. Sasha knew that he couldn't see her but when he glanced her way she was startled. He turned his attention back to the battle and fought with skill and a tenacity that Sasha found pleasing.

Sasha found herself watching his opponents and waiting for a worthy one before calling his fate to its end.

The Greek Viking watched closely and found she had fallen into her role naturally. She realized she was honoring not only Odin in choosing a worthy warrior but she was also honoring Thorkell by trying to find him a worthy death.

"She's made the mental connection," Odin commented to Freya and Xena saw the goddess nod.

Xena hoped this path was the right one for her daughter; it wasn't an easy role to fill. Occasionally Xena had found herself in the miserable position of deciding someone's fate and hated it worse than royal functions.

Gabrielle watched the battle and Valkyries with a natural bardic curiosity. She was also afraid for Sasha's emotional state. The adopted mother knew she never wanted to be in the position that Sasha had trained for.

Sasha saw three opposing warriors rushing Thorkell; one with a sword and the other two with spears. She knew that Thorkell might be able to take them but made the decision without thought.

The Valkyrie raised her spear and pointed it at her warrior.

Xena and Gabrielle's breath stopped as their hearts pounded.

Thorkell shouted a battle cry, finished off the warrior he was fighting and turned to face the three rushing him. He deflected one spear with his sword but his shield shattered under the sword and the second spear got through. Thorkell shouted in anger as the spear sank deep into his chest and through a lung.

The spear caught on his ribs and he was left standing as the warrior tried to wrench his spear free. Thorkell coughed up blood as he tried to raise his sword to take the enemy with him when he saw the sword from the other warrior swinging for his unprotected neck.

The Viking fell, his eyes closing before he hit the ground.

Sasha spurred her magical horse forward with a shout and leaned down low off the horse, sweeping Thorkell's spirit into her arms, away from the battle.

"Odin?" Xena questioned in a whisper.

"Just watch," he said softly as Sasha took her horse to the opposite hill.

They watched as Sasha dismounted with Thorkell in her arms, tears streaming down her face.

"Thorkell?" Sasha called softly.

The Viking opened his eyes and blinked. Sasha helped him to his feet and he looked down at his unmarked clothing.

"I died?" he asked.

"That's why you're here with me," Sasha smiled, relieved that he was still the same man she knew from the night before and that he wasn't angry with her.

His eyes sought out the battle and then he shook his head.

"It is strange," he said slowly. "It doesn't matter for me anymore. Will you spend time with me in Valhol?"

"I would be honored, warrior," Sasha smiled and mounted her horse easily. She held out her arm and Thorkell mounted behind her, wrapping his arms around her and nuzzling her neck playfully.

Sasha laughed and spurred her horse towards the sky.

Xena and Gabrielle heard both Odin and Freya sigh and turned to the deities as their daughter disappeared.

"She passed magnificently!" Odin grinned.

"Sasha will be a credit to the Valkyries," Freya agreed. "She shows intelligence, insight, and a gentleness that will help warriors cross to our realm."

Xena and Gabrielle sighed and held each other tightly for a moment. Both felt tears filling their eyes.

"Your daughter is grown and has found a part of her destiny," Odin said gently. "It isn't an easy path but she faced it with courage."

"It's a special gift she'll bring to the Valkyries, one of gentleness and open emotion," Freya commented. "Part of Gabrielle's gift to her, I think. Sometimes a Valkyrie can become hardened to the emotions."

"Thank you for your training and guidance," Gabrielle said softly.

"Sasha will visit you soon," Freya smiled and raised her arms.

Gabrielle and Xena blinked and looked around at their yard as Asher and Virgil scampered out the door. It was barely past dawn and none of the males had missed them.

"Gods, we lead a strange life even when we try to be normal," Gabrielle muttered as Xena wrapped her arm around the bard's shoulder.

"Yup," Xena agreed. "Let's see if we can rack up a few more years before the next strange event."


	31. 31 Scrolls frome Rome

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** Some

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Asher and Virgil have grown and have been asked to go on a special assignment for their Viking clan. Things are always complicated when it comes to Rome, Xena and Gabrielle. Old demons come back to haunt them both.

* * *

Personal scrolls of Gabrielle of Germania.

The boys are now 16 and 14, Virgil almost 15, and down south in Greece with Meg. I hate it when the boys are gone. Even though it has become fairly routine, I still hate it. The small cabin seems empty without their big heavy feet tromping through the place.

At the same time I relish the closeness I get with Xena during the absence of the foster brothers. Hercules spends a lot of time during the winter at the small hunting cabin, manning the trap lines and missing Iolaus, giving Xena and me many long winter nights in front of the fireplace.

As I'm writing this, I'm smiling. I wonder if anyone would believe how gentle and romantic my warrior can be? Everyone knows of her passion and ferocity and probably reason that it carries over into the bed but I doubt many of them would believe a gentle and loving Xena.

It does surprise me, though, that Xena has yet to show more signs of her typical footloose nature. She goes out in the Fall and Spring to run the trap line and to do some hunting. That usually takes a few days and she never seems restless or unhappy with all the years we've spent here. It's nice to have a home, healthy children, and a loving mate.

Xena surprised me yesterday by returning home early from the trap line. It's spring time and she said the flowers and the newness in the air made her miss me. She can be such a romantic mush! She had ran into some traders at Eddval's Steading and bought a beautiful silver chain with a silver wolf's head, the eyes made of blood amber. It's so beautiful and I know she traded some of her best furs for it.

Then she took me for a ride on that wild war horse of hers. Slasher, what a name! I think the Vikings and their affection for naming everything is rubbing off on Xena. I have my own horse, of course, but she insisted on me riding with her. I figured she was up to something when she further insisted that I ride in front of her.

I know my warrior and the heat was almost radiating off her. We rode further into the woods and I realized after half a candle mark that we were headed to the hunting cabin. I leaned back into her and let her arms wrap around me, so much like old times. I sighed as she began to nuzzle my neck.

"Tell me," Gabrielle insisted.

"Tell you what?" Xena purred, nibbling on Gabrielle's ear lobe. "That you're incredibly sexy, that I can never get enough of you?"

Xena grinned as Gabrielle's body jerked when her hands traveled to the bard's breasts and began loving them through the tunic.

"Oh gods," Gabrielle muttered, gripping the saddle horn. "Tell me about the fight."

Xena's hands and lips stopped moving and she drew back slightly. "What fight?" she asked slowly.

"The one you got into coming home," Gabrielle said with a grin, twisting so she could look in Xena's eyes. "You're aroused with battle lust, your bracer has two new slashes and I can smell blood."

Xena shook her head. "You know me too well, Little One."

"Yes," Gabrielle said softly, leaning and twisting around to kiss her warrior.

Xena hugged her mate as Gabrielle turned to the front again.

"Some bandits saw me trading for the necklace and followed me on the road," Xena explained. "There were five of them."

"Oh Tartarus, I thought you might have actually gotten in a fight," Gabrielle teased.

"Well, it was fun," Xena admitted. "I bloodied their noses, took their weapons, which I threw in the river and sent them back towards the Steading with no trousers."

Gabrielle laughed until Xena had to hold her up in the saddle. "No trousers? They'll have a devil of a time explaining how they all lost their trousers!"

"Yup and their weapons," Xena grinned and lowered her lips to Gabrielle's neck again. "It also got my blood going, I guess."

"Oh, I'm not complaining, warrior," Gabrielle said, her voice husky with rising desire.

"Mom!"

Xena looked up from her anvil with a grin. Asher and Virgil slid off their horses, dashed over to the tall woman and lifted her into the air between them.

"Scoundrels! Put me down!" she shouted with a laugh.

"Ash, Virgil!"

The tall Greeks put Xena down and turned in time to grab Gabrielle up in their arms.

Gabrielle laughed and hugged both of them. Both moms made them step back in order to look the young men over critically as they grinned.

Asher was a little taller than Gabrielle but not as tall as Xena and his hair had gone dark brown again. His beard was reddish and his blue-green eyes danced with a mischief that reminded Xena of Gabrielle when she was playful. His body revealed a strength that made him look older than his 16 years. Both mothers thought their son looked very much like a Viking.

Virgil looked a bit like his father, Gabrielle thought, her throat tightening with emotion. He had a shock of black hair that was as unruly as Joxer's had been and the bluest eyes. The young man was lanky but with a natural grace. He was clean-shaven and looked slightly out of place in the Viking clothing.

Xena set aside the metal she was working on and banked the fire pit. Together the family headed for the cabin.

"Where's Uncle?" Asher asked of Hercules.

"He's off with the first of the raiding parties," Gabrielle explained. "Some renegade Romans stole some cattle and took some horses."

"There'll be trouble on the borders," Virgil nodded.

"Always is," Xena shrugged.

"Augustus wants to open a new program along the borders and into Germania to reduce the tension," Asher commented as he and Virgil took off their cloaks and hung them on pegs by the door.

"What now?" Xena asked.

"I still can't get used to calling Octavian Caesar," Gabrielle complained.

"I know," Asher nodded, sitting down at the table as Xena grabbed up a keg of ale and Gabrielle set about preparing dinner. "It's become a title instead of a name. Must be hard to separate that when you knew the man."

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded, watching an expected scowl cross Xena's face at the mention of Caesar. Just the thought of the Emperor could get a growl out of her.

"What's the plan?" Xena asked, bringing the conversation back around.

"To exchange warriors with some of the northern tribes," Virgil began explaining. "They serve four years with a Roman legion, learning Roman ways and teaching the Romans Germanic customs and ways of thinking. The Roman warriors will serve with the tribes, learning and teaching the same."

"Cultural exchange?" Gabrielle frowned. "I'm not sure how easily either side can adapt to each other."

"You've done well," Virgil pointed out.

"We aren't warriors anymore and we were never Roman," Xena growled.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed as she watched the subtle glances and exchanges of expression from the young men.

"What's gives, you two?" she asked.

"Well, uh…" Asher stammered.

Virgil suddenly thought his wooden mug was very interesting and Xena began to glare.

"Why did you two bring this up? Don't tell me you're thinking of wanting to be Romans!" she snapped.

"Mom, I know how you both feel about Romans," Asher began but Xena cut him off.

"You have no idea how we feel about Romans," she growled. "Gabrielle died on a Roman cross and the Greek Amazons were almost wiped out by them. If you want to know what else happened to your mother, go ask your Roman friends about what they do to Germanic women they capture and sell into slavery."

Gabrielle winced and lowered her head. It wasn't something they had talked about with Asher and Virgil. Talking about surviving sexual assault, slavery, torture and gladiator training wasn't something Gabrielle ever wanted to go over with her sons.

Xena quickly crossed the room and wrapped her arms around her mate, glaring at her son and foster son. "I'm sorry, love," she whispered. "I didn't mean to say that."

"I know, it just hurts," Gabrielle whispered back.

"Aunt Xena, that's what we're trying to prevent," Virgil said softly. "Axel and Eddval asked us to volunteer for this."

Xena nodded slightly, understanding better. "Learn Roman ways and learn how to defeat them when they get too aggressive," she muttered.

"Yes," Asher agreed.

"So your first loyalty is to the north?" Xena questioned with a frown, unsure how she felt about anything right then and Xena hated feeling confused.

"We've been raised Viking and Greek, not Roman," Asher said calmly.

"There is no Greece anymore," Xena countered. "It's part of the Roman Empire."

"I'm your son first, Viking second and Greek after that," Asher said.

"I'm the son of Joxer and Meg, foster son of Xena and Gabrielle, I'm Greek," Virgil said. "Raised part Viking. Rome is not my love."

"I still don't like it," Xena grumbled.

Gabrielle turned out of Xena's arms and faced the two young men. "Octavian is a decent Emperor and the Empire is peaceful," she said thoughtfully.

"Don't tell you're thinking of agreeing to this," Xena growled, holding Gabrielle from behind.

"Would we have much choice?" Gabrielle commented. "They are considered grown, in both lands."

Xena grumbled behind her.

"Do we send them out with the raiding parties or on a raiding ship with our Viking kin or do we let them go and play soldier in the Roman army?" Gabrielle pondered.

"Oh hell, now I know how my mother felt!" Xena muttered.

"At least we're not sending them off to war," Gabrielle pointed out. "How does Meg feel about this?"

Virgil grinned a boyish smile that reminded both Gabrielle and Xena of his father, his blue eyes much like Meg's.

"She, uh, kinda went berserk," Virgil admitted with a sheepish grin. Asher smiled and ducked his head, remembering his foster mother's rage and ranting.

"Meg began throwing mugs at us until we dived out a back window of the inn," Ash added and Virgil smacked his foster brother's arm.

"Good thing they were wooden mugs," Virgil admitted. "She eventually agreed though as long as you both agree."

"Terrific," Xena growled and went back to turn the meat roasting on a spit over the fire.

"How long would be your service?" Gabrielle asked, trying not to let her natural feelings of protectiveness as a mother interfere with looking at the problem.

"Four years," Asher said slowly, flinching when Xena threw a wooden spoon across the room in anger.

"Or until Eddval calls us back to the tribe," Virgil added. "It's not exactly like joining the Roman army. We have the choice to leave the Roman service if we're needed back home. Same for the Romans who will be spending time up here."

"We'll think about it," Gabrielle said slowly. "Why don't you two see to your horses while we fix dinner."

The youths quickly grabbed the opportunity to get out of sight from their angry warrior mother.

Gabrielle leaned on her elbow on the table, chin in hand as she frowned unhappily. "I'm not ready for this," she admitted.

"You sure sounded ready for it," Xena growled.

Gabrielle raised her eyebrows in surprise and in her own irritation. "Don't get mad at me because they want to go off and be men before we're ready," Gabrielle said calmly.

"I know, I know," Xena growled. The warrior wanted to hit something badly. She jumped as Gabrielle's arms wrapped around her ribs from behind. She leaned back into Gabrielle's embrace.

"Why don't you go out and work off some of that?" Gabrielle suggested.

"You don't mind?" Xena asked, the relief evident in her voice even though she tried to hide it.

"No, my love. I understand," Gabrielle said, holding her warrior tightly. "I'm going to finish dinner and then I'll work some of it off."

"Okay, I think we need some wood chopped," Xena said thoughtfully, her voice almost a growl. "Want to spar later?"

"Yes, and then I want to spar in the bedroom, my lover," Gabrielle grinned, spinning Xena around for a passionate kiss that left the warrior breathless and off balance.

Xena grinned as she hugged Gabrielle.

"You always know how to defuse my anger, don't you?" she whispered.

"Yup, now go work it out mentally and physically," Gabrielle suggested.

Asher looked around the barn door cautiously when he heard the familiar sound of an axe splitting wood and saw his Xena Mom taking out her frustrations on the wood. His mother was sideways from him and didn't spot Asher as he ducked back into the barn.

Virgil looked at his foster brother's face and smirked.

"Aunt Xena not handling this well?"

"She's taking it out with an axe," Asher nodded in agreement.

"At least she isn't coming after us with it!" Virgil teased, throwing himself onto a hay bale. "Think they'll agree?"

"Yeah, eventually," Asher said, sitting down on a hay bale near Virgil. "It's something that Mom might understand. I don't know about Mama, though."

"What was Aunt Xena talking about? I've heard that Aunt Gabrielle was a gladiator but they've never told us the story," Virgil asked.

"Uncle Hercules told me when we talked about Iolaus' injuries once," Asher said thoughtfully. "Mama and Iolaus were attacked on the road by Roman soldiers. Iolaus was crippled and left for dead and Mama was sold into slavery as a German. She ended up in a gladiator school. You know the rest."

"Yeah, they were separated while Aunt Xena was pregnant and Gabrielle became a gladiator and fought herself out of the Arena," Virgil nodded.

"Yes, she was scarred from lashings, branded as a slave, forced to wear a collar and raped repeatedly," Asher added with a saddened expression and watched his younger brother grow pale.

"I'd never do that to a woman," Virgil declared firmly.

"Me either," Asher agreed. "Uncle Herk says a good lover doesn't have to. That's not sex, he says."

"What does he mean?"

"Raping a woman isn't about sex, it's power," Asher explained. He and Virgil had talked about sex often, especially over the last couple of years as their bodies changed and demanded new attention.

"I understand that, the thought of it makes me sick," Virgil nodded. "I can't even think of Aunt Gabrielle going through that, my stomach turns over."

"Me too," Asher said softly.

"Is it safe to go back inside?" Virgil asked as Asher got up and looked outside again.

"Nope, let's go out the back and around," Asher suggested.

"Goddamn Romans!" Xena growled, swinging the axe over her head, splitting another log. She positioned another piece of wood on the chopping block. "Caesars!" Another block split with a crack.

"Emperors!" Another block cracked and Xena growled at the knot that caught her axe. The wood didn't resist her for long. "Gods and Queens!"

Xena growled and leaned on the axe handle, setting the head on the chopping block. She and Gabrielle had experienced some good years on the farm. Years of relative peace, just minor skirmishes with raiders, rival clans, and roving Romans. Nothing major.

The warrior wondered if the rest of the world thought them dead by now.

Xena couldn't believe her son and foster son wanted to go to the last place she would ever want either of them to be, into the hands of Romans. Even if it wasn't as a prisoner or enemy, what would going through the rigorous training of a Legionnaire do to them? Xena knew if she and Gabrielle agreed to this that they would send off two boys and get back men. The question was if they would get back typical Roman soldiers.

Xena knew this day would come but she never expected them to head further South. The warrior had dreaded this, living among Vikings meant it was very likely that her sons would grow up to be warriors and go out on raids or even exploration with their adopted Viking kinsmen. Life in the north was hard, shorter as well.

Countering that was the need to live outside of Roman influences, at least until the world forgot about them, including Mars.

Xena moved the axe and sat down on the chopping block, her ears picking up the sounds of the boys climbing out the back of the barn. She smiled ruefully, that would be something to work on with them: moving quietly.

The warrior missed her Mom and she missed Solan. Xena had been very pleased when her first born had chose not to be a warrior. Xena never wanted that to claim him like it did his father and had almost cost his mother's life and soul.

Xena growled, it had cost her soul for so many years. Because of a Roman. No, Xena mentally corrected. "I was on that path when Caesar found me, he just intensified it and pushed me towards a course of revenge," she said to the dog as he padded up to her.

"Cortez started it and he was Greek," Xena continued, stroking the dog's head and rubbing his ears. "Caesar could have been Egyptian, Viking or even Celtic."

Xena's frown deepened. "Okay, maybe not all Romans are bad but I still don't like soldiers and Emperors. Even Octavian is power hungry and all Romans are dangerous when it comes to power."

The warrior stood up and headed for the house. She still hadn't made up her mind how she felt about the boys choosing this path but she was a little calmer.

Gabrielle smiled when Xena entered the cabin and headed to their room to clean up for dinner. The boys were more subdued in their conversation than usual and overly helpful in assisting with the final preparations of dinner.

"Uncle!" Asher yelled, jumping to his feet when the door opened and Hercules stepped inside.

"Hey!" the Greek demi-god shouted back and grasped Asher's forearm in his, unlike the usual hugs of a father to adopted son. Xena noticed and frowned slightly as her half-brother accepted her son as grown.

Virgil didn't settle for a hand grip though, he decided he still liked hugs from his foster father and grabbed Hercules in a bear hug that brought a grin out of the demi-god.

Hercules noticed Xena's quiet manner and frown and quickly looked to Gabrielle for answers but the bard shook her head. The large male settled in for dinner to wait patiently for answers about the obvious tension between everyone.

Gabrielle wasn't surprised that once the conversation started and the boys explained their plans that Hercules wasn't any more enthusiastic about it than Gabrielle was but not as firm in his refusal as Xena.

The discussion turned into an argument and back to discussion again until late in the evening when Gabrielle finally called a halt to it and demanded that everyone go to bed to sleep on it.

Xena paced restlessly in their bedroom as Gabrielle got ready for bed. She knew Gabrielle was watching her and waiting but Xena wasn't about to explode and get into a fight with her love, nor was she going to give in easily either.

"Damnit! You still tense up whenever you see a Roman uniform and then have nightmares for days!" Xena finally growled, throwing herself onto the bed.

"Yes," Gabrielle agreed calmly and climbed onto the bed beside Xena. "And you still have nightmares about my crucifixion."

Xena was startled and felt her body jump. "How did you know?"

"My crucifixion, the Bacchanalia, or finding me dead from Grendel," Gabrielle shrugged. "Does it matter? You have nightmares of losing me and I have the same ones about you. I dream of you hanging there after Grendel beat you to death, you in chains as I hung on that cross, hanging by your wrists when my ex-brother in law had you. I dream of being raped and of losing you."

"I missed you and almost went insane while you were gone," Xena admitted, pulling Gabrielle into her arms. "I miss Solan too."

"Me too," Gabrielle said softly, gently nuzzling Xena's neck as the warrior's body began to relax slightly. "It also haunts me that we don't know what happened to Kiryk. A small little boy tossed somewhere at Callisto's whim."

"Our grandson," Xena said thoughtfully. "I've tried to figure out Callisto's twisted thinking and can't come up with anything new. It's been so long, he's almost a man now like Ash and Virgil. We wouldn't even know him."

"Only if we check behind every young man's ear for that birthmark of his," Gabrielle smiled ruefully. "I can just see you lining every male from every village up and pinning their ears back."

"I can't believe he's gone; Solan, Mom, Iolaus," Xena whispered, feeling familiar tears springing to her eyes. "I miss them all."

"I know but they live on in our hearts, my love," Gabrielle felt her own tears beginning to fall. "I can still see Joxer in that goofy armor of his when we first met."

Xena smiled, Virgil's father had been such a clumsy oaf but with a heart bigger than Mt. Olympus. "Trying to impress Callisto by kidnapping you."

"And then the man he finally grew into," Gabrielle commented, lost in her memories. "He was a good man."

"Yes, and he loved you and Meg very much," Xena said softly, her hand gently stroking Gabrielle's arm.

"So many losses over the years, Xena," Gabrielle whispered.

"I know and it will just continue," Xena said flatly. "The downside of being born from gods, we outlive our family and friends."

"How could we ever face it if something happened to Asher or Vigil?" Gabrielle asked, her voice fearful. "Sasha is among the gods but even that isn't totally without danger."

"The same way we did with Solan," Xena said gently. "We go on. Mom always said that a parent should never outlive their children. I really didn't understand that until I saw that arrow sticking out of Solan's chest. A part of you dies with them."

"I remember," Gabrielle muttered. "It was like time stood still, like a dream."

Gabrielle snuggled closer in Xena's arms. "Do you think that's something we would ever get used to if we live long enough?" Gabrielle asked with a frown.

"No," Xena answered after a moment of thought. "If I ever do, kill me. I would hate to live long enough to where death means nothing, especially the death of a friend or child."

"With Rome constantly needing conquests, the boys could be heading for trouble," Gabrielle continued to frown.

"I know," Xena joined Gabrielle in the frowning. "We could hope that as cultural exchange soldiers that they'll be kept in Rome or something."

"I would hate for them to die for Rome!" Gabrielle suddenly hissed, one hand absently scratching at the scars on her wrists.

Xena didn't say anything but she noticed the unconscious emotional pain coming through her mate and so held Gabrielle closer.

"I would hate for them to die for anything," Xena commented and nuzzled Gabrielle's hair as the bard broke into the tears of a mother facing a growing son, a son possibly going off to war.

Hercules glanced up as Xena padded into the living space of the cabin and sat down beside him. The demi-god unfolded his blanket and wrapped it and his arm around his half-sister as they watched the fire.

"Couldn't sleep," he finally said and Xena didn't know if he was asking or stating.

"Gabrielle finally fell asleep after a good cry," Xena commented with a shake of her head.

"We have to let them go," Hercules said unhappily.

"I know, I just don't like it," Xena grumbled.

"Me either," Hercules agreed. "I keep seeing Iolaus when we found him, half drowned, frozen and nearly dead. All he could think of was finding Gabrielle."

"I know, I keep having flashes of the Roman soldiers pounding those nails through Gabrielle's wrists and then her screams," Xena said softly. "What if they want Ash and Virgil to become like that? Like I was?"

"Is that what frightens you?" Hercules asked gently. "That Ash will turn to a dark path like you did for awhile?"

"Awhile?" Xena snapped, sitting up. "Years, Herc, years. Yeah, that scares me and the thought of them becoming full Romans scares me. The thought of them dying under a Roman banner scares me and the thought of them going to war against their northern cousins scares me. It all scares me and I don't like being scared."

"Me either," he agreed. "I still can't believe Iolaus is gone even after all this time. It's like I'll reach out and he'll be there."

"I know," Xena leaned back into Hercules' arms. "I miss his laugh."

"We'll miss them all eventually," the demi-god said bitterly. "I think that's one reason the Olympians stay clear of humans, mostly. Compared to eternity, normal humans have such a short life span, especially when taken early by war, accident or illness. It hurts, so they detach themselves and surround themselves with each other, never growing older, never getting sick and never dying."

"I can understand that a little now," Xena agreed.

"How am I supposed to go on for eternity without him?" Hercules complained. "I believe he was my mate and now he's gone."

"His soul will return to you in another," Xena suggested.

Hercules nodded, not convinced.

"We've raised Asher and Virgil to be good men with a strong sense of honor," he commented after several moments. "They weren't raised Roman so they won't be blind in devotion to Her. If pushed, their Viking honor will win out, I think."

Both of them were silent for a few moments.

"Any idea when Sasha's coming home for a visit?"

"Probably any moment now," Xena said with a grin. "She always knows when Virgil and Asher are home and shows up."

"Would be good to see her too," he agreed.

"How am I supposed to let them go?" Xena whispered, tears filling her eyes.

"Like any other mother or father, with a smile, a bundle of food, some hidden coin and a lot of tears after they're out of sight," he suggested.

"When in Tartarus did the kids grow up?" Xena muttered.

"When we weren't looking," Hercules grinned.

The next two weeks went by too quickly for the family. Just as Xena had predicted, Sasha had appeared for breakfast the next morning. Gabrielle had been delighted with the strand of amber pieces Sasha brought her and Xena's grin had been almost feral when her daughter presented her with a brand new sword, just like the one the warrior had been carrying for years but had almost worn down.

Sasha next gave her Uncle a new cloak that had been woven by Frigga to hold off the cold. For Asher and Virgil there were new Viking long knives called saxs.

Xena had taken out her frustration on the woodpile that day when Asher and Virgil admitted that, if they agreed to the cultural exchange, they could only stay two weeks. Gabrielle had taken to the thick forest in a run and Xena had attacked the wood until there was a stack large enough to see the small steading through a month.

Gabrielle came back resigned to the fact her son and foster son were leaving. Xena had brooded for two more days. Not even Gabrielle could pull her mate out of her mood.

Xena glanced up from the bank of the river and growled, turning her attention back to going through exercises with her new sword. Sasha smiled and sat down on the grass, watching her mother with open admiration.

"Gonna tell me I have to let them go?" Xena growled.

"Nope, Gabrielle is whacking the demons out of several trees with a staff and then she's going to impale them with those sais of hers, I think," Sasha grinned. "I thought you might like to spar a little."

Xena, knowing her daughter was more than an equal match for her, nodded.

Xena's mood wasn't much better the day warriors from the major steadings arrived for Asher and Virgil but she kept it to herself. She and Gabrielle managed to say goodbye to the two youths without embarrassing them in front of the older warriors.

When the warriors rode out of sight, Gabrielle turned in Xena's arms, letting her tears fall. Xena felt her own emotions shutting down. Both Hercules and Sasha recognized the warrior's tightening jaw muscles and weren't surprised when Gabrielle backed out of Xena's arms, gently stroked her wife's cheek for a moment and then nodded.

"Go," Gabrielle said softly as Xena stood rigid, emotions playing across her face in a struggle. "Its okay, go."

Xena whimpered softly and was gone into the tree line in a flash.

"Gabrielle?" Hercules asked as she wiped at the tears.

"You know Xena," she said simply. "She needs some space."

"What about you?" he asked, frowning that Xena would leave while Gabrielle was hurting.

"She'll come in tonight, sneak into bed behind me and hold me while I cry," Gabrielle answered. "She did the same thing when Sasha left."

Hercules wrapped an arm around her shoulders.

"I'll cook dinner," Sasha offered as Gabrielle glanced towards the woods.

Mothers Brie and Ylsa, Uncle Herkvar; - I hope understand the use of your Northern names.

We both hope this finds you well and happy. We also hope you understand our decision to do this.

Virgil and I are doing well. I must admit that the training is harder than I ever thought. The Roman officers and trainers are hard and treat us almost as captives instead of trainees but the other soldiers accept us easily. It helps that we aren't the only "barbarians" from the north here. We've kept our classical side to ourselves, not even letting some of the Romans know that we speak some of the more civilized languages. It's come in handy at times. Thanks Mum Brie for that suggestion.

Virgil is actually getting some meat on those skinny bones of his. I think he'll always be lean but he's losing some of that awkward boy stage. Me, I'm doing okay with the training. My fellow soldiers in training are amazed that we can read and write and have asked me to write letters home to families almost every night. I'm thinking of hiring my services out. Major laugh there.

We haven't had any time off in these first six months, so we haven't gotten into too much trouble. Because of our youth and Northern origins, they've assigned us to the Praetorian Guard, probably serving guard duty for some minor Senator or something. We'll be assigned in another six months. The Emperor likes having Northerners for his guards because of our known loyalty and fierceness in battle.

We won't be able to make it North for a visit any time soon. We will be able to visit Mom Meg though this winter for a couple of weeks.

How is the farm this year? Hope we can get a scroll from you. We are with the Legion assigned to Rome. Your loving sons Asher and Virgil.

Gabrielle wiped a tear away as she handed the scroll over to Xena and Hercules.

"They sound good," she said softly.

"Yeah," Xena agreed, reaching out to hold Gabrielle's hand. "They grow so damned quick, even when you're watching them."

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded, moving to sit next to her mate, letting Xena wrap an arm around her shoulders. "I love you, Xena."

Virgil and Asher of Gemania; thanks you very much for your scroll, it was a most welcome surprise, just in time for the Summer harvest. Things are well here, your Uncle managed to break his leg during a boar hunt; he will be fine but grumpy.

Ylsa is off spending time with your sister and her patrons. I'm spending the time preparing the food for the coming winter months. There's always more work to be done around the steading, as you know. I think your Ylsa mom is getting a little restless without you scamps to keep her busy during the summer months. I must admit that I am missing you terribly but I do understand the need to strike out on your own and forge your own path. I was only a little older than you when I snuck off in the night to follow my dream and Ylsa. I'm glad that you trusted us enough to talk with us about your decision and didn't have to run off in the night as I did.

You know my history with the Romans and soldiers, please be careful and always keep your heads. You already have our hearts with you. Love always, your mother Brie

Gabrielle knew that Asher and Virgil would read between the lines and know that Xena was off with Sasha, Odin and Freya, solving some sort of feud that was about to get out of hand. She didn't want to worry the boys but she wanted to be honest with them at the same time. They were off becoming men and soldiers, after all.

The bard was more than pleased that Asher and Virgil were writing to them and Meg. She also rejoiced at their intelligence and writing skills.

Gabrielle hated staying around the cabin with Xena gone but someone had to stay and keep the preparations for winter going and look after Hercules with his broken leg. The bard hadn't revealed how bad the break had been to Asher and Virgil but she knew they'd figure it out if it laid up a demi-god with rapid healing abilities.

In reality, Hercules had almost lost the leg when a boar had snapped a spear and managed to reach the Greek with its massive tusks, ripping into his leg deep from knee to groin, almost taking his manhood with most of his blood.

Xena's nerve pinch had slowed the bleeding but the bone had been broken badly and the muscles ripped. Even with his rapid healing abilities it was going to take at least two weeks before he could walk without crutches.

Hercules, watching the bard seal the scroll with a heavy sigh.

"Xena will be home soon," he commented.

"Yes, Odin said it wouldn't take too long to settle everything," Gabrielle nodded.

"I'm glad he called on Xena," Hercules said easily.

"Yeah, southern Germanic tribes with a good mixture of former Romans," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "Odin thinks Xena will have insight into the Romans that he doesn't."

"It's a sound move," Hercules agreed. "But I miss her too."

Gabrielle said a quick prayer to Frigga and Freya for the safe return of her mate as she settled into an evening with her best friend.

Dearest Mom and Ma; We have been assigned to the Praetorian Guard in Rome. Our duties are guarding the villa of a minor Roman Senator. It's boring but we get to guard official dinners with the Emperor quite often. He likes to show off his Germanic guards, especially those of us with blonde or reddish hair and beards.

Virgil, looking more Greek or Roman, has been assigned as clerk for most of his time. Once the Romans found out that we could read and write both languages, they snatched him up right quick. It gets him out of some of the more mundane chores around and he enjoys the writing. He likes the writing of the official stuff and numbers while I like the story telling. He says I inherited that from you, Mom.

We've made a close friend among the Praetorian Guard, he's doing his military service in hopes of quickly becoming an officer and advancing to power. His father is a powerful and rich Gladiator school owner, having produced a number of Champions over the years. Our friend, Lycur, has even been in the Games a few times, priding himself on his skills and talents with weapons. I swear Moms that he must have been born with a weapon in his hand, I'm not even sure if I could take him. There are rumors that no one knows who his mother is, that she might have been some Amazon or fierce Celtic warrior his father had in the slave stables. He was claimed at birth as son though, so he's full Roman and a noble.

Life in Rome is very strange. All the smells and sights are almost overwhelming. I never thought it could be like this. It almost hurts to be in the City and I long for a Viking longship cutting through the waves with the sea breeze in my hair. I miss the gentle quiet of the forests surrounding our home. Alright, I admit it, I'm a little homesick. It's been a year according to Roman calendars and I miss you all terribly.

As a foreigner and Praetorian, I'm attractive to many of the middle and upper class females but I remember your cautions and have kept mostly to myself and Virgil for company. It didn't take long to figure out that everyone here has some kind of political game going if they're upper class or nobles. A soldier caught with the daughter of a Senator is asking for a lashing at the least.

I swear I don't know how Virgil made it through Legionnaire training sometimes but he has a stamina that is amazing. One officer, trying to break Virgil down, sent him on a message run to a camp a number of miles away with an impossible deadline. Virgil made it and shamed the officer. The Guards use him as a messenger sometimes in the city. He seems to have a talent for running.

Gabrielle laughed as she read that part of the scroll to Xena and Hercules. Both laughed with her after a moment.

"Joxer always did move quickly," Xena nodded. "Even with that homemade armor of his."

"Remember when the bacchae wolves were chasing him?" Gabrielle grinned, remembering the friend and father of their foster son.

"Oh yeah, how he kept ahead of those wenches, I'll never know," Xena laughed. "Over-sized boots, armor clanking everywhere, carrying Orpheus' head in a sack and he kept ahead of at least four bacchae wolves."

"Wow!" Hercules exclaimed. "They move as fast as regular wolves."

"Yeah, he stumbled across us and climbed a very big rock," Gabrielle grinned.

"Looks like Virgil inherited his father's swift feet," Hercules commented with a grin. "And Asher Gabrielle's writing talents."

"Thankfully not my blood lust," Xena muttered. "Go on, lover."

Mom, you wouldn't believe the sights here. It seems like someone from every culture and part of the world comes through Rome. I've seen people who are so black that their skin shine. Those from the land of Chin that Ma has talked about.

I have to admit that Roman culture sometimes sickens me and Virgil. We've been at dinners where there was enough food to feed a small Steading for an entire season. Most of it wasted and gorged upon until those at the dinner were throwing up so they could eat more.

We're careful when it comes to advances from the men and women here but they don't seem as cautious with each other and I've seen things that I've only heard hints of at insane bacchanalia rites. Poor Virgil has been fighting off the advances of a Senator's wife that thinks he's so cute that she wants to snuggle him to death and "make a man of him." He cringes every time we're assigned to a dinner at the Senator's house. She's cornered him twice and felt him up and he barely got out of her clutches with his uniform still intact.

It's funny but serious. We're not connected with anyone powerful and it's very easy to cross a line and make enemies in this place. Virgil and I have only been here a couple of months and we've learned more about playing games than we ever wanted.

I've discovered that being a politician or seeking out power isn't for me or Virgil. He's not sure what he wants, he thought being a soldier was what he wanted but I think hours and hours of drilling worked that out of him. We've seen the veterans of several actions and wars and watching someone try to put on their boots with one hand and a mangled arm isn't glamorous.

"Wow!" Gabrielle said softly. "How old are they again?"

Hercules smiled softly as Xena sharpened her sword by the fire.

"Fifteen and sixteen, full grown men according to custom," Hercules answered.

"We also know there's a lot of growth between thirteen and twenty," Xena added.

"Sounds like they've reached some pretty adult conclusions about life," Gabrielle said and both lover and friend nodded.

I don't know what I want out of life. I know I'll have more of a good idea closer to my end of service here in Rome. I do realize that I don't think like a Roman though. Our friend Lycur is very ambitious and power hungry. He reminds me of the tales you told us of Caesar whenever Ma wasn't around to growl. He wants to be an officer in the Praetorian Guard for its prestige and political connections. Lycur also wants to be in the Games and chariot races to win popularity among the crowd and wants to go to war to win acclaim, money, and power.

His father has invited us to spend two weeks with them at his father's villa. We are encouraged to invite any family or friend along with us since we aren't allowed to travel outside of Roman territory just yet.

I know how you both feel about Romans but I'd like for you to think about it. Sasha "popped" in on our day off last week and spent the day roaming through the City with us and said that she could "arrange" transportation for both of you to join us at the villa if you'd like. It might be the only chance we get to see you in the next year.

Both Gabrielle and Xena frowned, looking up at each other.

"Whoa," Xena muttered. "I didn't expect that."

"I need to think about this, Xena," Gabrielle said thoughtfully.

"Didn't he say that his friend's father runs a gladiatorial school?" Hercules questioned.

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded and Xena frowned deeply, watching her mate closely.

"Visiting his villa would be at his school, wouldn't it?" Hercules asked, pressing the issue.

"If it's anything like the one I was held in, yes," Gabrielle said slowly, her eyes lost in memory. "The villa is part of the school."

"You'd see the slaves being trained? Maybe even a couple of matches arranged for your entertainment?" Hercules asked softly as Xena put her sword aside, both of them watching Gabrielle.

"Yes," she said softly, her eyes closing and body tensing.

"Could you do that?" Hercules asked and jumped when Gabrielle startled him by leaping to her feet and out the door before he had finished his sentence, Xena right after her.

"Gabrielle!"

Xena caught up with her mate at the bottom of the stairs and wrapped her arms around Gabrielle from behind. She could feel Gabrielle shaking as the bard grasped at her arms tightly.

"Oh gods, it's been so long! I thought…" she stammered.

"You thought you were over it," Xena provided and Gabrielle nodded. "You'll never be over that, my love. You've barely faced those memories except in your nightmares."

"What do you suggest? I find Lycrassius and spit on his grave?"

"No, I don't know how to help with those memories," Xena admitted. "Just like I don't know how to deal with some of mine."

"Gods, I want to see the boys so badly!" Gabrielle complained.

"I know," Xena nodded, holding the bard closely. "Let's finish their scroll and sleep on it. No major decisions tonight."

"Alright," Gabrielle agreed, letting Xena hold her for a few more moments before turning to walk inside with her mate.

Mom, I have to admit that Virgil and I attended the Games recently, at the urging of Lycur. I had to help Virgil out of the Circus, the sights sickened him so much. I blamed it on Roman wine and made excuses for both of us. It's horrible, Mom. The brutality is beyond belief. I've never imagined anything like it. We've grown up on tales of bloody battles and raids from our Viking families but never did they talk about tormenting someone for pleasure or killing animals for sport. Even when we faced the boar, the mighty stag and fierce aurochs, it was for their meat, fur and horns. We honored them for the sacrifices they made to the Tribe, never this slaughter of throwing men in with wild beasts from the wilds of Africa.

I know now I'm Viking, Mom. I can't relate to a culture that needs blood and brutality to entertain itself. I could understand feats of strength and skill, combat tests and such but some of this was just bloody and senseless.

Just the thought of you having been in this same place, fighting for your life on a weekly basis made Virgil sick and made my head swim. The thoughts of you both fighting in front of Caesar and Mom's crucifixion nearly ripped Virgil's stomach from him and made me angry. I wanted to hit the nearest Roman noble when we watched a female warrior from the dark lands fighting for her life in the Circus against three Roman gladiators.

We were assigned to our first crucifixion last week. I never knew it could be like that. Rome executed a captured Celtic pirate and ordered his punishment be in front of everyone in the Circus. Virgil, fortunately, was spared the assignment on clerical duties. I was chosen because of my Viking looks, I know. Octavian likes his Vikings in public appearances in contrast to the darker skin, hair and eyes of the typical Roman.

Mom, I can't even write what I feel about this. I struggled to keep the disdain from my face. I know our Viking brothers can be brutal when it comes to a captured enemy and worse to a criminal. I've heard the tales of the Red Eagle but the cross is common here. Poison, suicide, assassinations, crosses and Games.

Romans look on us as barbarians but there seems to be something appealing about the simple ethics and complicated religion of my Germanic brothers. There is a cruelty that exists here. Family is seen as property and neighbors as competition.

Well, I've written a small epic here. Virgil and I love you all very much and miss you terribly. Please consider visiting. We both understand if you can't, we probably understand now more than we ever wanted to. Please be safe. Vail – Asher

"Our sons grew up," Gabrielle muttered.

"Yes," Xena nodded. "I just wish they didn't have to see all of that."

"We did," Gabrielle pointed out. "At least they don't have to live it."

"Oh Gods, no," Xena agreed, her mind flashing on the memory of Gabrielle hanging on a Roman cross, slowly dying a very painful death.

"Think long and hard about it," Hercules advised. "Odds are it won't be a pleasant visit for either of you. This Lycur sounds like another Caesar and his father probably worse. Thinking you're both Germanic, he'll probably try to bait and bed you both in the same evening."

"I know," Gabrielle nodded. "I need to think."

"I suggest we head to bed and discuss it over the next few days," Xena suggested.

"Okay," Gabrielle nodded.

Xena reached over the next morning and frowned when she found cold bedding instead of her wife. The warrior sat up, listened to the house and tossed the covers back with a growl. It was still dark outside and Xena wanted to stay in bed as long as possible.

Xena wrapped a blanket around her shoulders and softly cursed at the cold floor. Even though it was still warm in the north, the nights were getting chilled and Xena hated cold wooden floors.

The warrior found Gabrielle curled up in a chair next to the fire, a quilt wrapped around her until all that was showing was her wife's blonde hair. Xena smiled a sad smile, not really surprised that Gabrielle was restless. Any discussion of Rome, Romans and soldiers would bring back the nightmares and panic attacks.

Xena wished she knew how to help her mate. It had been years since Gabrielle had been abused as a slave but it still affected both of them.

The warrior knelt beside Gabrielle's chair and gently brushed her mate's hair from her forehead. Xena was cautious, she knew it could be dangerous waking Gabrielle up when she was in one of these states.

"Hey, my love," Xena said softly and began to gently shake Gabrielle.

"Hmmm?"

"Come on, Gabrielle," Xena smiled, pulling Gabrielle into her arms, quilt and all. "Let's go back to bed."

"Yes," Gabrielle nodded, wrapping her arms around Xena's neck.

Xena carefully placed Gabrielle on the bed and curled up behind her, holding the small bard closely. "Just rest, Little One."

Gabrielle grinned as she looked up from her weaving on the porch and spotted Sasha riding out of the woods into the clearing.

"Sash!"

"Mum!" Sasha laughed and jumped off her horse, hugging her adoptive mother tightly. "Good to see you!"

"It's been too long, young lady," Gabrielle scolded.

"I know, that's why I visited Asher and Virgil recently," Sasha nodded. "Where's Mom and Uncle?"

"Off checking the traps, they'll be back by night fall," Gabrielle grinned.

"Good," Sasha smiled, leading her horse towards the barn. "Did you get Ash's scroll?"

"Yes, and we've been thinking about it," Gabrielle said slowly.

"Have you made a decision?" Sasha asked softly.

"Not really," Gabrielle frowned. "You know my past."

"Yes, Mom and I talked about it," Sasha nodded.

"Asher and Virgil are visiting at a gladiatorial school," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "I don't know if I can go into one of those places without losing it mentally."

"I know but you might not see them for another year," Sasha pointed out.

"You'll be there?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"No, I'll take you all there but then come back to take care of the place while the three of you are gone for the week," Sasha explained. "Uncle Herc and Mom will be with you along with Asher and Virgil."

"Alright," Gabrielle nodded reluctantly. "Is there anything you're not telling me?"

"No, just that the Fates and Norns are urging this," Sasha admitted.

"Terrific," Gabrielle muttered. "Just don't tell Xena that."

"I hadn't planned on it," Sasha grinned, reminding Gabrielle of the girl's mother when Xena was being playful.

Asher and Virgil waited patiently on the hillside for their family and grinned when they blinked and the small band of Greeks turned Vikings stood before them.

"Mom!" Asher yelled and rushed forward a step ahead of Virgil to grab Xena and Gabrielle in bone crushing hugs. Both Xena and Gabrielle laughed and whacked at their arms until the young men put them down.

Both mothers stepped back and took an appraising look at the soldiers in front of them.

"Wow," Gabrielle muttered.

Xena was grateful at her sons' insight in their choice of clothing. The two males were dressed in simple Roman clothing of trousers, tunics and rich cloaks instead of their military armor. Xena knew Gabrielle might have panicked at the sight of a Roman Legionnaire coming at her.

Asher had grown another two inches and Virgil another four, bringing them to almost the same height. Virgil had also filled out nicely into a soldier and Asher looked like a Viking warrior.

"You both look good," Xena agreed and Virgil blushed under the praise.

"You four never change," Asher complained as he looked at Xena, Gabrielle, Hercules and Sasha.

"Not outwardly but the soul ages," Gabrielle countered. "We miss you both."

"Wait until you see this place," Virgil said excitedly. "It's huge! We've talked to Lycur and we're going in through the main gate; he knows that you're not interested in the gladiator school part of the villa."

"Good," Xena nodded as they turned to Sasha.

"Take care, Sash," Gabrielle said softly, hugging the Valkyrie warmly.

"You bet. The steading will be fine," she assured both moms and uncle.

Xena quickly hugged Sasha as well. "You'll be listening?" she whispered.

"Yes, if it gets too much, yell for me or Artemis," Sasha whispered back.

With a flash, Sasha was gone.

Xena frowned, "Artemis?" she whispered and then shrugged.

The group turned back to their soldier sons.

"What have you told your friend and his father about us?" Xena asked as they walked towards waiting horses.

"That you're Germanic but spent a lot of time in Roman territory and speak Latin and Greek," Asher said easily. "Other than that, not much."

"Good," Xena nodded.

"What do you hear of us, anyway?" Gabrielle asked as they mounted. "And where is the villa?"

"Just over the hill," Virgil answered.

"We hear tales of you both," Asher grinned. "Some of it exaggerated, some of it wrong, according to Mom's scrolls. Uncle Hercules is a legend now. I think everyone believes you're both dead."

"That's good," Xena nodded. "Rather it stay that way."

The dinner in the villa was just what the Greeks expected. There was rich, opulent food, good musicians as entertainment and discussion of politics, Roman expansion and the Germanic culture.

They found Lycur a charming and cultured host, just as they would expect from an up and coming Roman. He reminded both Xena and Gabrielle of a young Caesar and it grated on their nerves but they strived to be polite and maintain their Germanic roles.

Lycur had been casual about their unannounced relationship and hadn't asked about both women being called mother by both boys. Virgil's fostership was known but Xena could see the curiosity in his eyes as to who and what roles they played in Asher's upbringing and life. It didn't help that Asher looked a bit like both of them with his shifting eye color and dark hair but reddish beard.

"Is your mother here, Lord Lycur?" Hercules asked.

"I never knew my mother," the young Roman answered easily. "Father says she died in childbirth and was one of his trainees."

"I'm sorry," Gabrielle said softly but the young man merely shrugged.

"You have a farm in the north, then?" he asked the two women over a goblet of wine.

"Ja," Xena answered. "My brother, Brie and I run the place. We have fur in the winter and summer, and small crops."

"Ylsa and Herkvar are excellent blacksmiths as well," Asher said proudly.

"And you, Brie?" Lycur asked and Gabrielle found herself watching the young man. She knew he wasn't much older than Asher and Virgil but he had the manner of a full-grown man accustomed to power.

"Whatever is necessary around the farm," she answered calmly.

"Brie has also been a fighter and a scribe," Virgil said proudly, unable to resist bragging about his foster mother.

"Fighter? All of you?" Lycur purred, brushing a lock of his sandy brown hair from his forehead.

"When necessary, as are all Vikings," Hercules answered quickly.

"I was wondering about those weapons you carry at your boots, Lady Brie," Lycur said, pointing to the sais as Gabrielle lounged on the settee.

"I can use them," Gabrielle said with a flash of her eyes.

"My father tells me tales of a great fighter in the Circus that fought with weapons like those," Lycur said softly, his eyes dancing as she shifted uncomfortably.

"They are a common weapon in the east," Xena growled.

"Yes, that's what Father said, but that this woman was fantastic in the Arena and even won the coveted Wooden Sword," Lycur continued.

"Your father?" Gabrielle asked softly, a sense of dread sweeping over her.

"Yes, he has trained many fighters," Lycur shrugged.

"Your father trained that fighter?" Xena hissed and the young man looked confused at the sudden tension in the room.

"I need some fresh air, please," Gabrielle muttered, quickly jumping to her feet.

Xena caught up with the bard in the hallway, grabbing Gabrielle by the shoulders.

"Gabrielle, we don't know for sure!" Xena hissed softly.

"Get me out of here, Xena!" Gabrielle pleaded.

"Ah, you must be my son's guests!" a voice called from the other end of the hall. Both women looked up at a wealthy Roman approaching them, handing his cloak to a collared slave. An older man, probably over fifty years, Xena judged. Well built, probably once a fighter as well.

"I'm…."

"Lycrasius," Gabrielle whispered and Xena tightened her grip on the bard's shoulders.

"You know me, MiLady?" he asked, his friendly expression turning into one of confusion as he took in her terrified expression. He quickly looked his visitors up and down as his son and other guests entered the hall from the dining area.

Blonde hair, well developed fighting body, green eyes with a dark haired and blue eyed warrior. His eyes fell to the sais and he turned pale and looked back up into Gabrielle's eyes. Lycrasius suddenly grinned as he regained his composure.

"The Fates are strange, aren't they?" he asked. "Hello, Dancer."

"You son of a…." Xena growled and then shouted in rage as Hercules and Asher grabbed her firmly by the arms and Virgil drew Gabrielle into his arms.

Asher and Virgil looked confused as Xena growled and struggled, her face one of rage.

Lycur moved next to his father with a puzzled expression as Lycrasius laughed.

"It is good to see you, Brie," he grinned. "Or should I say, Gabrielle, Xena and Hercules? I thought the rumors of your immortality were true."

"You know our mothers?" Asher demanded as Xena tried to calm herself and drew a shaking Gabrielle into her arms.

"I've never had the pleasure of meeting the famed Xena but I had many pleasures with Gabrielle. She was trained here at this very school," Lycrasius smirked, his arms crossed over his chest.

"Trained? Here? You?" Virgil stammered. "She…"

"She was my slave, yes," Lycrasius continued to smile.

"What you did to her…" Asher growled, his hands shaking.

"Nothing more than any owner can and will do to their property," Lycrasius said calmly. "You have slaves in the north, you know this. A third of the entire known world are slaves and civilization can't exist without slaves."

"Mom, Ma!" Virgil snapped as Xena growled. "You can't do anything! We're foreigners in a Roman villa as guests!"

"The boy is right, you even touch me and all of you will be nailed to a Roman cross within two days. I understand you already know what that's like, Dancer," Lycrasius smirked arrogantly.

"Come on, Xena," Hercules said softly. "Let's get Gabrielle out of here."

"Xena, please!" Gabrielle begged, shaking so hard Xena and Virgil had to hold her up.

"Lycur, have their horses saddled," Lycrasius ordered. "Perhaps we can catch up on old times another day."

"Only at the point of a sword," Xena growled but Lycrasius laughed.

"You have no cause!" he grinned. "And no case to even complain to any authority! She was property! You're fortunate I didn't take her to my bed more often than I did!"

Hercules quickly tightened his hold around the two women as Asher stepped between his mothers and Lycrasius.

"I advise you to stop taunting my mothers," Asher snapped. "You know them and you know their reputations are well earned."

"You trained Gabrielle," Virgil added. "You've aged and they haven't."

"Let's go," Hercules urged. "We're going back to Germania. I would advise you to drop this, Lycrasius."

"Its no concern of mine what you barbarians do," Lycrasius smiled. "Gabrielle was bought and paid for in full. As for your sons, I think I could consider my silence as a sign of patronage. The names of Xena and Gabrielle are well known throughout the Empire and you still have powerful enemies, including some of the gods."

"We also ensured Octavian's position as Emperor," Xena countered. "Don't push it. You keep silent about our sons and I promise not to kill you in very unpleasant ways."

"Deal!" Lycrasius laughed as Lycur joined his father again.

"Father?"

"Our guests are leaving and both sides have come to an agreement," Lycrasius announced. "We agree to not reveal who your friend's parents are and Xena promises not to kill me."

"She wouldn't dare!" Lycur snapped, his face flushing with anger.

"Control!" Lycrasius snapped. "Never let an enemy see any show of emotion except contempt. As for Xena, you know they could kill everyone in this villa. Once they are thinking clearly, they won't risk a war with Rome but for now, everyone walks away."

"Lycrasius, if I could, I would throw you into a slave galley so you knew what it felt like!" Xena growled.

"Leave, Greek," Lycrasius growled. "Take your used bitch with you."

Hercules barely held onto Xena as she screamed in rage and Asher turned and grabbed Gabrielle as she collapsed.

The Greek demi-god spun Xena around and hit her across the jaw and caught her in his arms.

"Asher! Virgil! Get Gabrielle out of here!" he snapped as they struggled down the hallway.

"Is she okay?" Asher asked as Virgil examined Xena's unconscious form as Hercules held Gabrielle.

They had traveled quickly through the countryside until reaching a clearing in the woods. It was already dark so camp was set up very quickly. Xena was still unconscious and Gabrielle an emotional wreck.

"She will be, he almost broke her jaw," Asher said softly, resting Xena's head on a bedroll.

The two Roman soldiers looked over at the weeping Gabrielle and Hercules as he held her.

"I…I never thought…" Virgil stammered.

"Me either," Asher agreed, his voice cracking. "We knew Mom's history, I just never thought we'd be faced with it."

Asher looked as pained as Virgil and just as lost.

"Can you watch Ma for a minute?" Asher asked after a couple of minutes.

"Sure but where in Hella's Halls are you going?" Virgil demanded.

"For a walk. No, I'm not going back there to kill them, I just need to think for a minute," Asher assured his brother.

"Alright," Virgil mumbled.

Asher quickly trotted through the woods and stopped at a large oak.

"Sasha!" he hissed. "Answers! Now, sister!"

Asher felt the hairs on the back of his neck standing up and whirled around with Viking sword in hand. The young warrior's eyes reflected his anger as he took in his sister standing by the tree.

"Why did you set this up? Did you know who he was?" he demanded.

"Yes and no," Sasha said calmly. "I knew the Norns and the Fates wanted this to happen but I didn't know why or who. I serve Odin and Freya, brother, it was their wish."

"Why?" Asher snapped. "Why bring this up again? Why hurt Gabrielle like this? I thought they liked our mothers!"

"They do," Sasha said gently. "Sometimes I'm not even sure the Gods know the end of things and the reasons they do the things they do."

"Verdamnit!" Asher snapped. "Tossing Gabrielle in with her rapist and former master? How does that fit into any scheme?"

"I don't know," Sasha admitted. "All I can say is that the gods feel this is something Mum has to go through."

"Sasha, you know how Mom feels about the gods and their interference in our lives, why do this?" Asher demanded.

"I do what I'm called for," Sasha said calmly. "Go to them and help them through this and guard your back from this day forth. You've made a powerful enemy among the powerful of Rome because of our mothers."

"Sasha," Ash started to protest but his half sister was gone.

Asher returned to find Xena shaking her head as Hercules and Virgil helped her sit up. He quickly glanced around with a worried expression.

"Where's Mom?" he asked.

Xena shoved Virgil out of the way and glanced around with the others.

"What?"

"She was just here!" Virgil protested.

"Damn!" Xena growled as Hercules helped her to her feet.

"She wouldn't go back there, you swore not to kill him," Hercules grumbled.

"I did, she didn't," Xena pointed out as she rubbed her jaw and dashed for the horses they had purchased in the nearby town before heading to the villa.

Lycrasius held his breathe when he felt the sharp edge of a blade pressed against his throat and someone sitting down on his chest.

"I thought you'd be back," he said calmly to the dark figure hovering over him. "There's guards outside. Unless you slit my throat quickly I can have them in here in a moment."

"Your guards have decided to take a nap," a voice hissed at him and Lycrasius felt his heart begin to speed up in fear. "It's just you and me….MiLord Master."

Lycrasius' eyes adjusted to the dark and he could take in Gabrielle's face and cold green eyes.

"Nothing to say…Master?" she hissed.

"What can I say? I treated you just as I would have done and will continue to do with any beautiful slave," Lycrasius said calmly.

Gabrielle growled and hit Lycrasius across the jaw and raised the dagger over his chest.

"Do it, Dancer! My son will have yours on a cross in days! Do it!"

Gabrielle hesitated, seeing nothing but contempt in the old man's eyes.

"Come on, Dancer! Just like I taught you!" Lycrasius taunted.

Gabrielle spun the dagger in her hands and brought the hilt down over the bridge of Lycrasius' nose. The Roman howled in pain and Gabrielle jumped off his chest and dragged him out of the bed.

With a spin she kicked Lycrasius in the chest, sending him into an expensive dressing screen. Before the bloodied Roman could recover, Gabrielle grabbed him by the feet and dragged him into the center of the room.

Gabrielle could feel her rage building and didn't know what to do with it as she placed a foot on the back of Lycrasius' neck.

"Stay!" she ordered and looked around. With a hardening to her eyes, the bard threw her dagger into a log on the fire. She pulled a long leather lacing out of a belt pouch and quickly tied Lycrasius' hands behind his back.

"Slavery may be a reality for others in your hands but I'm going to give you a taste of it!" Gabrielle growled and retrieved the dagger with a cloth wrapped around her hand. She watched Lycrasius' eyes widen as he watched her walk across the room.

"You wouldn't dare!" he snapped.

"Why wouldn't I?" she countered. "Didn't you teach me to be brutal and without mercy. Isn't that what Dancer is?"

"Yes, nothing more than a trained animal," Lycrasius smirked until the red hot blade burned an eyebrow. He yelped and tried to move away.

"You're right, that's what Dancer is," Gabrielle frowned, squatting down in front of him with the dagger. "It took me awhile to put Gabrielle back together and that includes a little bit of Dancer. I'm not Dancer."

Gabrielle tossed the dagger away.

"You're weak," Lycasius snarled.

"It doesn't take strength to kill you," Gabrielle said wearily. "It takes strength to walk away from killing you. I'm warning you, though, you do anything to my sons and I'll come back, brand you, castrate you and shove it up your ass."

Lycasius apparently decided that silence was now a good choice.

Gabrielle stood up and looked down at the naked old man. With a swift movement, she grabbed the back of his hair and rammed his face into the floor, breaking his nose.

"That's my slave mark for you," she growled and opened the door slowly. She smiled when she saw Xena leaning against the wall, keeping an eye on the two unconscious guards.

"Ave, Little One," Xena said softly. "Is he alive?"

Gabrielle looked up into her lover's eyes and saw no judgment, just a question.

"Yes, a little bloody but alive," Gabrielle said softly.

"I'm glad, that's not a path I wanted for you," Xena commented as they began to walk cautiously down the hall. "Let's get out of here."

Gabrielle smiled shyly at her sons and Hercules as they rode back to the temporary camp.

"I'm alright," she said as she dismounted and the young men ran to hug her.

"Did you kill him?" Virgil asked, his face worried.

"No," she answered softly. "Just broke his nose."

Asher grinned as Virgil frowned. Hercules looked relived as he finished dinner over the fire.

"We're heading home tomorrow morning," Xena informed them. "It'll be better if we get far away from here."

"I'll keep watch tonight," Hercules nodded. "You can spend time with the guys."

Both women spun with weapons in hand at the sound of footsteps approaching the camp.

A slave stammered and dropped the sack she was carrying. "Please! Pax!"

"Who are you?" Xena demanded.

"I am Neda, slave to Lord Lycrasius," the woman squeaked.

"Neda? Do I know you?" Gabrielle asked softly and the older woman grabbed up the bag and hurried up to them.

"Yes, you knew me," the woman answered. "We must hurry before those guards wake up or Lord Lycasius gets loose."

The old woman moved closer to the fire, into the light.

"Brie, do you remember me?"

"You were a young kitchen slave," Gabrielle nodded.

"Yes, and you were kind," Neda smiled. "You and Nikki would pretend to take me to bed whenever the most vicious trainer turned his eye to me."

Gabrielle blushed and shrugged. "I tried, it hurt to leave you behind."

"I know and I understood, none of us were free to make our own decisions," Neda commented.

"Do you want to go with us now?" Xena asked. "We'll take you to Germania, you'll be free."

"No, I have saved enough money from betting and odd errands in my spare time to buy my freedom next year," Neda responded in a soft voice. "My freedom and that of my children."

"How can we help you?" Gabrielle asked.

"Bring Lycrasius down," Neda growled, her voice becoming hard.

"How? He's a powerful Roman," Xena asked.

"In this bag are scrolls, maps, and correspondence between a group of powerful Romans," Neda said slowly. "Lycrasius has been plotting to overthrow Octavian and move Lycur into position to overthrow Tiberius in a few years."

"There's proof?" Xena asked softly.

"In this bag, in Lycrasius' own hand," Neda nodded and Gabrielle began to smile widely.

"Can we do it?" Gabrielle asked her mate.

"Yes," Xena nodded. "We find a trusted messenger and send these to Octavian, he'll handle it from there."

"We don't have to go to Rome?" Gabrielle asked, her voice soft and fearful.

"No, Little One," Xena smiled. "We find a mansion, a staging post, and an honest official or messenger."

"What about you, Neda, he'll kill you," Gabrielle asked, turning to the slave.

"Bruise me, you've assaulted the Lord and stole the scrolls," Neda suggested.

"Damn, I hate this part," Xena growled.

"Do it!" Neda urged. "Both of you!"

Gabrielle sighed and snapped her hand out, hitting Neda in the eye as Xena followed through with a cross to the slave's jaw, sending her to the ground.

Gabrielle quickly helped her sit up.

"You okay?"

"I will be," Neda mumbled. "I'd better get back."

"Once you gain your freedom, find us," Xena urged.

"We'll see," Neda said as Gabrielle helped her stand.

"Thank you, my friend, vale," Gabrielle said softly.

"Use it to take Lycrasius down or blackmail him, whichever will help you," Neda urged. "Be safe."

The old woman disappeared into the shadows and, once out of sight of the camp, shifted into the form of Sasha.

"Thank you for letting me use your form while you sleep, Neda," the Valkyrie whispered softly.

Dearest Mom and Ma; Virgil sends his love along with this scroll as do I. I am pleased to tell you both that Virgil and I are doing well. We've managed to avoid Lycur most of the time. With his father's influence, he was shifted to guard duty at the Senate, with lots of other guards around. We've noticed that he hasn't been assigned anywhere near the Emperor or important senators.

We received word from the Acta Diurna, the daily posting of news in the city, that Lycrasius died last week. It is rumored that a high ranking noblewoman was going to implicate him in a sexual scandal in Rome and he took his life rather than face public humiliation. Virgil and I know the truth because the Emperor himself met with us two days ago.

On the surface word was spread that he was meeting all of the cultural exchange Germans privately but he admitted he knew who we were. Octavian received the information you sent through the messenger. He explained that he couldn't afford a political shake up at this time and chose to handle it quietly. Those involved were confronted, the higher level conspirators were either killed or committed suicide. Lower level ones were banished.

Lycrasius chose suicide. Since nothing has been declared publicly, Lycur is going to be able to maintain his position and inherit his father's wealth and school. He won't be allowed anywhere near the Emperor and he will be watched closely and won't be able to advance in rank or power as long as Octavian lives. Effectively, he is stuck where he is and under suspicion day and night. There is also the possibility that Octavian might consider him too dangerous and have him assassinated.

I have to admit, Mom, we're ready to come home. I never thought we would get involved in politics like this. We knew we would be put on display as the barbarians but we never meant to take on Roman plots of overthrowing the Emperor.

Virgil and I are hoping that Octavian has given orders that we not be assigned anywhere with Lycur. I don't think he'll attempt anything against us since he's being watched so carefully but I don't want to push it either. He is deadly in a fight.

Virgil sends his love as do I. Stay safe. Hopefully we'll be home before the four years is up. Much love to everyone, Asher – son of Brie and Ylsa.

Dearest Virgil and Asher, it was good to hear from you. It was too short a visit for us. Surprised to hear from me than your Mom? I know I don't put pen to scroll often but thought I'd let you know your Mom is doing well. Some of the nightmares have ended. Normally a visit to Roman territory would have set off nightmares for two weeks. I don't know what the Norns and Fates have set in motion but I know this may have actually helped Brie.

I just hope when you two return home that we're done with Rome for a long time. I wanted to kill Lycrasius. I still do. The thought of what he did to your mother drives me insane and I hate that politics and rules stopped me. I know it's for the best in the long run but I'm still tempted by the desire for revenge.

I love you both. Brie and Herkvar send their love. Love Ylsa


	32. 32 Champion of Rome, part 1

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** Some

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Rome and the past once again catches up with Xena and Gabrielle and their families.

**Rating:** R

* * *

Asher sighed heavily as he pulled the thin blanket over his body. He had barely managed to get undressed from his double shift of guard duty at the Senate and he was exhausted. Everyone had been working double duty because of Octavian's illness and the potential political upheaval that his death would soon bring.

He glanced over and saw Virgil working on some scrolls near an oil lamp and absently wondered if it was Roman Legion business or his own writings. Asher smiled, his adopted brother was so much like Asher's mother than Asher was at times. Then again, the young Viking smiled, he was more like his other mother, Xena, as he preferred weapons to pen.

Asher closed his eyes, trying to forget the shouting matches that typically filled the senate ever since Augustus Octavian Caesar had fallen ill in his old age. The son of Gabrielle and Xena remembered the tales of the assassinations, executions and ultimate civil war that had occurred after Julius Caesar's death and hoped the next transition of power would be easier on everyone, especially him and Virgil.

"Virgil! Asher!" a feminine voice called urgently, sitting Asher up in his cot and reaching for his gladius sword.

Virgil was on his feet and staring at the figure standing between him and his brother. "Sasha?"

"Don't worry, the others can't see or hear me," the Valkyrie daughter of Xena and Ares said hastily. "You must move quickly! I have horses waiting!"

"What is it? Mother? Mom?" Asher demanded, pulling his uniform on.

"No, you both are the ones in danger," Sasha explained as Virgil put his scrolls away. "Octavian has uncovered a plot against his life. Unfortunately, one of the bastards tortured named several Vikings in on it. Octavian has brought Lycur in to find them and any other Germanic involved."

"By the Gods, he'll name us in revenge!" Virgil exclaimed, turning slightly pale.

"Yes, he's on his way. Our mothers are on their way as well. My powers and interference is limited. I could come here and warn you or transport them to Meg or Lila's."

"Verdamnit," Virgil growled. "Hasn't his family caused enough pain to us? His father owning Mum all those years ago and forcing her to be a gladiator and now the bastard son wants our heads?"

"Yes, his year in the Arena has made him popular and a favorite of many soldiers. Lycur's moving against you and our families in revenge for his father's political fall and suicide," Sasha continued.

"What kind of move?" Asher demanded as he stuffed his few belongings and travel food into packs and saw Virgil doing the same.

"He's been given mastership over three sets of Legionnaires, one is on the way to seek out Virgil's family and the other two are on their way here to capture you," Sasha said calmly.

"Eighty men in each set," Asher quickly calculated, "One hundred and sixty coming just for us?"

"Yes," Sasha nodded. "We must hurry to reach Meg."

"Can't you just take us there, why aren't they going after Lila as well?" Virgil whimpered, the thought of his mother and sister Rachel in the hands of Legionnaires terrified him.

"They are, after Meg. She's closer and, no, the Norns forbid it," Sasha shook her head. "Hurry! Word of Hermann's defeat over the Romans in Gaul will reach Rome soon and all Germans and Vikings will be sorely pressed to survive the week."

"Arminius turned against the Romans?" Virgil asked, stopping and looking at his sister in disbelief.

Hermann, a powerful chieftain of a tribe of Gauls, had been raised and trained by the Romans, much as Asher and Virgil in the south. Arminius, his Roman name, was well liked by the Roman Generals and was thought of as a loyal Roman subject.

"The killing took four days and the Romans were wiped out to a man and horse," Sasha nodded.

"Oh by the Gods," Virgil exclaimed. "Rome will go insane! Legionnaires massacred by Gauls?"

"Yes, and Lycur will use that against you," Sasha finished.

Asher grabbed Virgil's packs and handed his brother their weapons. "What about Mum's family?"

"Meg is closer, we'll go to Lila next," Sasha explained as they dashed out of the barracks towards the horses waiting for them. It did help to have a powerful demi-goddess for a sister, Asher reflected. Attempting to desert their post as Legionnaires would earn both Asher and Virgil death by flogging or crucifixion even if Lycur wasn't out to kill them.

"Do we wear our uniforms or our civilian clothing?" Virgil asked as they rode into the night.

"Uniforms for now, no one will stop Legionnaires once word spreads Octavian is dead," Asher decided. "Ride, Virgil!"

Virgil screamed and threw himself from his horse when they approached the village where Meg and daughter Rachel lived. The Viking saw the t-shaped crosses and the bodies. Asher whimpered deep in his throat, realizing two of those were his foster mother and sister.

Sasha reached over and took the reins from Asher and walked their horses closer. Virgil was on his knees in front of the two crosses that greeted the first visitors to the village from the north.

Asher and Virgil had seen crucifixions before and had always been sickened, it was only through willpower that they had managed not to disgrace themselves in front of the Romans by throwing up.

Death by crucifixion was one of the most unpleasant ways to die imaginable in the minds of the Vikings/Greeks, especially taken with the added knowledge that their own mother, Gabrielle had been crucified twice. Once by Caesar and once by Bacchus and had managed to survive only with the help of the gods.

Meg and Rachel hadn't gained the favor of being born from deities and Sasha knew instantly that they were dead as she and Asher approached.

The sign leaning against their feet read "Family of Traitors" in Latin, Greek and Germanic.

"Come on, Virg," Asher said softly as he dismounted. "Let's get them down and put them with Joxer. Sasha, can you get word to Mum and Mom?"

"Yes, get to Mum's family and we'll meet you at Lila's," Sasha said, turning her horse and riding back towards the woods where her Valkyrie powers wouldn't be seen.

"I'll kill him, Ash," Virgil said softly. "I will kill him, no matter what it takes!"

"I know, Virg," Asher sighed softly as he looked at most of the citizens of the village hanging from crosses; their only crime was probably living next to Meg and Rachel.

Xena pulled up her horse with a startled look, Hercules and Gabrielle a moment behind her.

The warriors blinked at the sight of a large group moving down the road towards them. Lila and her grown children and grandchildren in the leading wagon.

"Lila?" Gabrielle said softly and was off her horse in a flash and dashing to the wagon.

Lila jumped down from the wagon and the sisters embraced tightly. Gabrielle pulled back slightly, looking her sister over for injuries. "What happened?"

"Virgil and Asher came tearing into town and said a Legion was heading towards the village and told us to get out," Lila explained, gesturing towards the villagers behind her. "They said we needed to run or we'd all be massacred like Meg and her village."

"Meg?" Xena said softly. "The entire village?"

"That's what Asher said. Virgil was almost hysterical with rage," Lila nodded.

"Oh Gods," Gabrielle whispered, clinging to her sister.

"Where are the kids?" Hercules asked anxiously, searching the end of the group for the warriors.

"They, uh, stayed behind to slow the Romans down," Lila said slowly. "Some of the villagers reinforced the city defenses and caught up with us."

"Do I escort them to Amazon lands or stay with you and fight?" Hercules asked with a frown.

"We can make it to the woods before nightfall," Lila said firmly.

"Start leading them to Amazon territory," Gabrielle said firmly. "Xena and I can handle a troop of Romans."

Xena's smile wasn't pleasant as she nodded.

"Stay with Herc," Gabrielle instructed her sister. "We'll catch up with you."

"Gabrielle, no!" Lila cried, trying to hold onto her sister. "The Romans will kill you both. Leave with us! Haven't you fought long enough?"

"Yes, we have," Gabrielle nodded. "It's also our sons back there."

The warrior bard vaulted onto her horse, following Xena as the warrior yelled, setting her horse into a dash.

# # #

Xena pulled her horse up to a stop on the road with a snarl. The village was on fire, the barricades breeched and set ablaze, the gates hanging broken.

A handful of villagers had stayed behind to help Asher and Virgil and now they were hanging from Roman T-crosses. At the far end, the first one crucified, was Virgil. The Romans had apparently been setting the crosses up for most of the day. The soldiers had stripped off their cloaks and armor and were now down to their tunics, sweating in the noonday sun.

Gabrielle growled as the next cross was raised and the victim was Asher.

Xena pulled her chakram up and shouted in anger, her famous battle cry, as her horse leaped forward. Gabrielle followed, a sai in one hand. She grabbed up a spear from a dead villager's chest in the other.

The Romans looked up with startled expressions. Most of them were milling about the area and quickly pulled out their swords or dashed for their tripod stacks of spears. The ones handling the digging and posting of the crosses ran to grab their armor and weapons.

Xena hit the troops full on with her horse in a full gallop, leaning down to slice a soldier down the back and another across the back of the neck.

Gabrielle blocked a spear thrust and stabbed the soldier through the chest with her own spear, losing the spear. She pulled her second sai as she kicked a soldier grabbing for her reins.

Xena spun her horse around and kicked him into action, bearing down on the soldiers trying to overwhelm Gabrielle. She saw her wife dive off the horse, sais and feet flying.

The dark-haired Greek launched her chakram and pulled her sword. The chakram sliced through the back armor of two soldiers and bounced off the helmet of another, splitting it and dropping him.

Gabrielle snapped her hand up with the pointed end of the sai, hitting a soldier in the throat, under the chin. She back-kicked another in the nose and blocked a Gladius sword with her other sai.

Xena launched herself off her horse with a recognizable Warrior Princess battle cry, landing beside her mate. They turned back-to-back and grinned.

The handful of Roman soldiers began to slowly back away.

"Go on! Get out of here!" Xena growled, almost disappointed the fight was over so quickly. She could feel Gabrielle trembling with anger behind her.

The soldiers began to reform and look to each other for guidance.

"I'm Xena and this is Gabrielle in case you didn't figure that out," Xena growled. "And we definitely live up to our legends. Do you really want to try this?"

The soldiers began grabbing their wounded comrades and backing towards the road.

A horse rounded the corner of the stonewall and both Greeks growled when they recognized Lycur.

Xena looked up at Asher and Virgil and screamed, launching her dreaded chakram at the Roman officer.

Lycur snarled back at the warriors and brought up a shield at the last moment, deflecting the chakram and splitting the shield.

Xena caught the chakram with a stunned expression as the Roman officer turned, taking his horse out of sight and galloping away.

"X-Xena?" Gabrielle asked softly. "Has anyone except Callisto ever done that?"

"No," Xena shook her head and growled as the soldiers began running. "To Hades with him, get to the kids and villagers!"

# # #

Xena walked up behind Gabrielle and placed a hand on her mate's shoulder. "How is he?" she asked softly.

Gabrielle shook her head as she held up a cloth to catch the blood as Virgil coughed. The young man was sitting up in bed to ease the pressure on his lungs. Bandages were wrapped around his wrists and ankles after the 7-inch Roman spikes had been removed.

"How many dead?" the bard asked softly.

"The last three, including Asher live," Xena answered. "The other four are dead."

"Virgil will join them," Gabrielle said softly.

"We can't do anything?" Xena whispered, her voice cracking.

"He's too injured," Gabrielle shook her head. "The flogging before the crucifixion weakened him and he was one of the first ones. The fluid has built up in his lungs. I'm using enough healing energy to keep him alive but I can't heal him without giving everything."

"That's not an option," Xena growled. "We still have Sasha and Asher."

"I know. You'd better bring Asher in," Gabrielle nodded wearily.

A few minutes later Xena and a farmhand carried in Asher on a litter.

"Where'd he come from?" Gabrielle asked softly, sponging Virgil's forehead.

"He was on a farm outside the walls, he saw the smoke and came in," Xena explained.

"Mom?" Asher asked softly, his face twisting in pain as he looked at Virgil.

"You need to say goodbye, Ash," Xena said gently.

"No! Not yet! Not him!" Asher hissed, trying not to yell and disturb his brother.

"Asher, it's time," Gabrielle said firmly. "Let him go."

Asher nodded, biting back tears. He let Xena help him sit up.

"Virgil, can you open your eyes? Asher's here," Gabrielle said softly as he gasped for breath.

Virgil struggled to open his eyes and tried to smile as he coughed.

"Don't try to talk, Virg," Asher said firmly but his voice cracking with emotion.

Virgil nodded as tears escaped his eyes.

"Let go, Virg," Asher urged, reaching to hold his brother's hand.

Gabrielle felt tears streaming down her face and could feel the pain radiating from Asher and Xena as well.

"We love you, Virgil," Xena said softly, kissing the top of his head. "We'll always love you and see you on the other side."

"You're our son, Virgil," Gabrielle said gently. "Meg and your sister are waiting."

"I love you, Virg," Asher added, leaning his head on Virgil's arm.

Virgil closed his eyes and began coughing, spitting up blood and phlegm.

Xena helped sit him up and sat behind him, pulling the young man into her arms. She began stroking his temples, trying to calm him. After a few moments she increased the pressure slightly until Virgil slumped in her arms.

"M-mom?" Asher asked, almost in a whisper.

"He's gone, Ash," she answered and helped Gabrielle move Virgil to lie on the bed before moving to hold their son as he wept.

# # #

Gabrielle stood by the funeral pyre of Virgil and the villagers, holding their foster son's hand.

"We have to go, Gabrielle," Xena said softly, holding the torch ready.

"I know, Lycur will return with more troops by daylight," the warrior bard nodded and stepped back, walking towards the wagon that held the remaining villagers and Asher. She heard the fire blaze into action but didn't turn back.

She heard Asher beginning to cry again as she mounted the wagon and clicked the horses into movement.

Xena rode up and took the lead, her face stern and unemotional but Gabrielle knew inside her wife was seething with anger and grief.

# # #

Moving steadily, the small group caught up with the rest of the villagers two candle-marks before dawn.

Lila quickly took over the care of Asher and the other three survivors as Xena explained to Hercules.

The large demi-god shook his head and stormed off into the woods upon hearing the news about his foster nephew.

Gabrielle curled up in Xena's arms against a tree as the villagers grabbed some sleep and Lila worked with the survivors of the crucifixion.

"He'll come after us, won't he?" Gabrielle said softly.

"More than likely, yes," Xena nodded. "We'll move Lila and the others as fast as we can, get them out of Roman territory. Then we'll go home."

"You're not going tie me up and disappear in the night again, are you?" Gabrielle smiled ruefully.

"No," Xena smiled gently. "As much as I want revenge, I want Asher and Lila safe and to leave Rome behind."

"No more cycle of revenge?" Gabrielle asked gratefully.

"No, we're leaving it," Xena nodded. "I'm tired of the death too."

"Let's go home and never see Rome again," Gabrielle mumbled, closing her eyes.

# # #

For three days the group pushed as fast as farm horses and oxen would take them. Everyone was tired and disheartened but kept moving forward, trusting in the Warrior Princess and Warrior Bard to get them through.

One more of the four survivors of the crucifixion died on the second night, his fiancée was pulled sobbing from his grave by her father.

Asher continued to improve slowly and Xena thought he might eventually recover use of his hands and feet with some of her special healing knowledge from the Far East. What wasn't healed was his heart. He and Virgil had grown up as brothers, inseparable from their toddler years.

Xena sharpened her sword as she watched Gabrielle trying to comfort their son. The warrior tried to focus her thoughts on Asher's recovery and getting everyone safe rather than her almost overwhelming desire for revenge. Gabrielle and the others needed her thinking clearly, not the battle crazed warlord she had once been.

By the end of the fifth day, everyone was exhausted and barely aware of their surroundings. Gabrielle moved to the front of the caravan as they approached Amazon lands and Xena moved to the rear. The Amazons would recognize either woman quickly but they'd respond faster to their absent Queen.

Gabrielle stopped, holding up her hand to stop the wagons. She cocked her head, listening and watching after spotting the subtle signs on the trees marking Amazon boundaries.

A whistle sounded in the trees and Gabrielle raised her arms above her head, crossed at her wrists.

Several Black Forest Amazons stepped out from behind the trees and one slid down a rope from a tree.

"Heilsa, Hallvor!" Gabrielle called with a small smile.

Hallvor bowed slightly at the waist and raised a hand in greeting. The other Amazons followed suit. Unlike the Southern Amazons who would go to a bended knee to their Queen, the Black Forest Amazons, influenced by their Northern sisters, did not. Germanic custom of not bending knee to anyone but the gods themselves was spilling over into the Amazon life.

"Heilsa, my Queen," Hallvor grinned, raising her head. "You bring a rag-tag looking bunch."

"Aye," Gabrielle nodded, moving forward to hug her friend as Xena came up the line of wagons on her horse, smiling a greeting to the women warriors. "Can you put them on the outskirts of Amazon land? Romans wiped out their village. This bunch includes my sister, niece and nephews."

"Of course, your family is our family," Hallvor nodded. "Eponin will be delighted to see both of you. Warriors, lead our friends around the edge of the lands and settle them in by the small lake in the south. We will have a celebration feast tonight to welcome them. What's happened, Gabrielle, Xena?"

"Romans attacked our families," Xena began. "Virgil's home village was slaughtered along with our friend and adopted sister Meg, his mother. The boys rushed to the next village to protect Lila, Gabrielle's sister."

"They got the villagers out," Gabrielle continued, glancing back at her sister as she climbed up into the lead wagon to care for Asher. "Our sons stayed behind with some villagers to hold the Romans back."

The bard looked away and Hallvor sighed, she knew what any army unit of the world was capable of, especially the Romans.

"They were captured and crucified," Xena said softly. "Hercules is behind us, covering our trail."

"Virgil died," Gabrielle said, wiping a tear from her eyes.

"We will honor him at our fires," Hallvor said firmly. "The males will be welcome along with the women for the first three days as they settle in and we help them."

"Thank you, take us to Pony, please," Gabrielle nodded; letting some of the weariness hit her.

Xena leaned over and squeezed Gabrielle's hand. "We'll rest here for a day before taking Asher home."

# # #

Lila walked up to Gabrielle as the bard watched the children of the village splashing in the creek and lake. The younger sister sat down on a rock next to Gabrielle with a moan. "I swear my body is protesting more and more every year."

Gabrielle looked at her sister, noting the hair was more gray than dark now and the lines framing Lila's face. Her hands were showing signs of the pains and were calloused and rough.

Lila noticed her sister's glance and smiled. "Yes, I look like mother now and you haven't aged. You still are young and beautiful. I'm 52 summers, Gabby."

"I know," Gabrielle said softly.

"Will we be safe here?" Lila asked, looking around at the deep woods, much different than the farmland she had just left.

"Hopefully," Gabrielle said truthfully. "It will be hard this winter. It's colder here and life is different. You'll have to encourage the others to adapt."

"Who will help me adapt," Lila smirked. "From farmer to what here?"

"They need weavers here too," Gabrielle smirked back, bumping her sister lightly, playfully. "And they keep livestock and do a little farming."

"What about you and Xena?" Lila asked slowly. "Can you let it go?"

"I think so," her sister said thoughtfully. "We have to. It just becomes an endless circle. If we helped bring Lycur's father down because he was once my brutal owner, now the son kills our foster son and hurts Asher badly. What next? We kill him and some bastard son fifteen years from now comes calling for vengeance? No, it has to end somewhere."

"And Asher and Xena?" Lila asked softly. "Will they let it go?"

"Yes, Xena's as tired as I am and Asher is too wounded in body and spirit," Gabrielle sighed heavily. "In a year or two he might feel the burn of the anger but, hopefully, we'll have him firmly entrenched in the northern life."

"Will they follow us?"

"It's possible," Gabrielle admitted. "Romans are quite stubborn when they think they've been insulted or beaten. With Imperial backing, Lycur just might push his vendetta to the north. We live far enough North that it would cause some major conflicts if he tries to push that far. The Amazons will protect you to the last; you and the villagers are family now."

"I used to envy you about your travels and adventures but knew that wasn't for me," Lila said thoughtfully. "Do you regret it? Any of it? You are scarred, almost lost your son, have been brutalized. You've seen so much grief, Gabrielle. So much violence and death, it's… inconceivable."

"I regret a lot of it, mostly what the Fates threw at us," Gabrielle nodded after a moment, looking at the bracers on her wrists that hid the crucifixion scars. "I regret a few of my actions and, in hindsight, would find a different way. Do I regret my life with Xena? Never, Lila. She's still the love of my life and I like the person she's become and that I've become."

"You certainly aren't the naïve dreamer," Lila smirked, nudging her sister.

"No, now I'm a dangerous warrior," Gabrielle said sadly.

"No, that's not all you are, it's a small part of you, Gabrielle," Lila said gently. "You wanted to be a warrior when you left home and quickly changed your mind about that. Becoming one was a matter of survival and honor. There's no shame in that. Are you happy in the north?"

Gabrielle's smile brightened her face visibly. "Yes, very much so. It's a hard life but it's satisfying. Never thought I'd like it, did you? Hauling water, making bread and sewing."

"No, I still can't believe it but it suits both of you," Lila smiled. "There's an aura of peace around both of you, something I never thought I'd see, especially with Xena."

"War and vengeance have a higher price than we're willing to pay any longer," Gabrielle said thoughtfully. "Solan killed, Kyrck kidnapped, Virgil, Rachel and Meg dead, all too costly."

"Let's go back and lend a hand, everyone is cutting timber for shelters. It will be interesting, everyone have agreed to try the northern way of a long house for easier heating and comfort," Lila suggested as she stood and offered a hand to her sister.

"It… it takes some adapting," Gabrielle laughed. "You learn though, it becomes comforting to have all those people around. Just keep everyone's hands and minds busy during the winter months."

"We'll work on it," Lila nodded.

# # #

Xena, Gabrielle and Hercules spent three more days among the Amazons and the new settlement of Greeks. Watching the two groups interacting, Gabrielle wondered if the future of the Amazons was doomed to integration into the societies around them, losing their female oriented focus. The bard smiled softly, reflecting that human nature was one of adapting. Adapting or dying and those cultures and groups that had failed were now part of history. The Amazon Queen said a quick prayer that this wasn't to be the future of her tribes.

The rest of the journey towards home was taken slower, now that they were in their home territory, they felt safer. There had been no sign of any Romans following the fleeing villagers and Gabrielle began to feel hopeful they might actually leave the revenge and politics of Rome behind. At least until the Empire expanded and drew close to them.

Noticing something ahead, Hercules jumped down from his horse and Xena pulled up short, her hand going to her chakram. Gabrielle stopped the horse and cart, pulling her sais into her hands. "Stay down, Asher," she said softly.

Asher whimpered, wishing he could at least grip a dagger. The proud Greek hated being helpless.

Hercules examined the ground and motioned Xena to join him. The warrior knelt down beside him after dismounting, frowning at what he saw as well.

"Lots of horses, all shoed," he pointed to the tracks.

"And iron-rimmed wagons," Xena sighed. "Heading north."

"Merchants?" Hercules ventured.

"Possible but not likely," Xena shook her head. "Too late in the season to be heading north unless they plan on staying at a large steading."

"That's a lot of people to welcome in for the winter," Hercules agreed. "Romans."

"Most likely," Xena frowned. "Let's get home. We'll get to the Steading just in case."

Hercules nodded, remounting his horse. After being adopted by the Germanic tribesmen, he knew they'd defend the Greeks to the death. To them, there was no difference between a Viking born family and the Greeks now.

Xena trotted back to the wagon. "We might have Romans around here," she explained to her wife and son. "We're heading to the steading and we should move quickly. Can you handle it, Asher?"

"Yes," the former Legionnaire nodded. "Anything to keep any of you from falling into Lycur's hands. He knows Mom was crucified and her fear of that."

Gabrielle shook her head. Asher had just been through a crucifixion and lived and he was more worried about her. "I love you, Ash. Let's move, Xena."

# # #

Hercules slowed his horse and let Xena catch up with him. She sighed and looked around. "Campfire smoke and noises. Large group, can we go around?"

"I can carry Asher," Hercules nodded. "To where though? They're sitting in the middle of our yard, I'm guessing. The only option is the Amazons."

"And we might be leading them right back to our kin," Xena nodded.

"No one can cover tracks like you, we could make it," Hercules ventured. "Even if it isn't Lycur, they could still execute Asher for desertion."

"Do we keep running or face this?" Gabrielle called from the wagon.

"We end it," Xena said firmly, her blue eyes flashing. "I'm done running. Gabrielle…"

The blonde shook her head. "I know, take Asher and make for the Amazons and be safe. No, I'm with you, wife."

"I'm not leaving either of you," Hercules said firmly before Xena could ask.

"Alright, then we take Asher into a camp of Romans with crucifixion wounds?" Xena demanded.

Gabrielle looked angry but kept quiet for a moment and Hercules finally nodded. "You're right. They'll finish him off before even asking questions. I'll start with him towards the Amazons, you two catch up with us."

"Love you, brother," Xena said softly, grasping his hand in a warrior clasp.

"Be safe. I really don't want to take on the Roman army again," he smirked and walked his horse back to the wagon to bend over and kiss Gabrielle's cheek. He switched places with her and glanced back at a sleeping Asher.

"The pain herbs should keep him sleeping for another two candlemarks," Gabrielle said softly, looking down at her wounded son. "Keep him safe, Herc."

"My word," Hercules nodded, clicking the horse back into movement, slowly turning the wagon around the way they had come. Both women warriors knew he would pick a different route at the first opportunity.

Gabrielle turned and trotted up next to her wife. "How do you want to handle this? Straight into the fire or pick some of them off?"

"Both plans have merit," Xena frowned, thoughtful. "Let's scout them out and see if they're carrying war banners."

Gabrielle nodded and dismounted. She moved to the nearest set of trees and sighed. "It's harder up north," she complained as Xena joined her, fastening her chakram down tightly.

"Trees are taller and branches higher," Xena agreed, boosting her smaller wife to the nearest branch.

"Just because some of us are tall," Gabrielle muttered.

Xena grinned, despite the situation. One thing never in doubt was her love for Gabrielle and their unique sense of humor together.

# # #

The two warriors worked their way towards their small steading, the sounds of encampment getting louder as they approached. Gabrielle made a sign of disgust and tugged on her ears. Xena nodded in agreement, the Romans weren't being quiet about their presence.

The women resisted growling aloud when they were able to see their home and the invading Romans. It seemed like there was a Roman everywhere they looked. Gabrielle pointed out that the families that had joined them over the years were all huddled near the animal pens. The men were bruised and battered and so were some of the women.

The Romans had slaughtered several cows and pigs and were busy roasting and cooking. Gabrielle sighed, recognizing some of their utensils and stocks of food.

Xena pointed towards the main tent and Gabrielle nodded, recognizing the standard of Lycur's Legion.

The two Greeks moved back to a safe point in the trees where they could talk.

"They aren't going to leave any time soon and I'm betting there's another cohort at the main steading," Xena growled. "If we wipe them out, it'll mean a war with the Romans and the new Emperor. Just what he might want, an excuse for a war, to expand Roman territory."

"War is always popular with the Romans," Gabrielle nodded. "And new Emperors."

"And if we leave, they'll destroy our home and the steading and still find an excuse to go to war," Xena said thoughtfully.

"Suggestions? We can't leave the Russ to them," Gabrielle sighed.

"We go in, find out what they want and negotiate. If that doesn't work, we take care of them and hope to treaty with Rome before the next group shows up," Xena shrugged.

Gabrielle nodded. "Then let's do this but with some conditions. I am not just turning both of us over to Lycur's hands without something to bargain with."

Xena grinned. "We can do that, come on."

# # #

A short time later the outer guards sent word that a single rider had approached the steading and they were escorting her in to see Lycur.

The Roman waited in front of his tent in a camp chair. He smirked at the sight of Xena, the Warrior Princess, being escorted into the camp. The guards had forced her to walk while they kept on their horses and took the reins of her horse.

"MiLord, you said she'd have the bard with her," his second-in-command commented with a frown.

"No matter, she's probably with her Amazons," Lycur shrugged. "Once she hears what we've done with her mate, she'll come running with revenge in mind and she'll drag the Amazons and the Germanics into a war. Rome will have the perfect excuse to take over the land from Italia to the northern lands."

The Roman remained seated as a gesture of contempt as the warrior approached his table. He quickly noted one of the guards was carrying her sword and the infamous chakram.

"Where's the other one?" he asked without any false pleasantries.

"What do you want, Lycur," Xena countered and one of the guards hit her in the small of the back with his sword pommel. The warrior flinched slightly but ignored him.

"Proper manners, barbarian," the guard hissed. "That's MiLord Lycur if you'll not use his proper titles."

"I see the son of a disgraced little man who thought he had power," Xena smirked, satisfied to see the anger flash in the Roman's eyes.

"Where is Gabrielle?" Lycur demanded again.

"Actually, she's close by with a hunting party of Amazons," Xena smirked. "All with arrows aimed at your head and heart."

The guards who didn't have a spear or sword in hand, quickly rectified that and glanced around nervously. Lycur's eyes narrowed.

"I don't believe you," he said softly.

Xena smiled and raised her left hand in a fist and one of Lycur's personal guards clutched at his throat, an arrow completely through it. The Warrior Prince didn't blink as he fell dead at his master's feet.

The guards erupted into pandemonium; one of them grabbed Xena, his sword at her throat.

"Don't!" Lycur commanded, jumping to his feet.

Xena's calm manner obviously unnerved the Roman officer and former gladiator.

"I kill you and they'll kill me, correct?" he growled.

"Yes," Xena said calmly. At a motion of Lycur's hand, the guard removed his sword from around the warrior's throat.

"Why did you come in?" Lycur demanded. "And how do I know there's more than one out there?"

"You know the Amazons, do you want to risk it?" Xena shrugged. "You're their first target and won't be around to see your men slaughtered."

"I could threaten to kill the Germanics over there," Lycur snarled, sitting back down and motioning for a chair to be brought for the warrior.

"Same results," Xena smirked and sat down. "It's simple, leave Germanic territories and forget your feud with us. Go fight with the Egyptians or something to fill your coffers."

Lycur frowned, appearing to think it over and then shook his head. "No."

"Then let's settle this one-on-one," Xena countered. "You and me, here and now."

"I know your reputation and you're the daughter of a God," Lycur leaned back smirking. "I don't like those odds. I want the Champion of Rome."

Xena blinked and scowled. "No."

Lycur grinned. "Don't think your mate could handle it? We were both gladiators, she even won the wooden sword. I think the odds are probably fair. If not, I'll hunt you both down and crucify you both and anyone that survived the crucifixion."

Xena's hand went to where her chakram usually was and growled, realizing it was in possession of the guards.

"Gabrielle and me, in your Viking style," Lycur bargained. "Rope off an area, select weapons available and one of us walks off the winner. If I win, I will take my troops and leave with either you or the Vikings who deserted their posts to stand trial. If she wins, the troops will withdraw."

"Why so fixated on Gabrielle?" Xena demanded.

"Because my father was," Lycur snapped. "He talked of her endlessly, especially how she won the wooden sword, how talented she was with those sais of hers and, of course, her spirit. You two caused his death and I want hers."

"Your father died because he was plotting against the Emperor's life, look to your own culture for the reasons," Xena said wearily.

"You brought it to light," Lycur responded. "She faces me or you get a war with Rome here in the north."

Xena frowned. "Romans are notorious for not fighting fair and breaking their word."

"Take it or leave it, I give you my word that no one will interfere in the fight and no retaliation if Gabrielle wins," Lycur said indifferently.

"I have to talk to the Amazons," Xena said as she stood and held out a hand for her weapons and reins.

"Have Gabrielle meet me in a square enclosure at dawn," Lycur smiled, knowing the Greeks would agree to it. At least Gabrielle would, from what he knew of the bard, she was willing to sacrifice herself for others. He intended on using that.


	33. 33 Champion of Rome, part 2

**Disclaimers:** Repeat after me: I don't own Xena, Gabrielle, etc. I'm borrowing them for entertainment purposes, please don't bother to sue me, you wouldn't even get court costs.

**Violence:** No more than a regular TV episode

**Subtext/Alt Fiction/Sex:** the story assumes a loving and sexual relationship between people of the same gender and of the opposite sex. If this offends you or is illegal for you then please leave. Come back when you are older, have an open mind, moved, or changed your laws.

**Feedback:** always welcome and responded to!

**Storyline:** Rome and the past once again catches up with Xena and Gabrielle and their families.

**Rating:** R

# # #

**Previously:**

"Have Gabrielle meet me in a square enclosure at dawn," Lycur smiled, knowing the Greeks would agree to it. At least Gabrielle would, from what he knew of the bard, she was willing to sacrifice herself for others. He intended on using that.

* * *

Gabrielle wasn't surprised when Xena was against the bargain and Xena wasn't surprised that Gabrielle wanted to agree to it. The arguing went on well into the night when they finally had a cold dinner and Xena drew her arms around her wife, leaning against a tree.

"It's the best course and you know it," Gabrielle said softly, her arms over Xena's.

"Yes," Xena agreed but still hating the situation.

"You'll let me go?"

"No," Xena shook her head.

"You pinch and tie me up again and I'll divorce you!" Gabrielle threatened, lightly smacking Xena's arm to show she was half joking.

"I won't stop you," Xena promised.

"Alright," Gabrielle said softly. "Hold me tonight? Love me?"

"Forever," the warrior promised.

"I'll always love you, Xena," Gabrielle said softly.

"I'll always find you, this world or the next," Xena promised as she untied Gabrielle tunic, enjoying the growl of arousal it brought from her wife. She was surprised when Gabrielle suddenly pushed her away lightly and sat up.

Xena leaned up on her elbows. "Gabrielle?"

"Give me a minute," the bard muttered and Xena recognized a huskiness to her wife's voice and sat up beside Gabrielle. She turned Gabrielle's face towards her and sighed at the yellow eyes.

"Gabrielle, how many seasons have we dealt with this?" Xena asked gently. "I love you and I don't care about this side of you!"

"I wanted to make love to you without this!" Gabrielle snapped.

"It doesn't matter to me! How many times will we argue about this?" Xena asked softly. "Besides, I like your fangs, I love the bacchae sex and it'll connect me to you even more tomorrow. Let it go and accept this, love."

Xena extended her wrist in front of Gabrielle's lips, her breathing quickening as her wife kissed the inside wrist and lightly ran her fangs over the nerve endings. "Oh Gods, little one, yes!" the warrior whispered, pulling Gabrielle down on top of her.

# # #

Dawn found the two Greeks standing on one side of the clearing and Lycur on the other as Roman soldiers drove stakes into the grass and tied ropes around them, marking off a square area for the contest.

"Don't trust him," Xena advised as Lycur stripped down from his Roman armor into a simple tunic and trousers, cross-laced over the lower legs, Germanic style.

"Everything is fair in the arena," Gabrielle nodded, pulling off her over tunic, revealing a top that barely covered her breasts and showed off her athletic body to perfection. The women ignored the looks of appreciation and surprise from the nearby soldiers.

Gabrielle had fought hard during the night to maintain a level of calmness she knew she'd need when entering a fight zone. Usually just the sight of a Roman legionnaire was enough to give her the shakes. Today, she ignored them.

Xena sharp eyes tried to watch everything that was happening around them, especially looking for hidden archers or any sign that the Romans were ready to rush in and seize the Greek women.

Lycur walked around the area and approached the women slowly, keeping his hands in sight.

"You have your sais, I have a sword," he said calmly. "What other weapons would you like? Shield, spear, trident, net?"

"Spear and sword," Gabrielle responded.

Lycur motioned to the soldiers nearby and they approached with an armful of spears and swords.

"You choose yours," Lycur shrugged as his assistant planted two spears on the other side of the enclosure and laid a sword next to them.

Xena quickly moved forward to examine the weapons, looking for minute cracks and weakened spots on the spearheads and the shafts. Xena placed her own sword next to the spears she had chosen.

Gabrielle stretched quickly and moved into the enclosed space, her eyes darting around, looking for movement from any of the soldiers that spoke of a trap.

"Relax," Xena said softly. "You worry about him, I'll worry about everything else."

Gabrielle nodded and picked up a spear as Lycur did the same. The former gladiator felt her mind and body shift as everything narrowed down to the man in front of her. Dancer came forward and the gentle bard retreated.

Xena frowned as Gabrielle's body moved along the side of the enclosure. The warrior had seen Dancer in action very few times but knew she was looking at the deadly gladiator that had won the coveted wooden sword.

She watched Lycur's eyes narrow as he, in turn, watched Gabrielle. Both fighters began moving and gauging each other's talents, moves, and battle attitude. Xena and the fighters ignored the shouting encouragement from the Romans as their beloved leader struck first, feinting with the spear.

Dancer avoided the spear, letting it slide almost along her ribcage, turning with it and bringing her own spear into play, using the blunt end to whack Lycur's hand, causing him to drop one hand off the spear. He quickly retaliated with a backhand blow to Dancer's jaw.

Instead of dropping her weapon like an inexperienced Arena fighter, the bard tightened her grip and brought it down, pinning his spear below hers as she headbutted him, causing him to drop his other hand off the spear.

Dancer brought the spear end up under Lycur's chin, knocking him off his feet. Xena shifted her hand to her chakram as a rumbling spread through the Roman soldiers but they held back.

The female gladiator moved to follow through with the spear but Lycur countered by pulling his sword and slashing at the woman's legs. The female gladiator somersaulted back, avoiding the blow. Both fighters were now on their feet.

Dancer tossed the spear aside, pulling her Sais out to counter Lycur's sword.

Lycur rushed the warrior bard with a vicious overhead strike that surprised Dancer, forcing her to block the sword with both sais. The Roman's weight and strength causing her to bend backwards, close to losing her balance.

Xena winced and felt her body wanting to respond but held back. One wrong move and she knew the Romans would pounce on the opportunity to attack her and Gabrielle. The Greek warrior shut her eyes to regain control, opening them again to watch her wife's battle.

Gabrielle twisted, pulling the sword down alongside her body, turning until she was almost side-by-side with Lycur. The Roman snarled, his sword trapped. He freed one hand and pulled his dagger.

Dancer growled and brought an elbow up into Lycur's nose, the movement breaking them apart. Lycur slashed with the dagger as he stumbled back and Dancer winced slightly as the blade slid across her left side.

Lycur slashed out with the sword and Dancer snarled, catching the blade with her Sais again, twisting until the weapon was pulled out of his hands. The Roman hit Dancer across the jaw and rushed towards the spare weapons.

Dancer followed, tackling the soldier to the ground and was surprised at how fast he moved, turning over and hitting her across the bridge of her nose. Gabrielle hit Lycur with the blunt end of a Sais but was hit in the back of the head with his Roman boot.

Xena frowned, Gabrielle was taking too long to recover. She had seen her mate fighting for decades and knew Gabrielle wasn't one to hesitate unless it was senseless killing.

Lycur got to his feet first and kicked the female in the ribs, sending her to the grass again. Dancer kicked out with her feet, keeping him from kicking her again as she flipped up to her feet.

Xena saw Dancer shake her head with a frown and glance down at the lightly bleeding wound along her ribs.

Dancer snarled and dodged a sword slash aimed at her shoulder but Lycur had anticipated the move and Dancer winced and cried out as the dagger sank into her left shoulder. She kicked the Roman away from her and moved back several feet.

Lycur followed her, slashing relentlessly with the sword and dagger. Dancer fell back, parrying the blows but barely.

Xena growled as she watched Gabrielle stumble and begin sweating badly. "Goddamn you," she muttered, recognizing a common poison used in the Arena by nobles to ensure that they would win.

Gabrielle dropped one Sai and dived under a sword strike to grab up Xena's sword, rolling over to block Lycur's sword with it and the dagger with her remaining Sai.

Xena whimpered softly when Gabrielle glanced at her and the warrior recognized a flash of desperation in her mate's eyes. They both knew that Lycur was an exceptional gladiator and now he had more of an edge to counter Gabrielle's quickness and skill.

"Come on, Amazon!" Xena said loudly. The Warrior Princess could see equal skill in both gladiators and knew Gabrielle needed to react differently than a trained Arena fighter. Dancer's shoulder was also beginning to drop from the knife wound.

Gabrielle's eyes narrowed and she circled Lycur, watching the grinning Roman's eyes.

Her Sai and guard dropped as the blood flowed freely from her left shoulder and Lycur practically leaped forward to take advantage of the slip. Xena held back with a cry of terror as Gabrielle parried Lycur's dagger with her sword but couldn't get her Sai up to parry his sword and she fell back onto the grass, the sword slicing into her shoulder.

Gabrielle dropped Xena's sword as Lycur followed her down to stab her with a killing blow with his dagger. She used an Amazon fighting move with her legs, wrapping them around the Roman's neck and spinning him over and down, stunning him as he hit the grass. Dancer lashed out, hitting him in the back of the neck with her elbow and pulled his sword out of her shoulder and moved to bring it around to decapitate him.

Xena was stunned when the sword stopped at just barely slicing his skin open. Gabrielle looked confused.

"Gabrielle! Do it! He'll keep coming if you don't!" Xena urged.

"Do you surrender?" Gabrielle demanded, hissing in the Roman's ear.

"Kill me, bitch," Lycur growled, his hands clutching at the grass in anger.

"I have answers about your mother and father, Lycur. Want to die before hearing the truth?" Gabrielle whispered.

Lycur hesitated and then spread his arms in surrender.

"Say it loudly," Gabrielle demanded.

"I surrender, she wins!" Lycur called out and Gabrielle pulled the sword back, collapsing onto the ground.

The bard blinked when she was suddenly being lifted and looked into Xena's eyes. "Let's get you patched up, my love," Xena whispered. "You! Release the Vikings and surrender your weapons to them until we sort this out. I swear you won't be harmed."

Gabrielle let the darkness claim her, feeling safe in Xena's arms.

# # #

Xena breathed a sigh of relief when Gabrielle opened her eyes slowly. "Hey," she said softly as the bard tried to focus.

"Hey," Gabrielle whispered. "I survived the poison?"

"And the two stab wounds," Xena nodded with a smile. "It was a mild dose to slow your reactions down but not enough to be obvious enough for charges."

"Lycur?" Gabrielle asked quickly trying to sit up and biting her lip when a wave of pain hit her and she grabbed at her shoulder.

"Waiting with his troops to leave," Xena shrugged. "He swears that he won't return once you explain some things to him. What's going on, Gabrielle?"

"You can't let him leave, Xena," Gabrielle said firmly, her eyes bright.

Xena reached out and felt Gabrielle's forehead. "You're going to have a round of fever, little one."

"Don't let him go! He's Kiryk," Gabrielle said anxiously. "Behind his right ear, the tattoo Reija placed on him just after his birth, her Amazon tribe sigil."

Xena sat down on the edge of the bed, clearly stunned. "Kiryk?"

"Send for Hercules and Asher, we have to decide this as a family," Gabrielle urged closing her eyes. "He's your grandson, my love."

"And he killed our foster son and family and nearly killed you," Xena muttered. "He's my grandson?" The Greek stood up quickly, yelling for one of the youths to ride with a message to the Amazons and Hercules.

Xena glanced back at her sleeping mate, her face troubled. "We do anything to him and we're kin-killers. Can we take him in though? He's a Roman, not Greek," she muttered.

# # #

The Romans grumbled but settled into camping on the steading once they realized the Vikings weren't going to harm them and treated them like guests, much to the surprise of the Romans. Xena had laughed and had tried to explain to Lycur Kiryk that it was Viking nature. Anyone was welcome and honored once hostilities had ceased. If the Romans misbehaved though, Xena pointed out, they'd be slaughtered without a thought. In turn, the Romans set about cut wood and hunting to replenish the stocks they had used.

Lycur had been unhappy when Xena demanded he stay until Gabrielle was on her feet but she had insisted, pointing out that Gabrielle was a Roman citizen and champion, that the Roman owed her that respect due to Gabrielle's victory over him. The Roman was forced to agree, reluctantly.

It was three days before Hercules drove a wagon into the yard, his face expressionless as he and Asher took in the Romans milling around and Lycur sitting in front of his tent, watching them closely. Hercules could feel Asher's anger building.

"Easy, Ash," Hercules suggested. "We promised no action until we talked with your moms."

"Alright, then I kill him," Asher growled, getting down out of the wagon slowly and heading towards the house.

Lycur and his lieutenants frowned and waited nervously as shouts of anger and disbelief drifted out of the house. It was a candlemark before Xena appeared at the front door and approached the Roman leader slowly.

Lycur was vaguely comforted by the fact the Warrior Princess wasn't in her typical warrior garb of short skirt, leather and weapons. She was dressed much like a male from the North, woolen trousers with boots and leather lacings criss-crossing the lower trouser legs. Her tunic was a simple green but decorated around the collar and hem with fine embroidery of gold thread. The leather jerkin vest was well worn but cared for.

Lycur recognized the leather bracers from his previous encounter with the warrior and everyone knew about her strange Indian weapon, the chakram at her side.

The Roman stood up as she approached his tent.

"Can we leave yet?" he demanded bluntly.

"Gabrielle and I would like to talk to you, by the fire?" Xena responded, suggesting the main fire rather than in the house where the Roman might suspect a trap.

"Yes," Lycur agreed and motioned his lieutenants to stay back.

Gabrielle and Hercules walked towards the fire from the house while Asher stood in the doorway, glaring at the Romans, his wrists still bandaged.

"What is so important that you'd spare my life?" Lycur demanded as the Greeks and Roman came together.

"I'm not in favor of killing my mate's grandson," Gabrielle sighed. The bard had a headache from arguing with Xena and Asher and debating with Hercules as to what to do with the information they now had.

"Make sense, woman," Lycur growled. "I know my father."

"No, he claimed you but Lycrassius was not your father," Xena shook her head. "Did anyone ever ask you about the small tattoo behind your ear?"

Lycur's hand moved to his ear with a frown. "Yes, my father said it was some tribal thing from my mother and not to concern myself. That I am a Roman, not a barbarian."

"Actually, you come from a line that was civilized while Remus and Romulus were scratching in the dust," Hercules grumbled.

The next candlemark was spent telling the Roman the highlights of Xena and Gabrielle's lives, especially surrounding Callisto and Solan. They ended with the current day, discovering the tribal tattoo on the Roman.

"You're saying I'm your grandson?" Lycur asked with disbelief. "Because of a pissed off chaos goddess?"

"Yes," Xena nodded. "Just think of it, the perfect revenge on us. Giving you to Gabrielle's former master to raise as our enemy."

Lycur frowned as he absently scratched at the tattoo. "I'm the son of an Amazon? The enemies of Rome? Grandson to Xena, enemy of Rome?"

"You were raised Roman but you were born Greek and Amazon," Gabrielle said softly. "Your grandfather, Borias, was a great warrior from the steppes and you know Xena's reputation."

"My father?" Kiryk asked with a deep frown, looking at the ring on his finger. The family symbol of Lycrassius, a symbol of Roman power and influence.

"A brave and gentle young man," Hercules smiled. "A talented hunter and loving father."

"Where is my mother?"

"With the Amazons, we've sent word that we found you," Gabrielle smiled. "You're at a crossroads, Lycur Kiryk, you can either continue on as you've lived, as a Roman of power or you can discover your family."

The Roman frowned. "And your son? I killed his foster brother and best friend and family."

"Well, we can't kill you," Hercules smirked. "The Gods frown on kin-slayers. Asher probably will get over it in about twenty seasons."

"You almost killed my sister and family, Kiryk," Gabrielle pointed out. "It will take time for everyone."

"No," Lycur snapped, standing up and pacing. "I'm Roman! I am a Roman officer and have the Emperor's trust! I am not like you!"

Xena and Gabrielle sighed as the Roman stormed out of the cabin.

# # #

It took another three days before Lycur Kiryk returned to the cabin. Xena had watched the young man riding the countryside at breakneck speed on his horse, slashing at trees with his sword and brooding at night in his tent. He had barely said a word to anyone, including his own men and aide.

The Greek-Roman was unshaven and obviously hadn't slept much in those three days.

He was frowning when he sat down near Gabrielle's bed as Xena sat beside her wife and Hercules and Asher stood against a wall.

"Alright, I'm your grandson," he said finally. "What do you want from me? I can't go back to Rome. The Emperor will expect a war with the north. Either I'll be sent back here with troops or banished and disgraced."

"What are we going to do, Xena?" Gabrielle asked wearily. "Rome will just keep coming after us now."

"Some of the steading families are moving east to one of the trade routes, the Russ clan," Hercules said slowly. "Perhaps the wilds of the steppes will discourage Rome from wandering any further. There's no gold or abundant source of slaves. They aren't trappers for the fur, they'll leave that to the tribes and trade rather than work."

Kiryk nodded. "There are no plans to expand in that direction. Rome will always have its eye on the desert and the north."

Xena looked over at her mate as Gabrielle looked around their home, both thinking of the years spent in the cabin building a new life together. "Won't be the first time we've moved on," she said softly, taking her mate's hand.

"And won't be the last given our years," Gabrielle nodded. "We should leave before the season changes. What about Kiryk, Asher won't tolerate him with us for awhile."

"I'll take him traveling," Hercules suggested. "I want to show him where he comes from, Greece, the old Amazon lands, see his mother, visit the Northern Amazons and see the Empire from the other side."

"No, I don't want charity or sympathy!" Lycur Kiryk snapped. "I won't return to Rome. I'll find my own way!"

The former Roman officer stormed out of the cabin again as Gabrielle sighed.

"Now what?" she asked softly, reaching for Xena's hand.

"I'll follow him," Hercules suggested. "I remember his grandmother being about that stubborn at a cross-roads in her life," he smiled. "She eventually listened to me."

"And still had to leave and find my own way," Xena added.

"We'll see what happens," Hercules smiled. "There's a nice symmetry to it. A lost warrior with a past to be redeemed from."

"He's certainly related to you," Gabrielle smiled, lightly teasing her mate.

Xena smiled and nodded. "Take care of him? Bring him round when he's ready?"

"Of course," Hercules smiled and stood to follow the Roman.

Asher frowned and continued looking at his boots.

"Ash?" Gabrielle asked softly.

"I'm not going East," he said suddenly. "I'm going raiding next season. I've seen Rome, now I want to spend time with my Vikings for awhile. Maybe settle in Caledonia or something."

"Britainia?" Xena asked, surprised.

Asher shrugged. "New culture, new land, damned few Romans. I'll find you in a couple of summers."

"Ash…" Gabrielle began softly but Asher shook his head.

"No, Mum, not yet. You can accept him, eventually," Asher frowned. "I still hear Virgil's screams as they pounded the nails into his wrists and ankles."

The Viking walked out slowly.

"He'll come around as well," Xena said firmly.

Xena wrapped an arm around Gabrielle as the bard leaned into Xena's arms.

"We found Kiryk, Xena," she said softly.

"And I wish I could visit Tartarus and pound Callisto a few more times for this one," Xena growled. "She takes a small little boy and we get a vengeful Roman in return."

"Now we have a confused young man whose life is upside down," Gabrielle countered. "We'll have him back, Xena. Hercules works miracles."

"Now to build our lives again with the Russ," Xena sighed. "Or would you rather go to the Northern Amazons?"

"No, they accept me but the bacchae thing is still there," Gabrielle frowned.

"Onto the steppes then," Xena smiled. "Hunting, trapping, farming."

"Raiding, sailing, fighting," Gabrielle added with a smile. "I know you and the Northmen."

"Come on, lover," Xena said softly, pulling Gabrielle into her arms and carrying her mate out onto the porch to watch the setting sun and the Romans packing to leave their territory.

# # #

**Author's Note:** I want to take a moment to thank everyone who has followed this series from the beginning. It's been a wild ride at times. Some high and some lows but I'm pleased with the stories and where it's come.

This is the last story of the series. There will probably be more throughout the centuries facing Xena and Gabrielle but not on a continuing time-frame.

I hope you re-read the series from time to time – there's certainly enough there to keep anyone busy for awhile. LOL – Also, please check out my other series and original work and let me know what you think. I value you readers and your opinions.

Thanks again for a wonderful ride!

Skaal

Hunter

**Poster's Note: **I would like to thank Hunter Ash for the opportunity to post this story on FanFiction . Net. I would also like to thank the readers for taking this wonderful journey.

May the Gods of FanFiction forever be merciful.

Sethanon


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